Partner
Aykut Bakırcı is a Turkish law qualified attorney since 1990. From 1996 until 2006, he was employed as counsel in the legal department of the Turkish Privatisation Administration. From 2006 until 2010, he served as the Head of Legal of the Turkish Privatisation Administration.
During his time at the Turkish Privatisation Administration, Aykut Bakırcı was engaged in drafting and amending various primary and secondary legislation, most notably the electricity, natural gas, various infrastructure and national lottery legislation. He acted as a draftsperson for tender specifications in respect of the sale of State assets and entities and was a key figure in organising tenders and bringing such tenders to a successful completion. This also entailed that he negotiated transfer of operational rights agreements and implementation agreements with successful bidders and their financiers and attended hearings on behalf of the Turkish Privatisation Administration before the Council of State (i.e. the Turkish Supreme Administrative Court) for the setting aside of any judicial challenges to such privatisations.
Aykut Bakırcı was also a member of the board of directors of a variety of State entities, such as Türkiye Petrol Rafineleri A.Ş. (TÜPRAŞ) - Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation and Erdemir Madencilik A.Ş. - Erdemir Mining Corporation. His experience includes being a member of tender committees for the sale of State assets and entities, such as for Petrol Ofisi A.Ş. (POAŞ) - Turkey's leading fuel and lubricant corporation, Türkiye Petrol Rafineleri A.Ş. (TÜPRAŞ) - Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation, TEKEL - Türkiye's Tobacco and Alcoholic Beverages Corporation, Türkiye's electricity distribution network, and Türkiye Şeker Fabrikaları - Türkiye's Sugar Corporation.
He joined Bezen & Partners in 2010 and advises clients primarly on regulatory, privatisation, energy and infrastructure as well as administrative law matters. He advises clients in transactions as well as disputes, in particular disputes filed by NGOs and other third parties against State acts. He is well versed in these proceedings and has higher court experience. He has also acted as an expert witness in key international energy arbitration cases (such as the Crescent Petroleum Case before the LCIA).
He is the author of several articles on the privatisation of Türkiye's energy and infrastructure sector.
Ankara University – LLB Law
Avukat – Member of the Turkish Bar Associations since 1990
Member of the Turkish Bar Associations