About

Founded in 2002 by the Kuwait-based Alshaya Group as an investment in the Turkish retail market, Shaya represents a portfolio of the world’s best known international brands in Turkey, managing their retail franchise operations. The legal team at Shaya, whose geographical responsibility was recently expanded to cover the legal operations in Azerbaijan, takes part in the business and operational projects of Shaya’s brands, which include Starbucks, Victoria’s Secret and The Body Shop. Helping the company with its overseas ambitions as well as its domestic goals, the legal team established the legal structure of Shaya’s overseas expansion. When one of Shaya’s brands extended its sale operations to e-commerce, the team was ready to manage the very wide range of work associated. Ayşegül Durmuş, associate counsel for Turkey and Azerbaijan, says ‘the team should be business-minded and problem-solving. It should have an important role in reaching the company’s business targets and future strategy’.