About

Heading all legal operations of Paypal in the CIS, MEA and Greater European regions, Senay Gurel has taken up a very challenging role dealing with e-money, a fast evolving area, not yet regulated in some countries. ‘Educating regulators and partners about what e-money is and how it should be regulated is an everyday challenge, especially where the regulation changes so rapidly to adjust to market changes’ she comments. When she assumed her role in Paypal, she was the only in-house counsel. Four years later, the region she is covering with her team has expanded and she has developed new working tools, templates and best practice. ‘We have built the legal department in the region and brought it to a certain level of maturity in terms of processes and operational excellence’. Two years ago her team obtained an e-money license in Russia and they are about to file the same in Turkey. ‘These are amazing projects with hundreds of people involved’ she says. Before joining Paypal Turkey Gurel had worked as an associate with Linklaters specialising on M&A, while previously she was an associate with Gide Loyrette Nouel in Paris.