About

Since joining the Turkish conglomerate Kurum Holding, Ugur Ates overhauled the legal function, clearly specifying the roles and responsibilities of each member of the team, while simultaneously ensuring that they are aware of the work within the entire function. This according to Ates has largely been achieved by creating a ‘transparent environment with a strong team spirit’, whereby lawyers can ‘openly contribute at every subject that the legal department deals’. Positioned in close proximity to senior management, Ates contributes actively to strategic initiatives and has recently convincing his board to apply to court for restructuring the company’s debts, hence saving the company from bankruptcy. During his previous role at Digiturk, a large television provider in Turkey, Ates impressed with his support of the seller’s part of the acquisition of the company by Be Group, which took nearly two years to complete and is at present the largest media M&A transaction in Turkey. ‘This deal was one of the most important highlights of my in-house career, since it helped me see how big the impact of an in-house lawyer can be not only on one company, but on an entire sector,’ Ates asserts. At the onset of his career, Ates spent five years in the Aksan and Serap Zuvin Law Offices in Istanbul.