MY CAREER STORY

When I started my career in the 1990s when the non-bank financial the non-bank financing sector in Turkey, I did not know how much I would enjoy driving and leading innovation and change.  Every new step in my career has given me a taste of self-development as well as tranforming others.

 

The automotive industry, which is an important stop in career journey, has taught me about customer experience, success factors of dealer management, how to manage distributorship agreement processes, developing competitive strategies and the steps to create a company culture.  Having worked closely with many Turkish and foreign board members while I was still at the beginning of my career and closely observing how they work, I earned a holistic and long-term perspective in all my future leadership roles.  On the other hand, my experience in the non-bank financial sector has provided me with a unique background in macroeconomics reading, customer management and satisfaction, asset-liability management, risk management, credit analysis.

 

During my career, I worked with many international brands and lived in the UK for 3.5 years with the task of establishing a bank branch belonging to the German Volkswagen Group. Sometimes I can't even believe the number of trips I have made abroad,, but working with different cultures, developing businesses in different countries with loval management teams have been a very special experience for me.

 

Over the years,  I have earned the expertise in building a company's go-to-market strategy, creating competitive advantages and transforming companies towards the future by giving them organizational, digital skills that build the pillars of a robust value proposition. My interest in technology, my curiosity for innovation and learning, and my "high energy", which is always expressed by the great teams I work with, continue to be my features that carry me forward in my entire career journey. 

 

In 2018-2021, I lived in Dubai / United Arab Emirates due to my role as global CEO of Financial Services, Insurance and FinTech at Abdul Latif Jameel International (ALJ) Group.  As of 2022, I am living in Istanbul and continuing my duties as an independent board member and consultant at ALJ financing/leasing companies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

 

In parallel, I continue to serve as a consultant or independent board member to companies in retail, banking & financial services, insurance, mobility sectors and digital marketplaces  to help their transformational goals with my experience and vision in the fields of digitalization of existing operations, improving efficiency and service quality, customer acquisition and loyalty strategies, data strategies and talent acquisition and management strategies.

 

In addition, I take part in very valuable women's organizations such as ARYA Women Investor platform where I also act as an angel investor.

 

 

Finally, I provide executive trainings in areas such as digital transformation, leadership and strategy within Bosphorus University BUYEM Continuous Education Platform.  I also mentor STEM students, younger generation family company leaders or young professionals through various associations (Mentor to Millions of Women, New Union Association, etc.).