This will be conducted in English and according to Istanbul local time. 

The Türkiye & ME: 9th Annual International Arbitration & Competition Law Summit is back to Istanbul on Thursday 21 September 2023 at Divan Istanbul Hotel.  

Join us to learn the changes and new trends that has affected businesses after the pandemic as well as looking through the looking glass into the near future on how Arbitration, crypto disputes, competition law and corporate crime affects your business now and in the future. Dynamic & upto date presentations on essential issues covering Construction & Energy Disputes, ESG, Enforcement of Awards, Asset Tracing, Cartels, Compliance, Technology issues in Disputes, Corporate Crime, AI – ChatGPT and important topical Competition Law issues . Also covered are important regional updates given to you by local and international experts who will joining us to share their invaluable knowledge and experience. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to Legal household names in the region, network and create business opportunities, meet & greet and make some new friends!

Registration is now open.  Contact us today or view the latest flyer for registration and program details. Download

If you are interested to sponsor or speak at the event, contact Jason at jason.sinclair@legalplus-asia.com for package details.  For registrations details, contact Bettina at legalpluseventsasia@legalplus-asia.com.

Program
The organiser reserves the right to change the program without prior notice.

• Chairman’s Opening & Recent Changes in Arbitration in the EMEA Region
  Victor P. Leginsky, International Arbitrator, Arbitralis
• Welcome Message & ISTAC 2023 Brief Overview
  Prof. Dr. Ziya Akıncı, President, Istanbul Arbitration Centre
• 1st Keynote Session — Suggestions for Improving the Efficiency of Arbitral Proceedings
  Yves Derains, Founding Partner, Derains & Gharavi
• 1st Grand Panel: Navigating Supply Chain Disputes & Problems in Turbulent Times
  Moderator: Dr. Nagla Nassar, Senior Partner, NassarLaw
  Panellists:
  • Filiz Saridogan, Supply Chain, Karadeniz Holding, Karpowership
  • Nazli Dereli Oba, Partner, TUNÇ FIRAT DERELİ Attorney Partnership
  
• Managing Insolvency & Bankruptcy Disputes: Key Restructuring Issues
  Sule Uluc, Partner, Hergüner Bilgen Üçer
  
• Contract Disputes – Tips for Inhouse counsels
  Sila Uysal, Legal Manager, Karadeniz Holding
  
• 2nd Grand Panel: Can Arbitrations Be Done Quickly and Fairly: Understanding Expedited Procedures, Emergency Arbitration & Mediation as Your Best Dispute Fix in Different Industries
  Moderator: Berin Simge Hikmet, Independent Counsel, Arbitrator & Mediator
  Panellists:
  • Aksit Berkay Noyan, Deputy General Manager, Soyak Enerji
  • Yves Derains, Founding Partner, Derains & Gharavi
  • Gizem Zeynep Bölükbaşı, Vice President, Türkiye Wealth Fund
  
• 3rd Grand Panel: Monetizing & Enforcing Awards in Different Industries — Regional Updates in 2023
  Moderator: Jonathan Blythe, Partner & Director, Şengüler & Şengüler
  Panellista:
  • Dr. Nagla Nassar, Senior Partner, NassarLaw
  • Akin Volkan Arikan, Managing Partner, Arikan Partners
  • Sila Uysal, Legal Manager, Karadeniz Holding
• 2nd Keynote Session — EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation and Its Effects on Turkish & EU Companies
  Conor Quigley KC, Serle Court Chambers
  
• Updates in Turkish Competition Law in 2023 and A Glance into 2024
  Metin Pektaş, Partner, NAZALI Tax & Legal
  
• 4th Grand Panel: Competition Law in The Digital Age: Leniency & Merger Control, Cartels — A look into The Future
  Moderator: Gülçin Dere, Counsel, Paksoy
  Panellists:
  • Metin Pektaş, Partner, NAZALI Tax & Legal
  • Conor Quigley KC, Serle Court Chambers
  • S. Yersu Şahin, Competition Compliance Manager, Unilever Turkey
  • Ali Yilmaz, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, QNB Finansbank A.Ş
  

Speakers

Victor P. Leginsky, Chairman

International Arbitrator, Arbitralis

Victor P. Leginsky, Canadian citizen, is an experienced international arbitrator and mediator resident in the United Arab Emirates since 2007. Victor has earned the internationally-recognized designations of Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is appointed to the CIArb Panel of Arbitrators. Victor is a CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, London) accredited mediator and mediation experience as Chair, Manufactured Home Park Dispute Resolution Committee (Attorney General of British Columbia, Canada, appointment) and in mediations. Victor is appointed to the panels or lists of arbitrators in a number of international centres and is a committee member of the International Court of Arbitration (ICC) Canada. He has instructed and assessed in respect of Mediation though the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the CIArb. He is the past Middle East Regional Director of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN). He is a member in good standing of the Law Society of British Columbia, Canada.

Biography

Prof. Dr. Ziya Akinci, Welcome Message

President, Istanbul Arbitration Centre

Prof. Akıncı, president of the ISTAC Board of Arbitration, a member of Istanbul Bar Association, and Chairman of the International Private Law Department of Galatasaray University Faculty of Law, has for years been recognised by legal directories as a “leading individual” in arbitration, dispute resolution, international commercial law and construction. Prof. Akıncı has been involved in a large number of domestic and international disputes (as arbitrator, counsel, or legal expert) and has acted under several arbitration rules including ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC, LCIA, SCC, DIAC, TRAC and ITOTAM. Prof. Akıncı worked on projects and disputes for highways, railways, metro, buildings, underground sewerage system; infrastructure civil projects, water distribution projects, shopping malls, various residential projects, power plants, natural gas storage, SCADA systems, automation system in Turkey and also in many countries worldwide involving Europe, Middle East and CIS Countries financed by the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, JBIC, and the Word Bank. Prof. Akıncı also has substantial experience in cross-border M&A projects and corporate law. Prof. Akıncı was a member of the ICC Court of Arbitration from 2006 until 2019. He is also a fellow of Chartered Arbitration Institute. Prof. Akıncı is the author of numerous books and publications including International Arbitration, International Construction Contracts and Transportation Law. He teaches international arbitration, international investment, and private international law.

Biography

Yves Derains, Keynote Speaker

Founding Partner, Derains & Gharavi

Yves Derains, former Secretary General of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and Director of the Legal Department of the ICC, is member of the Paris Bar and founding partner of the law firm Derains & Gharavi. He is specialized in commercial and investment arbitration and is acting both as arbitrator and counsel in arbitration proceedings. He is Honorary Chairman of the ICC Institute of World Business Law, former Chairman of the Comité Français de l’Arbitrage, former Chairman of the Working Party on the Revision of the ICC Rules of Arbitration and Honorary Professor of several Universities in Lima, Peru. He is also author of many publications on International Commercial Arbitration, in particular: “A Guide to the ICC Rules of Arbitration” (2nd E, with E. Schwartz), Kluwer, 2005.

Biography

Conor Quigley KC, Keynote Speaker

Serle Court Chambers

Conor Quigley QC, practices law from Serle Court Chambers, one of London’s leading commercial barristers’ chambers. He specializes in European Union law, in particular concerning competition, commercial, trade and tax law. Conor is widely regarded as the leading expert at the English Bar in the law of EU state aid and subsidies control. He is the author of the leading textbook, European State Aid Law and Policy, now in its 4th edition (2022) and is also co-author and general editor (with Suzanne Rab) of Hong Kong Competition Law (2016), (both books available from www.hartpub.co.uk). He regularly advises UK governmental and public authorities, major multinational groups, and other interested parties, and has acted in some of the leading EU law cases over the last 30 years before the European Court of Justice, the UK Supreme Court and Court of Appeal and High Court. Conor accepts appointment as arbitrator in international disputes, in particular concerning international trade, state aid and subsidies, competition law and environmental issues. He is listed in the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre and has been appointed an ad hoc sole arbitrator by IATA. In 1991 Conor became a member of the Law Faculty of the University of Oxford, when he was appointed a Fellow in EU Law at Lady Margaret Hall. Since 2008, he has been a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of European and Comparative Law. He has also held visiting posts at the College of Europe, King’s College London and the International Tax Centre, Leiden University. He is also a Visiting Professor in Practice at the LSE since 2022.

Biography

Dr. Nagla Nassar, Moderator - 1st Grand Panel

Senior Partner, NassarLaw

Dr. Nagla Nassar is Senior Partner at NassarLaw which was established in 1885. She graduated from Cairo University and Trinity College where she got her M. Litt and has an LL.M from Harvard University as well as a PhD from Geneva University and the Diploma of The Hague Academy in Private International Law. Before joining NassarLaw in 2004 she practiced in several jurisdictions and is a member of several bars. She was with the ICSID Secretariat and is a member of different arbitration forums including being a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is a Council Member of the ICC World Business Institute. She has many legal publications analyzing critical legal problems and is abreast of current issues. With many years of experience both as corporate counsel and arbitrator she has acted on behalf of many major multinationals and Egyptian entities. Also, Dr. Nassar is appointed frequently as an arbitrator and has chaired many tribunals.

Biography

Berin Simge Hikmet, Moderator - 2nd Grand Panel

Independent Counsel, Arbitrator & Mediator

Jonathan W Blythe, Moderator - 3rd Grand Panel

Partner & Director, Şengüler& Şengüler

Jonathan is a partner with Senguler & Senguler and has over 25 years’ experience in the Turkish legal market. He is also one of the founder members of the British Turkish Lawyers Association and is currently adviser to the board. He is a qualified Scottish and English solicitor, but for the majority of his professional life he has been located in Turkey. Having completed an MA (Law) at Istanbul University, in 1995 he set up and ran the Istanbul office of the Scottish oil and gas law firm Ledingham Chalmers. A veteran of the BTC pipeline deal, he has acted for a number of State and Private Entities. Following an MBO in 2004 he has been part of Senguler & Senguler where he oversees their work with mainly foreign investors operating in Turkey across a range of sectors. These include industrial, IT telecoms, banking, retail and service industry household name clients. The firm has a number of relationships with global law firms. Being fluent in Turkish but having a common law background he and his team are well placed to assist clients as they seek to navigate the sometimes uncertain waters of the Turkish regulatory environment. Jonathan has a significant arbitration practice acting as counsel in a number of ICC cases and currently co-counselling on an ICSID investment arbitration claim for Turkish clients. Jonathan is a qualified arbitrator, being a member of the CIArb and ICCA. He has sat as chairman, co-chair and sole arbitrator in a number of ICC cases involving multinational parties under both Turkish and English law, conducted in both Turkish and English.

Biography

Gülçin Dere, Moderator - 4th Grand Panel

Counsel, Paksoy

Gülçin Dere is an antitrust and competition law specialist with more than 10 years of experience in antitrust and competition matters. Ms Dere worked as a Chief Competition Expert at the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA) before moving to private practice. She has in-depth knowledge and understanding of antitrust and competition, mergers and acquisitions cases mainly in automotive, banking and financial services, construction, energy markets, media markets and has significant experience in investigation and reporting cartel cases and drafting legal opinions. She participated in major dawn raids, cartel investigations and represented the TCA in international forums. Ms Dere attended the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as a legal extern and conducted legal research and provided legal assistance in relation to international competition law issues. In addition, she performed extensive legal research in a law firm in Washington D.C. during her education. She is a regular speaker in competition law seminars and conferences.

Biography

Metin Pektaş

Partner, NAZALI Tax & Legal

Metin Pektaş is antitrust partner at NAZALI Tax & Legal. Prior to joining NAZALI in 2019, Metin worked as competition law/policy specialist and case handler at the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA) during the period of 2004-2017. He also worked as consultant to TCA President and training coordinator of the Authority. He joined CK Energy in 2017-2018 as Competition Compliance Director.

Biography

Aksit Berkay Noyan

Deputy General Manager, Soyak Enerji

Berkay is a seasoned attorney, in house counsel and corporate executive with an in-depth expertise and proven track record in a wide spectrum of legal fields including Energy & Natural Resources, M&A, Corporate & Commercial, PPP projects, Construction, Capital Markets, Compliance & Regulatory, Information Technologies, Data Privacy & Protection, Banking & Finance and Arbitration & Dispute Resolution. Berkay is the Deputy General Manager of Soyak Enerji responsible for Legal Affairs. Having obtained his bachelor and post graduate degrees respectively from Galatasaray University (Istanbul) and ULB (Brussels), he worked in top tier law firms leading their M&A, Corporate and Capital Markets teams, as well as Energy & Natural Resources and Tax Practice Groups thereof. He has extensive experience in international arbitration and dispute resolution including commercial and investment disputes. Berkay previously held the positions of General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at Karadeniz Holding and Fayrix. He also acted as Vice Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors at Türkerler Holding. During his career, Berkay and his teams closed several cross-border M&A, energy and infrastructure projects involving various jurisdictions from US to Japan (W-E) and Russia to South Africa (N-S). He is also a member of the niche club of legal practitioners specialized in LNG and FSRU operations. He further gained extensive experience in international arbitration and dispute resolution including commercial and investment disputes. Berkay fluently speaks English, French and Turkish.

Biography

Akin Volkan Arikan

Akin Volkan Arikan Managing Partner, Arikan Partners

Mr. Akin Volkan Arikan is the managing partner of ARIKAN PARTNERS. His practice mainly focuses on cross-border contract consultancy and complex international dispute resolution matters. He has been representing clients in international dispute resolution matters including arbitration cases before ICC, UNCITRAL, ICSID, LCIA, SCC, LMAA and GAFTA. Mr. Arikan’s involvement in international dispute resolution is not limited to litigation and arbitration matters, it also includes alternative dispute resolution methods. A significant number of multi-ten hundred million USD value disputes have been settled under the advisory and representation of Mr. Arikan. His international experience encompasses projects in diversified jurisdictions including UK, USA, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Qatar, Libya, Jordan, Georgia, Nigeria and Turkey. Prior to joining ARIKAN PARTNERS, Mr. Arikan worked at an AmLaw100 Law Firm where he gained experience in international arbitration and transactional matters. His previous experience also includes the counselling and representation of national and international clients in diverse practise areas in international arbitration and corporate law related matters. Mr. Arikan is admitted to Istanbul Bar Association, a graduate of Galatasaray University Faculty of Law and fluent in English and French. He had one year of law education in France, at University of Franche-Comté in Besançon. Mr. Arikan is one of the founding members of the Istanbul Arbitration Association (“ISTA”) and he is currently sitting as a member at the Board of Directors of ISTA.

Biography

Filiz Saridogan

Supply Chain, Karadeniz Holding, Karpowership

Filiz is an executive of procurement (local and global sourcing) , logistics, reporting and supplier relations. She gained an extensive experience in global supply chain management throughout her career and especially in the last few years of turbulent global economy. She has received her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Middle East Technical University. Filiz started as supply chain manager for Karadeniz Holding in 2013, and her proven track in energy sector lead her to the director position in 2018.

Biography

Sıla Uysal

Senior Legal Counsel, Karadeniz Holding

Sıla Uysal is a senior legal counsel working in the Energy sector, admitted both in İstanbul and in England and Wales. Sıla has an international legal background and significant experience in the drafting and negotiation of international energy contracts and in international investment and commercial disputes. Sıla is currently Legal Manager at Karadeniz Holding where she focuses on Powership projects, project finance deals and disputes arising therefrom. She has previously worked in the International Arbitration practice group of Arnold and Porter LLP in London, where she worked in both International Commercial Arbitration and International Investment Arbitration cases. Sıla graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Strasbourg and earned two Master's degrees, the first from the same university and the second from City University of London, focusing on Business Law and on Maritime Law & Energy Law, with honours. Sıla also holds an equivalence degree in Turkish Law from Galatasaray University and was selected to represent her universities both at International Arbitration moot competitions in the UK and at the NATO.

Biography

Gizem Zeynep Bölükbaşı

Vice President, Türkiye Wealth Fund

Gizem leads M&A projects (including deals with a cumulative value of more than USD 2 billion) as a senior member of TWF’s legal and compliance team and she is recognized as one of the most influential general counsels in the region. Before moving to TWF, she worked as a corporate and transactional lawyer in the best well-known law firms in Turkey focusing on corporate, commercial, M&A, banking, finance, and capital markets. During her career, she has been involved in numerous transactions in various sectors (financial services, telecommunication, insurance, transportation, etc.) and advised clients on all aspects of their investments, from entry to exit and any add-on investments, both in Turkey and abroad. She holds an LL.M. degree from Uppsala University specializing in arbitration, both international commercial arbitration and investment treaty arbitration, and previously graduated from Koç University with the highest honors.

Biography

Ali Yilmaz

Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, QNB Finansbank A.Ş

Yılmaz graduated from İstanbul University, Faculty of Law in 1999. Active in business since 1996, Yılmaz received his finance education at University of Toronto between 2000-2002. With an MBA from Koç University, he started his banking career at Dışbank in 2003. Later, he served as Director of Legal Affairs at Fortisbank A.Ş. and as a member of the Board and Legal Counsel at Société Générale Turkey. Yılmaz joined QNB Finansbank A.Ş. in 2016. Appointed as Chief Legal Counsel in May 2018, Yilmaz has been serving as Executive Vice President since January 2020.

Biography

Şule Uluç

Partner, Hergüner Bilgen Üçer

Şule Uluç is a partner in the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Team of Hergüner Bilgen Üçer. Ms. Uluç has focused her practice in the areas of international and domestic arbitration and dispute resolution. She advises and represents foreign and local clients in all areas of the dispute resolution processes including litigation, domestic and international arbitration, amicable dispute resolution as well as mediation processes in commercial, employment and real estate disputes. Ms. Uluç also has a substantial level of insolvency related experience and works in the areas of bankruptcy, enforcement, and restructuring including her recent work in one of Turkey`s largest debt restructuring projects. Having obtained her bachelor’s degree from Galatasaray University Faculty of Law, Ms. Uluç completed her master’s degree with honors at Northwestern University. After working at an international law firm in Washington, D.C. specializing in international arbitration, Ms. Uluç joined Hergüner Bilgen Üçer in 2011. She is a member of the Istanbul and New York Bar Associations.

Biography

Nazlı Dereli Oba

Founding Partner, Tunc Fırat Dereli Attorney Partnership

Nazlı Dereli Oba is one of the founding partners of Tunc Fırat Dereli Attorney Partnership responsible for finance, maritime and arbitration practices. Nazlı focuses on international arbitration, both commercial and investment-related disputes. Nazli also advises clients on finance projects, including project finance, corporate finance, shipping finance, and restructurings. Nazlı started her career at Morgan Walker Solicitors in London. After working in various law firms and companies in Turkey, in 2012, she moved to Karadeniz Holding, a leading energy generation and shipping company, where she acted as the general counsel for more than eight years. Nazli is the Honorary Consul of Mexico and a member of Turkey-Mexico Business Council at Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), which she also chaired from 2020-2022. She is also a member of Istanbul Arbitration Center Energy Commission, and KORUNCUK board of trustees. She graduated from John Hopkins University with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and minor in German. She completed her post graduate diploma in law and legal practice course at College of Law, London. She also holds an LLM degree from Queen Mary University of London.

Biography

S. Yersu Şahin

Competition Compliance Manager, Unilever Turkey

S. Yersu Şahin has 15 years of experience in competition law. She currently works at Unilever Turkey for 2 years as Competition Compliance Manager, while also supporting Unilever’s Global Competition Law Team. Prior to her current position, Yersu worked as Competition Expert / Case Handler at the Turkish Competition Authority for 7 years and as Group Competition Compliance Manager at Anadolu Efes for 6 years. Yersu holds an LLM in Competition Law from King’s College London and an MA in Law and Economics from Bilkent University Faculty of Law.

Biography

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Registration Details

Complimentary Registration for in-house counsel

Complimentary Registration - Click Here

If you would like to apply for an in-house counsel complimentary ticket, please click here and fill in your details. Complimentary seat is applicable to in-house counsel from non law / consultancy firm only.  One complimentary seat per company, first-come-first-served. Results are based on the organiser’s discretion and applicants will be notified by email.