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About
Provided by Okan Demirkan
Practice Areas
Dispute Resolution, Energy and Infrastructure, Ethics and Compliance
Career
After spending ten years with a major Istanbul-based law firm, Okan joined the Firm in 2010 as a partner. He currently leads the Firm’s dispute resolution, energy and infrastructure, ethics and compliance practices.
Professional Memberships
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb); Ambassador to Turkey, Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA); Board Member, Transparency International; Istanbul Bar Association; International Bar Association (IBA); International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Turkey; Turkish British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TBCCI); Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK); Society of Construction Law Turkey (SCL Turkey); Yenibirlider (A New Leader) Association; Galatasaray Sports Club Association
Publications
‘Import of Gas: How Liberal is Turkey?’, ‘Turkish Commercial Law Review’, Vol.4 Issue 1 (2018); ‘Developing Court Practice in Turkey Regarding Applications to Set Aside Arbitral Awards’, ‘The American Review of International Arbitration’, No.4 Vol.26 (2015)
Personal
Okan was educated in four countries: the Netherlands, Israel, Turkey and the United Kingdom. He received his law degree in 2000 from the University of Sussex School of Legal Studies.
Languages Spoken
English, Turkish
Experience
Okan Demirkan has significant experience in arbitration and litigation, energy and infrastructure, ethics and compliance.
With significant experience of more than 20 years in international arbitration, Okan has been extensively involved in numerous ICC, DIS, SAC, LCIA, ISTAC, DIAC and UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings where he serves as counsel, arbitrator or expert witness, thereby experiencing every possible role in arbitration. He regularly acts as presiding arbitrator, sole arbitrator or co-arbitrator in institutional as well as ad hoc arbitrations. Okan has been heavily involved in arbitration proceedings concerning major infrastructure projects and has successfully represented several international clients as well as local entities in arbitration proceedings concerning disputes arising from build-operate-transfer (BOT) model investments, share purchase agreements, shareholders agreements, EPC contracts, sales contracts and licensing contracts. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and the Swiss Arbitration Ambassador to Turkey. Who’s Who Legal and GAR recognize him as a “Thought Leader” in the field of Arbitration, and in 2023, Who’s Who Legal also listed him in the field of Commercial Litigation.
In addition to international arbitration, Okan represents domestic and international clients in a wide range of litigation matters, including commercial disputes, employment related disputes, intellectual property related disputes, administrative disputes, enforcement and set-aside lawsuits, and criminal proceedings in relation to white-collar crimes at all levels of the Turkish courts.
Okan is highly specialized in energy, public procurement, PPPs and infrastructure projects. Who’s Who Legal recognizes Okan as a “Global Elite Thought Leader” in the field of Energy since 2020.
He is also a prominent figure in the area of ethics and compliance. He has conducted several investigations related to various regulatory and anti-bribery / anti-corruption allegations.
Clients
Fatih Terim and the Terim Family, Porsche, ArcelorMittal RZK, Hepsiburada, DHMI (Republic of Turkey, General Directorate of State Airports Authority), Bahrain Middle East Bank, Bedeschi, Coca Cola İçecek, Deloitte, OMBI SRL, XCMG, Dikey Vitamin, Liebherr, SOCAR AQS, Transamine, AS Mintos Marketplace, Mak 4 You, X Trade Brokers, Atlas Ship Supply, Abdi İbrahim, Agence France-Presse, Alsim Alarko, Arempa, Galatasaray, Gates Corporation, Global Founders Capital, Hinduja Bank, Inveon, LR Health & Beauty Systems, Marelli, Mitsubishi Corporation, Odea Bank, Oliver Samwer, RAY Sigorta, Roxcel, Ströer SE, Terumo Europe, Upfield, VHV Allgemeine Sigorta, Vinmar, Vossloh AG, Shah Deniz Consortium, Glencore, Karadeniz LPG, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Vitol and TPI Composites.
Work Highlights
Some of Okan’s recent work highlights in dispute resolution include legal advice to and representation of Fatih Terim, an esteemed and globally renowned football coach, as well as his family, in relation to an exceptionally high-profile fraud case stemming from a fraudulent transaction by a bank branch manager; a consortium of six Middle Eastern financial institutions on a very complex cross-border scheme including the collection of almost USD 550 million from various Turkish companies and individuals; Porsche SE in a complex consumer lawsuit; OMBI S.R.L., a leading Italian manufacturing company, on all proceedings (including related the criminal complaints and trademark related lawsuits) concerning the termination of a distributorship agreement; XCMG, a Chinese multinational state-owned heavy machinery manufacturing company, in a portfolio compensation lawsuit initiated by its former long-term exclusive distributor based in Turkey; and Dikey Vitamin, a prominent athlete nutriment manufacturer and vending machine operator in Turkey, in a complex unfair competition dispute against a subsidiary of one of the country’s leading conglomerates as well as in the lawsuits filed against the former employees.
Okan has also advised on the region’s landmark projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline Project, the then contemplated Nabucco Gas Pipeline, the then contemplated Samsun-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, the Shah Deniz Stage 2 Natural Gas Sales Project as well as the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP). He has further advised Alsim Alarko, a prominent Turkish infrastructure company, on the Kabatas-Mecidiyekoy-Mahmutbey metro line project; and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in connection with Turkey’s contemplated second nuclear power plant, in the city of Sinop.
Chambers Review
Europe
Okan Demirkan is a recognised leader in the litigation legal market in Turkey. He handles corporate litigation, including shareholder disputes as well as employment and IP disputes.
Okan Demirkan has solid experience in handling arbitration proceedings under LCIA and ICC rules. He is particularly well placed to assist clients with construction disputes.
Okan Demirkan frequently acts on large project developments and regulatory mandates related to the energy sector.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Okan Demirkan is a very experienced lawyer."
"He has a good business acumen."
"Okan is a very knowledgeable Turkish lawyer and driven to efficiently resolve our legal issue."
"He is a great specialist, an outstanding litigator who has got the deepest expert knowledge of Turkish proceedings and is very responsive."
"He has the ability to consider context and business matter in his decisions. Okan is able to put himself in the client's perceptive."
"Okan Demirkan is a well-qualified, proactive and result-oriented individual."
"He is super responsive. His knowledge in the projects and energy field is extraordinary."
"Okan Demirkan is a very experienced lawyer."
"He has a good business acumen."
"Okan is a very knowledgeable Turkish lawyer and driven to efficiently resolve our legal issue."
"He is a great specialist, an outstanding litigator who has got the deepest expert knowledge of Turkish proceedings and is very responsive."
"He has the ability to consider context and business matter in his decisions. Okan is able to put himself in the client's perceptive."
"Okan Demirkan is a well-qualified, proactive and result-oriented individual."
"He is super responsive. His knowledge in the projects and energy field is extraordinary."
Discover other Lawyers at
Kolcuoğlu Demirkan Koçaklı Attorneys at Law
Turkey
Key Sectors
Provided by Kolcuoğlu Demirkan Koçaklı Attorneys at Law
Sport
Industrials, Engineering and Manufacturing
Retail and Consumer
Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT)
Energy and Utilities