Oktay Şener

Managing Partner at Aksan Law Firm (Turkey)

Speaker

Oktay Şener is the Managing Partner of Aksan Law Firm, with extensive experience in cross-border litigation, international arbitration, asset recovery and the enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards.

Oktay graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 2002 and began his career at the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Türkiye (SDIF/TMSF), where he served as a lawyer and Head of the International Litigation Team. In this role, he coordinated complex international litigation, arbitration and asset recovery matters involving the SDIF and companies under its management and supervision.

His international experience includes leading and coordinating significant cross-border disputes and arbitrations, including multi-billion-dollar proceedings before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in which the Republic of Türkiye was a respondent. His work involved coordinating with leading international law firms, developing multi-jurisdictional litigation strategies and overseeing international asset tracing and enforcement processes.

Oktay joined Aksan Law Firm in 2011 and has since advised financial institutions, private companies and industry organisations on a wide range of contentious, regulatory and commercial matters. His practice encompasses international litigation and arbitration, overseas asset recovery, enforcement proceedings, corporate and commercial law and M&A.

At Aksan, Oktay continues to lead some of the firm’s most significant international disputes, coordinating international counsel and the multi-layered legal strategy.

He currently leads the team in a €68.9 billion compensation claim before the Paris civil courts involving a Turkish public authority, multinational corporations and prominent business figures, coordinating international counsel and providing strategic input on Turkish law issues central to the defence.

He also acts as lead local counsel in a US$32 million ICC arbitration seated in Switzerland and a US$16.3 million shareholder dispute before the Luxembourg courts involving Turkish aviation sector stakeholders.

As Managing Partner, Oktay oversees Aksan’s strategic development, international relationships and innovation initiatives, alongside his continuing involvement in the firm’s major cross-border contentious matters.