Selin Barlın Aral

Founder, Cerebellum Advisors

Selin Barlın Aral is a strategic leader and board advisor with over 15 years of experience across law, governance, and executive leadership. She combines strategic vision, governance expertise, and operational pragmatism to guide companies, investors, and leadership teams through high-stakes challenges.

Background & Career

Paksoy Law Firm – Associate to Partner (2010–2020)
Rose from associate to become one of the youngest partners in the firm’s history. Specialized in corporate law, M&A, restructuring, and real estate. Known for her ownership mindset, Selin not only expanded her expertise into new areas but also took on administrative roles within the firm from early days on. She was regarded as an embedded and trusted partner to her clients.

Getir – Chief Legal & People Officer (2020–2024)
Joined to be part of the company’s story rather than remain external counsel. At Getir, she quickly established herself as a strategic partner to business leaders and the board, often stepping in as the trusted backup to general managers.

  • Built a global legal team of 100+ lawyers across nine countries.

  • Assumed leadership of government relations, PR, and HR functions where gaps existed.

  • Ultimately led Legal, People, Safety, and Government Relations, managing 400+ across nine markets.

  • Oversaw acquisitions and integrations (including N11, Gorillas, FreshDirect) and all funding rounds, scaling valuation from $350M to $12B in three years.

  • Led two consecutive restructurings during financial distress, acting as project manager and execution lead.

Cerebellum Advisors – Founder (2025–Present)
Founded to bring board-level strategy and executional support to startups, investors, and corporates. Focus areas include startup advisory, investor portfolio support, independent board membership & fractional roles, and restructuring & turnaround.

Board & Advisory Roles
Advises startups, family offices, funds, and corporates across Turkey, the UK, Europe, and the US. Current mandates include strategy, governance frameworks, restructuring, and investor alignment.

  • Hilbert AI – Board Advisor: guiding growth strategy, governance, and fundraising.

  • RUUF – Strategic Advisor: supporting investment strategy, U.S. market entry, governance, and people/legal strategy.

Education

  • LL.M., Georgetown University

  • LL.B., Koç University

  • Robert College

Expertise

  • Strategy & Scaling

  • Corporate Governance & Board Leadership

  • Restructuring & Turnaround

  • Organizational Design & Leadership Alignment

  • Cross-Border M&A & Regulatory Strategy

Personal

Selin divides her time between Istanbul, the UK, and the US. She is a mother, passionate about food and cooking, and keeps curated lists of cities she wants to explore. She enjoys travel, contemporary art, and prioritizes exercise and wellbeing as foundations for leadership resilience.