He used to be anchor-man for the television channel Kanal 7 founded by Necmettin Erbakan the founder/leader of Welfare Party (Refah Partisi).

He is currently working at Hürriyet, CNN Türk and Kanal D.[1][2][3][failed verification] Star newspaper's writer, Cem Küçük, threatened Hakan with these words on an article published on 9 September 2015: "Like a patient suffering from schizophrenia, you still think that Hürriyet manages Turkey like the old days.

CHP member Eren Erdem, submitted a questionnaire to TBMM Presidency in relation to this issue.

[8] In a video taken 24 hours after the second attack on Hürriyet newspaper, AKP member Abdurrahim Boynukalin, said: "I was thinking about going to Nişantaşı today, in front of his house.

[11] Hakan was appointed editor-in-chief of Hürriyet in 2019, following this media institution was passed into the hands of a pro-government business enterprise, Demirören Group, in 2018.

[12] The decision to sack the staff was made by the newspaper's owners, Demiroren Group, who are known to be close to the ruling Justice and Development Party of President Erdogan.