Our TMT Legal Update provides insights from our law experts and aims to keep you regularly up to date with sector news, trends and legislation in the Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions. This issue covers key updates from our jurisdictions from the past few months. REGIONAL Implementation status of certain EU regulations Technology 01. New development regarding NIS 2 Directive implementation in various Kinstellar jurisdictions The EU's NIS2 Directive is a cybersecurity act aimed at improving overall cybersecurity in the EU. Member States must implement it by 17 October 2024. Below we provide
Kinstellar and KST Law are delighted to have advised Quexco Incorporated, a US-based diversified, private holding company with investments in the lubricants space and a rich history, previously operating in the battery industry, on its acquisition of Mutlu Akü, one of the major auto battery manufacturers in Turkey, and owner of a waste battery recycling facility, from Metair International Holdings Coöperatief U.A. (a member of Metair Group, a South African listed company). The team was led by Partner Emre Özer, supported by Senior Associate Şeyma Olğun, and Associate Sıla Şaylı. Kinstellar worked in close collaboration with Bowmans, as to South African law, throughout the transaction. Completion of the transaction is
Kinstellar and KST Law are delighted to have advised Eleven Fund III Cooperatief, a multi-strategy growth fund, on its US$1.1 million in seed investment in Magfi, a SaaS platform based in Istanbul. Magfi enables seamless advertising across Telegram and Discord communities using machine learning and AI. The investment will support Magfi's planned expansion into the Brazilian market. Our team was led by Partner Edmund Emre Özer, with support from Associates Helin Akbulut and Hatice Nur Arslan.
Kinstellar and KST Law* are proud to have advised Grupo Antolin, a leading global car interior manufacturer, on the sale of 45% stake in the Turkish joint venture Ototrim to its JV partner Diniz Holding. Following this transaction, Antolin will retain a 5% stake in the joint venture and continue its collaboration with Diniz Holding. The transaction is pending approval from the Turkish Competition Authority. The team was led by Partner Mert Elçin, with support from Associates Sila Özge Sayli and Osman Tugberk Çakirca. *Kinstellar operates in Turkey in cooperation with KST LAW, an Istanbul-based full service corporate law firm.
Mert Elçin appointed as Partner. Rebrand of local Turkish law business. June 2024 – Kinstellar has fundamentally strengthened its team in Turkey. Kinstellar is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mert Elçin as Partner and leader of our reinvigorated Turkish law practice. For compliance with local bar requirements, Turkish law services will be provided by KST Law in cooperation with our foreign attorney partnership in Turkey, Kinstellar Foreign Attorney Partnership, headed by Edmund Emre Özer. Mert and Emre are supported by a dedicated team of lawyers, which we are growing continuously. Mert Elçin, a renowned Turkish-qualified lawyer, brings over a decade of experience in corporate, M&A
Kinstellar, Gen Temizer | Özer have successfully advised British Petroleum (bp) on the sale of its downstream business in Türkiye to Petrol Ofisi, Vitol’s Turkish subsidiary. The transaction is the most significant oil & gas deal of recent times in Türkiye and is expected to close in 2024, subject to, inter alia, anti-trust approval. The team was led by Partner Baran Gen and supported by Counsel Mert Elçin, Senior Associate Şeyma Olğun and Associates Sıla Özge Şaylı, Dilara Demir and Osman Tuğberk Çakırca. The firm’s anti-trust team was led by Partner Bulut Girgin and Associates Orçun Horozoğlu and Simru Tayfun. The global law firm Ashurst LLP acted as English counsel to bp. Partner
Kinstellar Gen & Temizer | Özer have successfully advised Property Finder and Zingat on the sale of 100% of Zingat to hepsiemlak, and Property Finder’s subsequent share subscription into hepsiemlak. The transaction is expected to close after the approval of the Turkish Competition Authority. Property Finder is the Middle East's largest property portal and was the 100% shareholder of Zingat. Established in 2015, Zingat is one of the largest property portals in Turkey with a wide range of residential and commercial properties listed for rent and sale. Hepsiemlak is one of Turkey's major real estate buying, selling, renting and advertising platforms, under the umbrella of Doğan Holding. The team was
Turkey’s Competition Board (the "Board") rendered two significant decisions last year concerning online sales restrictions that provide a view forward for many undertakings. In its decisions, the Board scrutinised the commitment packages offered by BSH and Arçelik, two of the major small and large household appliances manufacturers in Turkey. The investigations against the companies (the “Investigations”) concerned whether Arçelik and/or BSH violated Article 4 of Law No. 4054 on the Protection of Competition (“Law No. 4054”) by preventing their authorised resellers from selling online and/or interfering with resellers’ resale prices. The Board accepted the commitment packages, which Arçelik and BSH revised
Kinstellar, together with a lead counsel Watson Farley & Williams, have successfully advised Yanolja Cloud, a leading global provider of AI-based SaaS solutions for the hospitality and leisure industries, on the multi-jurisdictional acquisition of Go Global Travel (GGT), a B2B travel technology company that distributes its inventory of more than one million hotels and other travel products from 200 countries to over 20,000 client partners. The acquisition of GGT from AMI Opportunities Fund will give Yanolja Cloud unparalleled distribution capabilities, making it a one-of-a-kind company and allowing properties of all types, sizes, and budget ranges – and in every corner of the world – to digitize property operations.
Kinstellar, Gen Temizer Özer have successfully advised the Gora Family on the sale of 100% of their shares in Murat Ticaret, a Turkish complex wire harness manufacturer, to Volex plc, a UK-listed specialist integrated manufacturer of critical power and data transmission products, for a total consideration of up to approximately EUR 178.1 million, together with a placing and retail offer to raise gross proceeds of approximately GBP 60 million in aggregate. As part of the consideration, the Gora Family will be entitled to receive ordinary shares of Volex plc. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2023, subject to, inter alia, approval by the Turkish and Macedonian competition authorities. Established
Kinstellar is delighted to announce that Ömer Erdoğan has joined the firm’s Istanbul office as Partner. His joining reinforces our team’s capabilities in Turkey—particularly our expertise in the real estate, infrastructure and energy sectors as well as project finance. Ömer has 18 years of experience advising multinational and local companies on their investments in Turkey and abroad. His banking and finance expertise covers a wide range of transactions in Turkey. He has led teams acting for both lenders and sponsors on trade finance, project and acquisition financings, banking regulatory, security documentation, and secured loans and syndications. Ömer’s broad experience also covers the energy
The recent resolution of the European Parliament on video games calls on the European Commission to take the necessary steps to bring about a European approach to loot boxes which could lead to more restrictive regulation. Kinstellar’s TMT team looked into the national framework for loot boxes in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine to conclude that, while no specific local laws exist, the developments around gambling regulation should be monitored, as loot boxes have already been discussed in the context of national rules on gambling in some countries. Click on this link or the image below to read an overview prepared by our TMT experts in each jurisdiction.