Ayberk KURT, LL.M. Counsel

Ayberk KURT, LL.M. is a competition and regulatory lawyer with an international background in law and economics and extensive experience in competition law investigations, merger control proceedings and regulatory matters. He advises national and multinational clients on investigations initiated by the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA), domestic and cross-border merger control transactions, judicial review proceedings and follow-on competition litigation.

Mr. KURT has played a significant role in four Phase II merger control reviews before the TCA, particularly in the ro-ro transportation, eyewear and ports sectors, including the development and negotiation of commitment packages. His merger control experience spans a broad range of industries, including logistics, energy, data centres, telecommunications, automotive, chemicals, aircraft leasing, packaging, finance and technology. He has also been involved in complex cross-border transactions concerning joint ventures, acquisitions and strategic investments.

In addition to his merger control practice, Mr. KURT has advised clients on competition law investigations involving the insurance, ready-mix concrete, transportation, forest products, automotive spare parts and labour markets. His experience also includes a leniency application in the banking sector and the development of competition compliance programmes for companies operating in the insurance, food and beverage, aviation, automotive, e-commerce, cement, maritime transportation and consumer goods industries.

Mr. KURT worked at ACTECON between 2016 and 2021 before pursuing his LL.M. studies and subsequently joining the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority as a Competition Lawyer. During his time at the Authority, he gained regulatory experience across competition investigations, merger assessments, telecommunications regulation, licensing matters, governance and compliance. His responsibilities covered various stages of regulatory proceedings, from the initiation of investigations through to appeals, as well as merger assessments in the finance, insurance and pharmacy sectors. He rejoined ACTECON in 2024.

Mr. KURT holds an LL.M. in Law and Economics from the European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE) programme, having studied at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the University of Vienna. His dissertation examined The Role of Sustainability Factors in Merger Control. He has contributed to the Concurrences Competition Law Dictionary as the author of the entry Trustee (Mergers) and has served as a merger control trainer at the ELSA Summer School and a jury member at MootComp Istanbul.

Mr. KURT is fluent in English.

EXPERIENCE & MAIN PROJECTS

• Four Phase II merger control reviews before the TCA in the ro-ro transportation, eyewear and ports sectors, including the preparation and negotiation of commitment packages.

• Domestic and cross-border merger control proceedings across logistics, ports, energy, data centres, telecommunications, automotive, chemicals, aircraft leasing, packaging, finance and technology.

• Merger control advice in transactions involving a major logistics and procurement group, an international investment and real estate group, and a cross-border data centre joint venture.

• Competition law investigations involving insurance, ready-mix concrete, transportation, forest products, automotive spare parts and labour markets.

• Leniency application in the banking sector.

• Competition compliance programmes for companies operating in the insurance, baby food, ground handling services, automotive spare parts, FMCG, beverages, eyewear, poultry, e-commerce, cement and ro-ro transportation sectors.

• Regulatory assessments of mergers and acquisitions in the finance, insurance and pharmacy sectors during his tenure at the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority.

• Judicial review proceedings against decisions of the TCA and follow-on competition litigation.

Erasmus University Rotterdam and University of Vienna, European Masters in Law and Economics (EMLE), LLM in Law & Economics, 2022

Istanbul Bilgi University, LLB, 2016

1.TCA and Gun-Jumping: Insights into Foreign-to-Foreign Transactions, Lexology, March, 2025 Türkiye, with Seda Eliri 

2.TCA Identified Gun-jumping During Review of Subsequent Transaction (Broadcom/VMware decision), June 2025 Türkiye, with Hanna Stakhyeyeva and Seda Eliri

3.The Turkish Competition Authority’s M&A Overview Report 2024: Key Trends and Insights, Lexology, January 2025, Türkiye, with Erdem Aktekin

4. What have the first two years of “technology undertaking exception” shown us? , Türkiye, December 12, 2024 Lexology, with Bahadır Balkı

5. Turkish Competition Authority Sheds Lights on Labor Markets, Kluwer, December 14, 2024, with Erdem Aktekin, Seda Eliri and Ece Ulusoy

6. "The TCA’s Unstable Approach Towards RPM Practices", Kluwer, June 2019, with Burak Buğrahan Sezer.

7. "Turkish Competition Authority – Initiating More Investigations – Now What?", Mondaq, January 2018, withy Sera Erzene Yıldız.

8. "White Appliances Sector is Under Turkish Competition Authority's Spotlight", Mondaq, April 2018, with Mehmet Salan.

9. "Resale Price Maintenance – Following The Effect", Modaq, July 2018.

10. "Meal Card Companies under the TCA’s Scrutiny: From Full-Functionality to Collusion", Kluwer, June 2019, with Ertuğrul Can Canbolat and Nabi Can Acar.

11. "The Beginning of the New Challenge: Merger Control in Digital Economy", Mondaq, January 2020, with Barış Yüksel and Celal Duruhan Aydınlı.

12. "Capacity to Sue of Consumers Whose Interests are Affected was Held under the Microscope of the Administrative Courts in Turkey", Kluwer, March 2020, with Alper Karafil. 

13. "The Turkish Competition Authority Investigates the Allegations on Leading Energy Drink Company (Red Bull)", Concurrences, May 2020, with Alper Karafil. 

14. "Amendments to the Turkish Competition Law", Kluwer, June 2020, with Bahadır Balkı and Alper Karafil.

15. "The Turkish Competition Authority’s M&A Overview Report for 2020 Has Been Published", Concurrences, March 2021, with Esen Ergül, Cansugül Gayret and Mert Kudat.