Post by Yasar TEKDEMIR

After a 16‑year journey at the Turkish Competition Authority, I joined Vodafone on November 1, 2013. As of the end of January, I have concluded my role at Vodafone Turkey. Throughout this period, I had the opportunity to take on critical responsibilities in the telecommunications sector (strategically a critical infrastructure) —one of the key architects of Türkiye’s digital transformation. It was a privilege to play an active and leading role in strategic milestones such as the 4.5G and 5G auction processes, engagement for the phase‑out and renewal of legacy technologies, and conclusion of the renewal and extension of concession agreements. I am equally proud to have contributed to areas of critical importance for Turkey including consumer policy, authorization frameworks, information security, personal data protection, the development of local and national technology ecosystems, infrastructure issues, interconnection and access issues etc. both from a regulatory compliance and a strategy‑setting perspective. Strategic public affairs engagement has been an important layer to all these fields. In this context, during my tenure, I had the opportunity to represent the company and collaborate extensively with public authorities, industry stakeholders, NGOs, and international partners. I was also privileged to take part in the establishment and subsequent activities of MTOD, the most prominent civil society organization of the mobile communications sector. Beyond telecommunications, contributing to the company’s activities across TV, marketplace, and fintech verticals was another valuable aspect of my journey. Vodafone—one of the world’s largest telecommunications service providers—has been more than just a workplace for me; it has been an enriching and formative school, as well as a large and supportive family. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my Leaders, the Vodafone leadership team, all Vodafone colleagues, and especially the talented members of the regulatory affairs team whom I had the privilege to lead, during this 12-year period of time. In the coming period, I will share details of my post‑Vodafone career journey as they become clearer.