Sinan Diniz is a Partner in the Istanbul office and Head of the local Competition & State Aid service line.

Sinan has more than 10 years of competition law experience and assists clients with all aspects of Turkish competition law including merger control, antitrust investigations, exemption filings, and daily compliance queries. His expertise extends to administrative and private litigation, designing competition law compliance programs, and delivering bespoke training sessions. Sinan also provides support for international merger control requirements.

Throughout his career, Sinan has successfully advised clients on over 75 merger control filings before the Turkish Competition Authority across diverse sectors. He has handled multiple Phase II investigations, full-fledged antitrust investigations, and preliminary reviews.

Sinan represented clients in antitrust investigations and other matters across a diverse range of industries such as digital platforms, automotive, telecommunications, electronics, mobile games, banking, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals, insurance, infrastructure, steel, building materials, refractories, cosmetics and parcel delivery services.

Sinan’s impressive track record includes drafting defence submissions, presenting cases before the Turkish Competition Board, assisting clients during dawn raids, and providing strategic advice on responding to information requests.

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING*

COMPETITION & ANTITRUST

• FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES in a Phase II investigation by the Turkish Competition Authority regarding its proposed merger with PSA Group, which led to the formation of Stellantis, achieving conditional clearance of the transaction based on behavioural remedies
• MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP CHINA before the Turkish Competition Authority in a merger control filing regarding the formation of a full function joint venture by Mercedes and BMW to establish a high-power charging network in China, achieving unconditional clearance of the transaction
• STORYTEL, a leading audiobook platform, in an abuse of dominance investigation, achieving the termination of the investigation through commitments
• PEAK GAMES in an investigation concerning allegations of non-poaching agreements regarding employees, achieving the closing of the investigation without finding of a violation for the client
• UNILEVER TURKEY in an investigation involving hub and spoke allegations in the FMCG sector, achieving the closing of the investigation without the finding of a violation for the client

*Experience prior to joining Kinstellar.

EDUCATION

• 2016: Istanbul University, Turkey, Faculty of Law, Equivalency Degree
• 2012: Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C., USA, Juris Doctor
• 2006: Tufts University, Medford, Maryland, USA, Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics (double-major)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

Istanbul Bar Association

LANGUAGES

English, Turkish