Baris Koca

 Company: A&O Shearman
Job Description: Senior Associate
Age: 33
Years of working experience in M&A: 8

What are the specialties of this talent?
Baris specialises in private M&A, PE, infrastructure, energy and real estate transactions. He has a focus on advising large corporates on strategic takeovers, joint ventures, and divestments, as well as private equity firms on complex investments. His work is often cross-border, requiring the alignment of multiple jurisdictions, governance structures, and diverse stakeholder interests. Baris is known for combining sharp technical and commercial insight with a pragmatic, client-focused approach. He simplifies complex legal concepts into clear, actionable advice for clients (incl. C suites and founders), building trust and momentum in high pressure deal settings.      

Next to his M&A practice, Baris has a long standing track record in inclusion and ethical leadership: using his platform to mentor, build bridges and open doors for others. Through his work, he advocates for a fairer, more responsible world and inspires others to join that effort.     

Baris studied law at Leiden University and Tsinghua University (Beijing). In 2023–2024 he completed a secondment in London, further strengthening his international execution capability and network across A&O Shearman.

How does the talent distinguish itself from its peers?
Baris stands out through the unique combination of legal knowledge, cultural leadership and social responsibility. He consistently delivers top-quality legal advice, going the extra mile for clients without being asked, while maintaining a genuine focus on people, both inside and outside the firm. He dedicates extraordinary time and energy to initiatives that drive inclusion, equity and access to opportunity.     

From a young age, Baris has sought to create impact:   

• As a teenager, he served as a youth ambassador in The Hague, bridging the gap between local government and underrepresented young people. 
• He co-founded Students4Students, offering free exam preparation courses for disadvantaged pupils (with lower social economic backgrounds) and founded the Dreamcatchers project, giving teenagers a one day shadowing internship with their dream profession to help them make informed study choices.   
• He became an ambassador for One Young World, connecting with global leaders and young professionals to promote diversity, ethical leadership and equitable access to education.     

At A&O Shearman, he carried this mission forward. He initiated the firm’s partnership with One Young World, enabling young lawyers worldwide to engage in leadership on global challenges though a leadership program. Each year he coaches the firm’s delegates and delivers workshops on unconscious bias and ethical leadership to peers and corporate leaders. This year during the One Young World summit he will even be speaking in front of 1.500 people about the opportunities he sees as a change maker (bring your whole self to work, act and lead with integrity).      

He was involved in setting up the A&O Shearman Dutch pro bono committee, institutionalising the firm’s pro bono efforts. One of his flagship projects is the FemStart initiative, donating 750 hours of legal support to female entrepreneurs in celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary.     

Baris’ work has been recognised both internally and externally: Named in Elsevier’s “30 under 30 – Talents of the Future” (2021); and winner of A&O Shearman’s Global Pro Bono Award (2022) for advancing access to education (cash price donated to projects supporting the reintegration of Yazidi women in Iraq).     

Where many young lawyers focus solely on legal excellence, Baris demonstrates that  top-level legal practice and meaningful societal impact can, and should, go hand in hand. His reputation extends beyond his practice as he generates mandates through an impressive network and inspires colleagues worldwide to align commercial success with purpose. 

What impact does the talent have within the organization?
Baris is both a dealmaker and a culture builder/changemaker.   

• Professional excellence: He plays a key role in advising corporates and private equity firms on complex and high-value transactions, often involving multiple jurisdictions. His creativity, diligence and client-first approach ensure the delivery of pragmatic, solution-driven advice.   
• Mentorship and inclusion: As a mentor to junior associates and a role model for first-generation professionals, Baris is known for his accessibility and genuine care. He fosters inclusive, collaborative teams and advocates for associate wellbeing and development.    
• Business development: Baris actively contributes to the office’s business development strategy, leveraging his network to create openings for the firm across the A&O Shearman network, converting relationships into mandates and cross border opportunities.   
• Pro bono and DE&I leadership: As an active member of the Dutch pro bono committee and global initiatives, Baris has helped institutionalising pro bono work in the Amsterdam office and continues to drive new initiatives. His focus on education, access to justice and entrepreneurship ensures sustainable impact.   
• Bridge-building: He also pays attention to the details that shape culture, fostering an environment where colleagues feel seen and included. He constructively engages with senior leadership to translate values into concrete actions. In short, Baris has helped shape not only the transactions the firm is known for, but also the culture of inclusivity and responsibility that will define its future.

What impact does the talent have outside the organization?
As outlined in question 2, Baris channels the same leadership and drive that define his M&A work into impactful social initiatives. He (co-)founded Students4Students and Dreamcatchers to promote equal educational opportunities, mentors through Giving Back and Wrokko, and lectures on ethical leadership at VU University. As an advisor to the Veerstichting, he contributes to national discussions on inclusion and the future of leadership. Through One Young World, he facilitates workshops on integrity and inclusion and involves clients in these programmes, linking professional success with shared societal purpose.

To what extent does the talent make a difference when working with clients?
Clients describe Baris as a trusted, hands on advisor, accessible and responsive even at peak pressure, pragmatic and clear in his guidance, and relationship driven in the way he partners on their strategic priorities. He balances competing stakeholder interests without losing sight of the best outcome for his client, translating both his client’s needs and the counterparty’s constraints into workable, value protective solutions. He stays closely connected during and after deals, celebrating milestones, actively seeking feedback and anticipating next steps, which drives recurring mandates and referrals. He also leverages a broad, cross sector network to bring the right people to the table and expand the client portfolio.      

Under extreme timelines, he leads from the front: when a client required signing (incl. due diligence) within three days over a weekend, he immediately committed, coordinated around the clock across counterparties and advisers, and delivered a signed deal on Monday (with a very happy client).     Selected recent mandates include advising:    

• PFZW on the strategic repositioning of its residential real estate activities in Amvest.  
• Aermont Capital on the acquisitions of Grolleman (NL), McCulla (IE) and NedCool across multiple jurisdictions (cold storage logistics).   
• Equistone, Mountainview Capital and management on the acquisition and subsequent sale of Andra Tech Group (high tech precision components manufacturing).   
• Exponent on the acquisition of TestingCo B.V. (IT services and secondment).   
• 3i Infrastructure and DWS on the acquisition and subsequent sale of Attero (waste treatment and disposal).   
• Vattenfall on multiple strategic transactions: (i) the sale of 32 Prinses Ariane turbines (onshore wind); (ii) the sale of the Magnum gas fired plant (power generation); and (iii) the acquisition of Warmtebedrijf Rotterdam from the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Province of South Holland (district heating).     

These matters demonstrate his trusted advisor role: hands on leadership, clear translation of interests on both sides of the table, and delivering under tight timelines, resulting in satisfied, returning clients.

Clients about Baris:

“What makes Baris exceptional is not just his legal skills or commercial instinct, it’s his ability to connect people and ideas. Whether leading a high-pressure transaction or mentoring young lawyers, he brings authenticity, clarity, and integrity. Baris has been instrumental in shaping a culture of collaboration and inclusion within our Corporate team, while helping expand and strengthen our client relationships across sectors. He truly redefines what it means to be the next generation M&A lawyer.”   Katinka Middelkoop (Partner and Head of Corporate, A&O Shearman)     

“For nearly a decade, Baris has been a catalyst for change; connecting One Young World and the corporate world around a shared vision of purpose and social impact. His leadership at A&O Shearman has built a culture of inclusion and inspired young professionals to lead with authenticity and social awareness. He embodies the belief that global impact always starts with local action.”   Kate Robertson (CEO and Co-Founder, One Young World)   

Why does the talent deserves this nomination?
Baris embodies the next generation of M&A professionals: technically excellent, internationally minded and socially conscious.   

• He has already achieved recognition as one of the top young talents in the Netherlands, while earning trust from major clients on some of the most complex transactions.   
• He has created lasting institutional change within his firm by embedding pro bono, DE&I and education programmes.   
• He has inspired many colleagues and peers, both locally and globally, to combine professional excellence with social responsibility.   

Baris’ story is one of consistent achievement, resilience and purpose. From his beginnings as a youth ambassador in The Hague to becoming a senior M&A lawyer shaping international transactions, he has never lost sight of his mission: to break glass ceilings, build bridges, and ensure that those in privileged positions give back to society.   

In the words he often repeats: “You can’t be what you can’t see.”  Through his example, Baris makes sure that the next generation can see, and believe, that success and impact are not mutually exclusive.