Team size: Five

What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

I am proud to share that our team at Çelebi Aviation successfully stepped up to address a once-in-a-generation challenge facing the global aviation industry, this being the post-Covid aviation boom fuelled by huge demand for both passenger travel and freight traffic. As a trusted partner for many global airlines, we have been at the forefront of addressing this global challenge. We have been more agile and focused than ever before, which has allowed us to successfully serve our global customers.

In your opinion, what areas should in-house lawyers focus on over the next few years to prove value to their organisations in Türkiye?

There are a few global megatrends we are seeing impact most businesses and business functions, including in-house legal services. Among these, I believe that digital innovation and the emerging AI/ML-supported operations will have a significant impact on our world and should be a focus for in-house legal teams. These megatrends provide new opportunities and unprecedented challenges in data security, data handling, and data governance. As an example, everyone would recall the recent launch of ChatGPT AI chatbot and its unmatched capabilities. Many would also recall the recent large-scale cyber-attacks and disruptions experienced by major automotive and tire companies. Examples like the emerging ChatGPT rollout complications and large-scale cyber-attacks targeting the automotive and tire companies are cases in point for the importance of retaining a highly capable in-house legal team for the viability of the business.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

A recent accomplishment of my team concerned the implementation of a cost-effective digital system to execute our board meetings. Our company’s board of directors reflects the truly global nature of our business and consists of many leaders from many different parts of the world. Our new digital system enables seamless remote meetings and renders physical presence optional, resulting not only in obvious cost savings but also in increased productivity.