Itır Çiftçi heads the Corporate/M&A practice in Istanbul. She is specialised in mergers & acquisitions and restructurings and has excellent knowledge of the Turkish market and its key players.
During her practice of over 30 years, she has advised key strategic and financial investors in numerous landmark transactions, various investments and major privatisation transactions. Itır has vast experience on structured equity investments, joint ventures and private equity funds mainly in the following sectors: infrastructure and energy, consumer goods and retail, financial services, food and beverage, healthcare, life sciences and chemicals, industrials and private equity.
- Trendyol on the US$700 million sale of Trendyol Go to Uber
- Arçelik on the successful creation of Beko Europe and the acquisition of Whirlpool's MENA operations
- EWE AG on the sale of its energy business including its gas distribution networks, electricity and gas trading company and the telecom business in Turkey to SOCAR
- CVC Capital Partners in relation to the acquisition of certain assets of D Marinas B.V., a leading international operator of Premium yacht marinas in the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf region, from the leading Turkish conglomerate; Dogus Holding
- Yamma Investments, an SPV controlled by Metric Capital, in the acquisition of a 30% stake in Sanovel Pharmaceuticals, the leading Turkish pharmaceuticals company
- Emirates NBD in connection with its USD 3.2 billion acquisition of Denizbank from Sberbank
- FlixBus, a Germany-based intercity coach service throughout Europe, in relation to the acquisition of Turkey’s intercity bus service Kamil Koç from private equity firm Actera Group
- Sazka Group in the proposed acquisition of operation rights of Turkish National Lottery (Milli Piyango)
- IFC in relation to the acquisition of minority stake in FIGO Ticari Bilgi ve Uygulama Platfom, a leading Turkish fintech company
- EBRD in relation to its equity investment in oBilet Bilisim Sistemleri, a Turkish online travel agency focusing on intercity bus transportation in Turkey.
- Admiral Group plc in its joint venture with MIG in relation to its Turkish subsidiary
- Ford Motor Company in connection with the transfer of shares in its Turkish subsidiary Ford Otomotiv Sanayi to another subsidiary incorporated in Europe
- EBRD, in relation to the sale of its shares in Pasabahce Cam Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., the Turkey-based company engaged in manufacturing of glassware to Sisecam Group, the listed Turkey-based industrial group engaged in glass and chemicals production
- GS Engineering in connection with its partnership with Rönesans and Sonatrach in relation to the development of a polypropylene production plant in TurkeyPfizer in relation to several restructuring transactions of its Turkish business
- Mastercard in its exit of payment transaction services business in Turkey through selling entire stake in its Turkish subsidiary to Kartek Holding
- Kellogg Company in its acquisition of 50% stake in Kellogg Med Gida from Yıldız HoldingPSA International in connection with Akfen Holding’s sale of its shares to IFM Investors and PSA International’s acquisition of majority stake in Mersin Liman İşletmeciliği A.Ş.
- Ajinomoto in the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Kükre Gıda ve İhtiyaç Maddeleri Nakliyat ve Özel Eğitim Hizmetleri Ticaret ve Sanayi Anonim Şirketi in two tranches
- IFC in connection with a minority stake investment in F.I.T. Solutions, an innovative fintech company
- Alcazar Energy Partners, an independent developer and power producer focused on renewable energy generation across the META region, on the acquisition of Yander Elektrik, which holds a licence for WPP in western Turkey
- IFC, in connection with its structured minority equity investment in Martur Car Systems, one of the world’s leading suppliers in automotive seat production
- SOCAR Turkey in connection with the proposed acquisition of OMV Petrol Ofisi, one of the largest private companies and Turkey’s leading fuel products distribution and lubricants company
- QNB Group in EUR€2.7 billion acquisition of National Bank of Greece’s majority stake in Finansbank and its subsidiaries (Finans Invest, Finans Portfolio, Cigna Finans, Finans Leasing, Finans Factoring and PSA Finance and others)
- IFC and EBRD in connection with a minority stake investment in Odeabank, a joint stock company in which Bank Audi SAL holds the majority shares
- IFC and EBRD in connection with a minority stake investment in Fibabanka A.Ş.
- KKCG Investments, a potential bidder, in the tender in connection with the privatisation of the Turkish National Lottery (Milli Piyango)
- Partners Group in connection with its minority stake investment in Enerya Elektrik Ticaret A.Ş., an electricity distribution company within the STFA Group
- CarrefourSA in connection with the acquisition of majority stake in Kiler Supermarkets, one of the leading retailers in Turkey
- IFC in connection with its acquisition of 27% stake in Gama Enerji
- EBRD, on its equity investment in Onedio, a Turkish social content platform
- The shareholders of Millenicom, a leading telecommunication company in Turkey, with respect to the sale of their shares to EWE, one of the largest energy companies
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Istanbul
- +902123390077
- Email me
- Speaks Turkish and English
- Practice area M&A corporate
- Sector Consumer goods & retail, Energy & resources, Healthcare, life sciences & chemicals, Insurance, Telecommunications, media & technology
Career & qualifications
- Istanbul University School of Law 1992
- University of Chicago International Transaction Certificate Program 1998
- Admitted as a Lawyer in Turkey (Mersin Bar Association) 1993 and (Istanbul Bar Association) 1995
- A leading American Law Firm Istanbul Office 1995
- A leading American Law Firm Chicago Office 1998
- Joined a leading Turkish law firm 1999, became a Partner in 2004
- Joined Clifford Chance in 2013
Awards and citations
- "Really dedicated, helpful and clever."
"She is very experienced, knowledgeable and can dominate the negotiations."
Chambers Partners Global - "Managing not only legal but also business side of the work – a business minded lawyer."
"Very experienced and good negotiator."
"Excellent and direct guidance."
IFLR1000 Europe - "One of the most experienced and insightful M&A counsels in the market."
"She is a great negotiator who successfully bridges the gap between local law and business culture with standard Western legal criteria."
Legal 500 EMEA