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); Board Member, Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA); Co-Chair, Enforcement & Recognition Sub-Committee of International Bar Association (IBA); Arbitration Committee Member, IBA; Transparency International; Istanbul Bar Association; International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); Turkic Arbitration Association (TAA); Turkish British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TBCCI); Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK); 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.
Experience
Okan Demirkan has significant experience in arbitration and litigation, energy and infrastructure, ethics and compliance.
He has successfully represented several international clients as well as local entities, in arbitration proceedings concerning major infrastructure projects, including build-operate-transfer (BOT) model investments, share purchase agreements, shareholders agreements, sales agreements, EPC contracts and licensing contracts. He also represents clients in litigation proceedings in Turkey and, from time to time, acts as expert witness in foreign jurisdictions on Turkish law matters.
Okan has been extensively involved in numerous ICC, DIS, SAC, LCIA, DIAC, LME, ITOTAM and ISTAC arbitration proceedings, as well as various ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. He has served as counsel, arbitrator (presiding arbitrator, sole arbitrator or co-arbitrator) or expert witness. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and the Swiss Arbitration Ambassador to Turkey. In 2025, he became a member of the International Bar Association’s (IBA) Arbitration Committee and the Co-Chair of Enforcement & Recognition Sub-Committee.
He has been strategically involved in all legal and regulatory matters of many pipelines, including the BTC and TANAP transit pipeline projects. He has advised on major natural gas sale and import projects as well as a number of electricity generation facility projects.
Okan is 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.
