GKC Partners (in professional association with White & Case) is an established firm in Turkey with a full service offering across multiple practice areas such as M&A, project finance, disputes, capital markets and tax. The firm’s client portfolio includes financial institutions, wealth funds and manufacturing companies. Sebastian Buss leads the practice and brings a wealth of experience in the bank finance and project finance areas. Recent highlights include representing the lenders, led by Deutsche Bank, in the financing of EUR 1.225 billion.
Foreign firms in Turkey
GKC Partners (in professional association with White & Case)
Practice head(s):
Sebastian Buss
Key clients
Fernas Otoyol İşletmesi A.Ş.
Deutsche Bank
DenizBank
Grupo BBVA
FMO
EBRD
Yapi Kredi
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Akbank T.A.Ş.
TEB
Ziraat Bankası
VakıfBank
Kommunalkredit Austria AG
QNB Finansbank
ICBC Turkey Bank A.Ş.
Goldman Sachs International Bank
UniCredit S.p.A
SoftBank Vision Fund LP
Work highlights
- Acted as English law counsel to Fernas İnşaat A.Ş. in a EUR 770 million financing for the construction of Aydın-Denizli Motorway in accordance with the built-operate-transfer model.
- Represented the lenders led by Deutsche Bank in the financing of EUR 1.225 billion for the payment of the upfront lease payment under the new tender to the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI) for Antalya Airport.
- Advised Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. on its €2.25 billion voluntary takeover bid for the 50.15% stake it does not own in T. Garanti Bankası A.Ş.
Allen & Overy LLP
Allen & Overy LLP provides legal services to international and local corporates, banks, financial institutions, investment funds, bondholders and government bodies. The team has expertise in banking and finance matters with experience in debt restructurings, commodity finance and real estate finance. The practice is also well-versed in M&A and competition issues. Adam Fadian heads the team and has extensive experience in emerging markets, regularly advising clients on financing transactions.
Practice head(s):
Adam Fadian
Key clients
Koc Holding A.S.
Standard Chartered Bank
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
MUFG Securities EMEA plc
Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi A.S.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Garanti Bank
The International Finance Corporation (IFC)
VTB Bank (PJSC)
Metinvest B.V.
Arçelik A.S.
ICBC Turkey Yatırım Menkul Değerler A.Ş
Aygaz A.S.
Credit Europe Bank N.V.
UniCredit Bank AG
BNY Mellon
Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG
Turkiye Is Bankasi A.S.
A101
JP Morgan Securities Plc
Work highlights
- Acted for ICBC in connection with a USD 50 million green bilateral credit facility for Yapi Kredi.
- Advised a financial institution in connection with the financing of the construction of a High Speed Train Project.
- Advised Drake & Scull International in connection with its US$1.4bn debt restructuring.
Dentons
Dentons’s affiliated firm Balcioglu Selçuk Ardiyok Keki provides legal assistance to clients from conventional and renewable power companies to foreign investors, financial institutions and transport companies. The practice has strong M&A capabilities providing advice on every aspect of transactions including due diligence, tax structuring, employment issues and negotiation of SPAs. Tamsyn Mileham has expertise in banking and finance, acting for commercial banks, private equity investors and corporate borrowers; she co-heads the team with infrastructure expert Ian McGrath and Nadia Cansun who focuses on cross-border transactions.
Practice head(s):
Ian McGrath; Nadia Cansun; Tamsyn Mileham
Testimonials
‘Team is dedicated and reachable on demand. High level quality is provided along with some commercial point of view advice.’
Key clients
IC İçtaş
Rönesans
Karadeniz Holding/Karpowership
EBRD
Aksa Energy
Green for Growth Fund
Akfen
IFC
ICBC
SK Ecoplant
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Work highlights
- Advised Karadeniz Holding on USD 250Mn refinancing of its power ship projects in Ghana, and on its new facilities for projects in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Advised EBRD on its first true green financing following LMA Green Principles with a EUR 150 million loan to Arçelik A.Ş to invest in R&D and production activities.
- Advised EBRD on their largest loan to the Turkish market in 2021, under a EUR 650m A/B loan to Ford Otosan.
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I.
Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. is recognised by international investors as a leading firm in Turkey with experience across multiple areas of the law. The practice is well-versed in compliance, IP, dispute resolution, employment and insurance matters and has strong cross-border capabilities with tax and international arbitration work, in addition to inbound and outbound investments. The firm is jointly led with Bülent Özdirekcan, Arpat Şenocak, Ali Osman Ak and Esra Dündar Loiseau doing restructuring, regulatory, employment and IP work respectively.
Practice head(s):
Bülent Ozdirekcan; Arpat Şenocak; Ali Osman Ak; Esra Dündar Loiseau
Key clients
Agence Française de Développement
Ak Gıda (Turkish affiliate of Lactalis Group
Akdeniz Turistik Tesisler A.Ş.
ALD Automotive Turkey
ALD International
Air Liquide
Alchem Europe
Allflex
Algontech
Allianz Hayat ve Emeklilik A.Ş.
Altilis
AXA Hayat ve Emeklilik A.S.
AXA Sigorta
Believe Digital
Bel Karper Gıda Sanayi A.Ş.
Bereket Tekaful
BNP Paribas Cardif Hayat Sigorta A.S.
BNP Paribas Cardif Sigorta A.S
BNP Paribas Cardif Emeklilik A.S.
BNP Paribas SA
Bo-Er
BPF Acentelik ve Aracilik Hizmetleri A.S.
BTA Havalimanları
Carel Industries
Ca Technologies Yazılım ve Bilişim Hizmetleri Limited Şirketi
Cepas Galvaniz Demir Celik Madencilik Insaat Nakliye Ticaret ve Sanayi A.S
Christian Dior
Clarins
Club Méditerranée SA
Colina
Crédit Agricole Ukraine
Deka
Eker Süt Ürünleri Gıda San. Tic. A.S.
Electronics for Imaging (EFI)
Enova
Euler Hermes Sigorta A.S.
Euler Hermes (Italy)
Euralis
Ficosa
Flovel
Gaptek
GCL Factoring France
Global Enerji
Gestamp North Europe Services S.L.
Groupama Sigorta A.S.
Groupama Emeklilik A.S.
Groupama Assurances Mutuelles
Group Atlantic
Helvetia Swiss Insurance Company Limited
H & M
Hypernet
Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc
Joom
JUUL LABS INC.
Koop Hub
KYU (Hakuhodo DY Holding)
Lactalis Group
LANCOME PARFUMS BEAUTE & CIE
Levi Strauss Co
Lombard Odier
Loyens & Loeff
LVMH
Maisto E Associeti
MDS AP Tech Yazılım Ürünleri ve Bilişim Hizmetleri Ticaret Ltd. Şti.
Midis Group
NN Hayat ve Emeklilik A.S.
Novacel
OYAK Renault
Orange Sigorta Aracılık Hizmetleri A.S.
Renault
PJSC Rosbank
Reinsurance Group of America
Saint Gobain
Schindler
SG Hambros
Skandinavska Enskilda Banken
Société Générale Milano
Sojern INC.
Şen-Er Boya Kimya
Sodrugestvo
Schindler
Steelcase SAS
Supedry – DKH Retail Limited
Taiyuan Iron & Steel (Group) Company Limited
TEB Portföy
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Türkiye Hayat ve Emeklilik A.S.
Türkiye Katılım Hayat A.Ş.
Türkiye Katılım Sigorta A.Ş.
Türkiye Sigorta A.S.
Türkiye Wealth Fund
Union Bancaire Privée
Vilmorin
Volvo Group Otomotiv Tic. Ltd. Şti
Volvo Trucks AB
Zeplin
Work highlights
- Advised Allianz SE in relation to Turkish law implications of a group restructuring performed abroad.
- Advised Schindler on the acquisition of 100% of Om Elektrik Makine Sanayi (Omsan) shares.
- Advised Adidas relating to restructuring and implementation of its membership (loyalty) program in both website and adidas’ application platforms.y.
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright is well-versed in a range of corporate transactional and finance matters, including M&A, data privacy, anti-corruption, compliance, capital markets and Islamic finance. Ayşe Yüksel Mahfoud leads the team and has extensive experience in private equity investments, corporate governance issues and capital markets.
Practice head(s):
Ayşe Yüksel Mahfoud
Testimonials
‘This is a team that has access to a great global network. It’s a one-shop team that can render multi-jurisdictional advice. It has a lot of technological innovations that they offer to their clients which becomes a very important tool in our lives. The team is excellent to make a collaboration with. They know the market and offer unique solutions to problems.’
‘Ayse Yüksel Mahfoud is an excellent lawyer and is a global leader. She knows the Turkish market as well as the US and UK markets. She is capable of understanding the client’s needs and is very strategically innovative. The team at Norton Rose Fulbright is different than other foreign firms that we work with such that we can work as one team which makes easy vis-a-vis our own clients.’
Key clients
Stage Capital
Actera Group
Teknasyon Yazılım
Zero Density
Ethemba Capital LLC
International Finance Corporation
European Bank of Restructuring and Development
Yapı Kredi Bank
Akbank
İşBank
ING Bank N:V.
Credit Europe Bank NV
Credit Europe Bank (Russia) Ltd
Fibabanka
Export Development Bank of Canada
DVB Bank SE
Citigroup Global Markets Limited
Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO)
Brookfield
SITA
Koç Holding
DowAksa Ileri Kompozit Malzemeler San. Ltd. Sti.
ING-DiBa AG
Arçelik A.Ş.
Tüpraş
TPAY Mobile FZ-LLC
Turkish Airlines
I-Pulse Oil & Gas LLC
SOCAR Turkey
Cronus Chemicals
Avesorol
InterGlobe Aviation Limited
Bausch Health Company
Amaniki
Work highlights
- Advised the shareholders of Birgi Mefar Group on the sale of 100% of its shares to Abu Dhabi investment and holding company ADQ.
- Advised on the negotiation and execution of a US$ 100 million sustainability-linked loan facility and related security agreements executed with Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş., Türkiye Sınai Kalkınma Bankası, and QNB Finansbank A.Ş.
- Advised Arçelik in connection with the €78.3 million acquisition of Whirlpool Beyaz Eşya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Whirlpool’s wholly owned subsidiary in Turkey.