Gulcan Bolatlı
Senior Adviser
Biography
Gülcan is a seasoned Legal and Compliance professional with over three decades of experience in high-stakes regulatory environments and international businesses. She has held senior leadership roles at global corporations including British American Tobacco, Unilever, and DLL, as well as at prominent Turkish companies such as Ziraat Bank, Yaşar Holding, and Beylerbeyi Rakı. She combines diverse sectoral expertise with strategic business insight.
Known for her cross-functional collaboration and commercially focused legal mindset, Gülcan has played a central role in greenfield market entries, corporate governance, restructuring, and a major privatization project.
Area of Expertise
Corporate & Commercial Law: Gülcan offers consultancy on a wide range of corporate and business matters, with a consistent track record of navigating complex legal landscapes while supporting business growth. She has expertise in corporate secretarial matters under the Turkish Commercial Code and provides both proactive and day-to-day legal advice aligned with business objectives and priorities. Her work includes contract drafting and leading negotiations on complex commercial projects.
Compliance & Risk Management: As a former Chief Compliance Officer at multiple multinationals, she has developed and implemented internal compliance policies, led regulatory initiatives, and ensured seamless internal and external audits and regulatory reporting.
Regulatory Affairs & Litigation: She has represented businesses in critical regulatory litigation and liaised with government authorities on licensing, manufacturing, compliance, and sector-specific regulations.
Intellectual Property: Previously serving as an in-house trademark attorney managing thousands of trademarks, Gülcan brings deep expertise in intellectual property, licensing, marketing law, and brand protection strategies.
Education
Law Degree – Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir- Türkiye
Banking Certificate – School of Banking and Insurance, Ziraat Bank, Ankara - Türkiye
Gülcan Bolatlı is a member of the Istanbul Bar Association.