Our Team
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Meet Our Team of Experts
Our core principle was to invest in people, communities, and the success of our clients
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Bar Admissions:
- Ankara Bar Association
- International Bar Association
Languages:
- English, Turkish
Practice Areas:
- Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
- Infrastructure & Construction Law
- Project Finance
- Energy
- Mergers & Acquisitions
Education:
- Yeditepe University (PhD), Istanbul
- Manchester University (LLM), Manchester
- Istanbul University (LLB), Istanbul
Biography
Zihni GONEN is the managing partner of Gonen Law Office. He has extensive experience in the fields of international trade, project finance, commercial finance, PPP (Public Private Partnership) projects, construction law with particular focus on FIDIC-based contracts and contract management. In addition to these practice areas, Mr. GONEN actively took part and succeeded in national and international arbitrations and dispute resolutions on behalf of national and multinational clients.
Mr. GONEN is a listed arbitrator in various national and international arbitration centres where he has been acting as an arbitrator and mediator in various national and international arbitration matters. He handled arbitrations at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the International Court of Arbitration (ICC), the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA), London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA) and Global Trade In Oils, Seeds and Fats (FOSFA)
Mr. GONEN has been actively advising foreign investors in their transactions and litigation and consultancy matters in Turkey and abroad. His client portfolio consists of companies operating in different sectors including local and international construction companies, energy companies, international investors, investment funds and holdings.
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Biography
Languages:
- English, Arabic, Turkish
Practice Areas:
- Business development operations management
- Obtaining Construction Permits (ZRID) for EPC projects
- Selecting subcontractors, suppliers, insurance, and mobilization
- Design and construction of major infrastructure projects
- Contractual and commercial risk identification and mitigation
- Contract negotiation and management
- Joint ventures with multinational companies
- Execution of large infrastructure projects
Education:
- Çukurova University (Bachelor’s Degree), Civil Engineering
Bibliography:
Since the beginning of his career, AHMET MUTLUAY has provided comprehensive management services for business development operations, coordinating with Senior Management and relevant units to align with the strategic goals of the company he was involved. He has successfully handled the acquisition of Construction Permits (ZRID) for EPC projects, maintained key relationships, selected subcontractors and suppliers, and managed insurance and mobilization processes. His expertise extends to fostering communication with Employers, Engineers, and Designers.
Key projects managed by Mr. MUTLUAY include:
- Design and construction of the S19 road (Malewice – Chlebczyn section)
- Design and construction of the S17 Piaski – Hrebenne expressway
- Design and construction of the S19 expressway (Lutcza – W. Domaradz section)
Mr. MUTLUAY actively participated in the Business Development Team, identifying and mitigating contractual and commercial risks on landmark projects such as the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Western Highway Diameter in St. Petersburg, Gabon International Airport, Riyadh Airport Expansion, and the M11 Motorway (Moscow to St. Petersburg).
He has held overall responsibility for negotiating, drafting, and managing contracts and subcontracts, including those for significant works like Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, 3rd Bosporus Bridge, Salt Lake Gas Storage Phase II, Gabon International Airport, and Riyadh Airport Expansion.
With broad experience in joint ventures with large multinational companies such as OHL (Spain), Astaldi and Salini (Italy), Titan2 (Russia), as well as Nesma, Dallah, and Almabani (KSA), Mr. MUTLUAY has successfully executed and completed mega projects both in Türkiye and abroad.
Mr. MUTLUAY has extensive expertise in managing, executing, and delivering large-scale infrastructure projects, including the Ankara–Eskisehir High-Speed Railway, Corlu International Airport (Türkiye), Kabul–Kandahar Motorway (Afghanistan), and the Sewage Network in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). His work has earned him recognition from many local organizations for delivering excellent results without compromising safety, quality, or productivity.
Expert Highlights
- Vast experience in FIDIC, BOT and PPP contracts
- Contract negotiotions and drafting
- Contract due diligence and forecast
- Risk mitigation
- Acted in international high scale arbitration proceedings
- Quantity surveying expertise.
- Determination of unforseen costs
- Delay Analysis
- Insurance claims
With over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, Ahmet MUTLUAY is a highly experienced civil engineer who has particularly specialized in, beside other matters involving the industry, reviewing and analyzing various types of contracts with clients, partners and stakeholders, negotiation of all matters in relation with their agreements and finally dispute resolution processes. He has an in-depth understanding of practical requirements extremely essential in the industry and the ability to ensure that all terms and conditions of an agreement are clear, enforceable, and aligned with pre-defined codes and standards.
Ahmet MUTLUAY is also a competent claim expert specialized in assessing, handling, or advising on construction issues and insurance cases. His expertise includes delay analysis and cost determination of damages and disruptions, contract analysis and administration, and the assessment of contractor performance. He has extensive experience in conducting detailed analyses of construction issues and disputes and preparing expert reports of his findings. He has acted and managed in several local and international claims and disputes. He is also capable of foreseeing potential risks which may cause prolongation and/or cost overrun of contracts and offering mitigation measures to establish.
He has acted as a witness expert in local and international arbitrations appointed by the parties or tribunal.
INVOLVED Projects
- S19 expressway on section Malewice – Chlebczyn, approximately 25.07 km long.
- S17 expressway on section Piaski – Hrebenne, approximately 17.3 km long.
- S19 expressway on section Lutcza – Domaradz junction (with junction), approximately 6.43 km long.
- Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Türkiye
- High Speed Western Diameter Motorway – St. Petersburg, Russia.
- New Gabon Airport Project, Gabon.
- Riyadh King Khaled International Airport Expansion Project, Saudi Arabia.
- Section of the M11 Moscow – St. Petersburg Motorway, Russia.
- Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake) Underground Natural Gas Storage Expansion Project, Türkiye.
- İstanbul Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and Northern Ring Motorway Project, Türkiye
- Varna and Burgas International Airports Project, Bulgaria.
- TCDD Ankara-Istanbul High Speed Train Project 2nd Stage Section 2, İnönü – Köseköy, Türkiye.
- Jabal Omar Development Project, Makkah – Saudi Arabia.
- Sewerage System in South Central Area of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Ankara – Eskişehir High Speed Railway Project, Türkiye.
- Kabul – Kandahar Highway Project, Afghanistan.
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Languages:
English
French
Turkish
Practice Areas:
- Tax & Administrative Law
- Contracts Law
- European Law and EU Secondary Legislation
- PDPL and Compliance
- Mediation & Arbitration
- Business Law
- Commercial Law
Education:
- Ankara University Faculty of Law, Public Law, PhD (Continuing)
- University of Exeter, European Law, LL.M. (2011-2012)
- Ankara University Faculty of Law, Undergraduate (1998-2003)
Biography
ÇAPRAK has extensive knowledge and experience in tax law, administrative law, contract law, personal data protection law and compliance procedure.
ÇAPRAK, who also has an academic background, has published articles Subjectivity of “Well Founded Fear of Being Persecuted” Criteria as a Key Factor for Determining the Refugee Status (International Journal of Legal Progress 1 (1), 1-13, 2015) and Conciliative Need for Harmful Consequences of Relativist Claims in Relation to Universal Human Rights (International Journal of Legal Progress 1 (2), 1-16, 2015) in peer-reviewed journals.
He also served as an Administrative Judge in Aydın and Istanbul Tax Courts and as an Investigation Judge in the 9th Chamber of the Council of State.
ÇAPRAK provides consultancy to its clients in many fields of law, especially in the fields of tax and administrative law.
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Bar Admissions:
Ankara Bar Association
Languages:
English, Turkish
Practice Areas:
Commercial Law
Execution and Bankruptcy Law
Family Law
Insurance Law
Labor Law
Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
Education:
Başkent University (LLB), Ankara
Biography
Özlem Çalık Uyar provides consultancy and litigation services to her clients in the fields of, family law, commercial law, ınsurance law, labor law, and arbitration and compliance services for the companies.
She provides litigation and consultancy services regarding disputes arising from commercial law between domestic and foreign companies and in all legal matters that commercial enterprises/companies need within the scope of the Turkish Commercial Code.
In the field of enforcement and bankruptcy law, Mrs. Çalık Uyar represents her clients in the initiation of enforcement procedures with or without judgment, monitoring the enforcement process, and managing the collection stages on behalf of clients. She also provides services in divorce and alimony cases, recognition, and enforcement of divorce decisions taken by foreign courts.
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Biography
Languages
- Turkish, English
Education
- University of Leeds (PhD), Grindability of Minerals
- University of Leeds (Bachelor’s Degree), Department of Mineral Processing
Practice Areas
- Mineral Processing and Ore Beneficiation
- Engineering
- Planning and Coordination
- Project Management and Implementation
- Marketing
- Corporate Consulting
- Government and Public Sector Consulting
- Energy and Electricity Distribution Management
Bibliography
SELAHADDİN ANAÇ graduated in 1978 with a degree in Mineral Processing from the University of Leeds, where he also completed his PhD research on “Grindability of Minerals” between 1978 and 1982. Subsequently, Mr. ANAÇ joined ETİBANK, where he held various positions from 1982 to 1989 in the Project and Application Department, including Engineer, Chief Engineer, and Deputy Manager. Between 1989 and 1992, he served as the Head of the Planning and Coordination Department at ETİBANK, followed by his tenure as the Head of the Projects and Application Department from 1992 to 1997. From 1997 to 1998, he was appointed as the Head of the Marketing Department at ETİBANK, and from 1998 to 1999, he worked as a Senior Consultant to the General Manager at Eti Holding A.Ş. In 1999, he served as Advisor to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. In 2001, Mr. ANAÇ became Deputy General Manager at TEDAŞ (Turkey Electricity Distribution Corporation), and in 2002, he was appointed as the Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. From 2002 to 2011, he held the position of General Manager and Chairman of the Board at Türkiye Coal Enterprises (Türkiye Kömür İşletmeleri Genel Müdürlüğü). After retiring, Mr. ANAÇ founded Minertolia Consulting Inc. in 2012, where applied his vast experience and expertise to develop and coordinate innovative projects with his team.
Projects
- Initial Projects and Technical Assignments
- KEF Concentrator Expansion: Process Engineer
- Kütahya Silver: Process Engineer
- Elazığ Sodium Bichromate: Board Member
- Project and Facility Directorate
- Çayeli Copper Inc.: JVC Board Member
- Pilot Plant
- Underground Project
- Facility Investment
- Long-term Sales Agreements
- Deep-Sea Discharge
- Hedging
- Project Finance Negotiation Committee (e.g., IFC and Deutsche Bank)
- Beypazarı Soda: JVC
- Hydrogen Peroxide: JVC
- Çayeli Copper Inc.: JVC Board Member
- Etibank Projects
- Küre Copper
- Kırka Etibor (Tincal)
- Bigadiç Boron Grinding
- Elazığ Ferrochrome
- Seydişehir Aluminum Expansion
- Planning Department
- Budgeting, business planning, and auditing for all subsidiaries and affiliates
- KBI
- Çinkur
- Etimine
- Etiproducts
- Marketing Activities
- Boron and Boron Products
- Copper Concentrate
- Chrome
- Ferrochrome
- Alumina and Aluminum Products
- Ministry Duties
- Advisor: Undersecretary and Minister Consultant
- Deputy General Manager of TEDAŞ:
- Information Systems and SubscriberNet
- Privatization Processes
- Sakarya EDAŞ Board Member
- Deputy Undersecretary:
- EU Directorate
- State Hydraulic Works (DSİ)
- General Directorate of Mining Affairs (MİGEM)
- Foreign Relations
- General Manager and Chairman of TKİ (2002)
- Underground Coal Projects:
- İmbat
- Soma Inc.
- Demirexport
- Washing Plants
- R&D Projects:
- Trigen (Diesel, Jet Fuel, Gasoline)
- Tunçbilek (Methanol)
- Optimash (European Project)
- Social Responsibility Projects:
- Coal Distribution for the Needy
- Net Promine (Mining Modeling Software)
- TKİ Humus Production
- Underground Coal Projects:
- Retirement and Private Sector (Post-2011)
- Minertolia Corporation
- RCR Holding: CEO
- Zinc Oxide Project (Metsol)
- Ashtech (Cement Production from Ash)
- Gedi Consulting
- Konya Ilgın (EPC)
- Other Representation and Consultancy Activities:
- Belaz Turkey Representation
- İçtaş YK Energy Open Pit Project Proposal
- Accasia Consulting (Oil Field Projects)
- Projects:
- BM Holding
- ADO
- Türkerler
- Other Projects