Umit Yerli

Umit Yerli is an experienced professional in the field of intellectual property, currently serving as the Head of Intellectual Property and Senior Intellectual Property Counsel at Ford Otosan since September 2015, where an end-to-end IP management structure was established. Umit also acts as a Business Coach for the EU Horizon 2020 Programme since December 2014, facilitating innovation and business development for SMEs. Prior experience includes roles as Senior Patent Specialist & Business Development Lead at Deriş Patents & Trademarks Agency A.Ş. and Senior Patent Attorney at Destek Patent Inc., contributing significantly to the management of leading Turkish companies’ IP portfolios. Umit began a career in engineering as a Maintenance Engineer at YUKSEL SERAMIK. Educational qualifications include an Engineer’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Dokuz Eylul University and Eastern Mediterranean University.