Team size: 54

Focus on: My career

Upon graduating in 2003, he worked for a company engaged in international trade and acquired practical experience in sales, marketing, customs, international contracts, and disputes.

He then started working as a freelance attorney, handling a variety of practice areas including criminal, inheritance, and family law. After 2 years into his freelance work, he joined Turkish Airlines (“THY”) in 2013.

During his time as a legal counsel at THY, he had the opportunity to work on various and high-quality tasks such as purchasing aircrafts from Boeing and Airbus, obtaining financing from leading banks and procuring engines from aircraft engine manufacturers such as Pratt & Whitney, General Electric and Rolls Royce. Some of the financing projects he worked on were very special as to being first of their kind in Türkiye and received international awards.

He was appointed as Senior Vice President in 2019 as a result of his efforts and initiatives. He continued to implement innovations and organizational changes over the ensuing period, elevating the compliance department’s seniority to the Vice Presidency level, ensuring the department’s growth and productivity, and enabling the company to continue operations in Russia during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Mr. Kolcu also contributed to the technological and personnel quality improvements in the Legal and Compliance Department at THY. During his term, the Legal and Compliance Department initiated a new policy where the organization’s internal divisions are perceived to be internal clients instead of fellow departments of THY. Thus, the Legal and Compliance department started functioning much like a law firm instead of an internal department of a company. He also managed investments in legal technology that allowed for uninterrupted remote delivery of legal services throughout the pandemic. He also took an active role during and after the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake as a member of THY’s crisis management board. He managed numerous human aid and evacuation operations providing legal support for THY to ensure that rescue operations are not jeopardized.

Through his initiatives, investments in legal technology, and improved employee communication, he changed the legal department into a dependable, responsive, fast-acting, and efficient department.

Mr. Kolcu has been a member of the Star Alliance Legal Committee since 2019, and the IATA Legal Advisory Council since 2022, representing the company and aviation industry on a global scale.

He also serves as a board member in some of THY’s companies and fulfills his duties and responsibilities entrusted to him.