Team size: Three

Which recent political, economic, or regulatory changes have impacted the company and the team the most?

Recently, as the cement sector is dependent on energy, the price increases in the energy supply, particularly electricity, coal and petroleum coke and logistics– mainly due to oil prices–has been the most critical issue. In the meantime, the higher inflation rates in Türkiye have forced companies to take drastic measures. These developments have affected relations with suppliers and subcontractors deeply, and ongoing contracts have started to be re-negotiated. Politically, Türkiye, under the new Presidency System is experiencing an unstable period in terms of legislation and implementation. We are faced with regulatory changes very often, especially in terms of the finance sector and taxation.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

With the Covid-19 pandemic remote working has become a standard method of doing business globally. As the legal department does not usually require physical manpower, remote working has been the main working style, and may well continue long-term. Of course, this will affect the way in-house legal teams operate drastically. In my opinion, this could be a negative for in-house offices because the relations with the company, which are critical for success, will be diluted, and the control of the activities of the in-house legal team may be diminished.