Part of Garanti Bank, Turkey’s second largest private bank, Garanti Emeklilik has become a domestic market leader in the provision of pensions and insurance in a short space of time. Head of the legal department at Garanti Emeklilik currently is Ayça Ögel, a tri-lingual lawyer known in the industry for expert skills in banking law, project finance, corporate law, commercial litigation and competition law to name a few. Before taking on her current role in October 2016, Ögel spent nine and half years as legal counsel in Garanti Bank’s Project and Acquisition Finance and Sustainability Department. Excelling in the role, she gained the attention of senior management for her ability in tailoring her legal knowledge with business acumen which ultimately led to her promotion. Ögel began developing her understanding of Turkey’s financial sector whilst working in the legal department of another prominent Turkish bank, Türkiye İş Bankası, between 2001 and 2006. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in law from Galatasaray University and her Master’s degree from Istanbul Bilgi University. She also has an Executive MBA from Bahçeşehir University.