About

Efe Rakı began producing and selling Rakı, an unsweetened, anise-flavoured alcoholic drink that is popular in Turkey, Greece, Iran, Turkic and Balkan countries, after the abolishment of the Turkish government’s monopoly on distilled liquors in 2004. Tülay Aktan, its corporate relations and legal manager, heads a legal function that has performed crucial and detailed work in the last two years as the company aimed to achieve essential milestones in its development. ‘We obtained important results that positively affected the business of the company. We played an active role in the legal structuring of the company, and actively provided legal opinions relevant to regulations. Furthermore, we created relationships perfectly with other corporations’, explains Aktan. Dealing with problematic new regulations and market changes, the legal team responded to overcome difficulties by providing essential changes and adapting to new situations. A key and well respected function in the company, the legal team enjoys a close working relationship with the CEO, and Aktan works directly with him. It is fair to say that the legal team at Efe Rakı has been central to the continued progression of the beverage company, and will continue to be at the heart of strategy going forward in an increasingly regulated sector.