TAİDER 13th National Family Businesses Summit

Gülfem Yorgancılar Perçin

Born in 1961, Gülfem Yorgancılar Perçin graduated from İzmir Özel Türk Koleji and later from Dokuz Eylül University, Department of Labor Economics and Industrial Relations. Since 1980, she has held various positions under the Yorglass umbrella, including System Development, Export Director, and General Manager. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Sustainability Committee of the company.

She has also served two terms as a Parliament Member and Chair of the Professional Committee of the Glass and Ceramic Products Group No. 45 at the Aegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO). During her tenure, the first-ever Glass Technologies Department in Türkiye was established at Bayraklı Vocational High School. A Past President of the Gündoğdu Rotary Club, Perçin was recognized as Businesswoman of the Year by EGİKAD in 2018.

She is currently serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors of TAİDER.

Zeynep Bodur Okyay

From 1992 to 1993, Zeynep Bodur Okyay served in various positions as a management trainee in the production units of Çanakkale Ceramic Factories in Çan, Çanakkale. In 1995, she was appointed as a Member and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Kale Group's Marketing Companies and has been serving as the President and CEO of Kale Group since 2007.

Zeynep Bodur Okyay actively contributes to many non-governmental and international organizations by taking part in their management levels.  Served as the President of the Assembly of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry for two consecutive terms between 2013 and 2022, Okyay currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Global Relations Forum Association, Board Member and Executive Committee Member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), Chairman of the Türkiye-Morocco Business Council at DEİK and member of Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), Impact Investing Advisory Board, and Carnegie Europe Advisory Board.  Zeynep Bodur Okyay, who has been actively supporting the G20 packages since the 2015 Turkish Presidency, most recently served as the B20 "Women's Diversity Inclusion Action Council Co-Chair" during the Brazilian Presidency.

Zeynep Bodur Okyay was awarded the "Cavaliere di Lavoro" decoration by the Italian State in 2006 for her contributions and services to Turkish-Italian relations and received the “Ufficiale dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana” high-level state decoration in 2014. In 2010, she was honored with the Franco Nobili Award within the scope of “Türkiye in Europe” for her contribution to the relations between Türkiye and the European Union countries. In the same year, Zeynep Bodur Okyay received the Distinguished Service Award from the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. 

Also supported the establishment of a Turkish Chair at Harvard University through her work at the Harvard Alumni Association, of which she is one of the founders, Okyay leads many pioneering programs within Kale Group to contribute to Türkiye's education, design, art, local development, and social entrepreneurship ecosystem as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dr. (h.c.) İbrahim Bodur Kaleseramik Education, Health, and Social Aid Foundation.

Zeynep Bodur Okyay is fluent in Italian and English, having graduated from the Italian High School, Istanbul Technical University Department of Management Engineering, and Harvard University's graduate executive training programs, respectively. Zeynep Bodur Okyay is married to Osman Okyay, Vice Chairman of Kale Group, and has one child.

Ahmet Abalıoğlu

Ahmet Abalıoğlu was born in 1974 in Denizli, Turkey, and graduated from Boston University with a degree in Business Administration in 1996. He began his professional career in 1998 at Dentaş, part of Abalıoğlu Holding, as a Sales Person, and over the years held various managerial positions, including General Manager. With experience in international sales, management, and strategic investments, Ahmet Abalıoğlu currently serves as Chairman of the Board at Filidea Turkey. He is also a Board Member at CSA Textile Egypt and Hifyber, a company specializing in nanofiber technologies.

Giovanni Marchi

A third-generation entrepreneur, he built his professional path within Filatura Marchi Spa, founded in 1969 by his grandfather Giovanni Marchi and later transformed by his father, Massimo Marchi, into an international group with operations in Italy, Turkey, Brazil, and Serbia.

In February 2023, Giovanni Marchi took over the Group’s executive leadership as CEO of Marchi & Fildi Spa and subsequently as President of Filidea Italia, the Group company specialized in the production of technical yarns.

Innovation and a systemic vision also drive his commitment to MagnoLab, a network of companies dedicated to research and the development of circular and sustainable solutions for the textile industry, of which he has been co-founder and President since 2021.

Emre Derman

Emre Derman has led numerous large cross-border transactions in Turkey as a partner with the international law firm White & Case between 1989 and 2008. In addition to his work in Turkey he has worked in the New York and London offices of the firm and also in the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries during his term as a lawyer for the EBRD in 1994 and 1995. He has served as a Managing Director and the Senior Country Officer of JP Morgan in Turkey between 2011 and 2014. Currently he serves as an non-executive director on various corporate boards and acts as a freelance advisor on a broad range of topics particulary for family-held companies.  For the last 20 years he has been engaged in sailboat racing as skipper of the EXIT sailing team.   Mr Derman holds an LL.B. from Istanbul University Law School and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School.

Antje Schwemberger-Swarovski

Seasoned ESG strategist and crisis management expert with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of sustainable industry, public-private collaboration, and family governance. As Chairwoman of the Combined Commission at FEPA, founder of two sustainability ventures, and longstanding ESG advisor to the Tyrolit Group, Antje merges technical, environmental, and social perspectives into forward-thinking strategies. She is a recognized voice in European sustainability discourse, a published expert in compliance and ESG regulation, and an awarded innovator in sustainable business models.

Kaan Kiziroğlu

Financial Restructuring Services & Financing Arrangements & Mergers and Acquisitions 

Over 29 years of operational, financial restructuring, and investment banking experience 

Kaan Kiziroğlu is the Founder and Chairperson of Servo Capital, a corporate finance firm operating in the sector since 2009. Prior to founding Servo Capital, he served as Chairman of the Board and General Manager of Mubadala GE Capital’s Turkey operations, a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund. He also held senior leadership positions at Credit Suisse Turkey as Vice President and at Fitch Ratings Turkey as Director.

Kiziroğlu began his professional career at Yapı Kredi Bank in the Corporate Marketing Department and later served as a dealer in the bank’s Treasury Division. 

For the past 16 years, Kiziroğlu has led several landmark financial restructuring and financing projects in Turkey. He has acted as Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) in major operational restructurings, arranged large-scale financings, and served as the lead negotiator in mergers and acquisitions. 

At Servo Capital, Kiziroğlu has been actively engaged across multiple areas of investment banking, including financing and syndication arrangements, operational improvement and financial restructuring, venture capital investments, crisis management, mergers & acquisitions, real estate acquisitions & sales, and family business governance. He has extensive experience working with small, medium, and large-scale companies, with strong exposure to both banking and capital markets.

Kiziroğlu is a Board and Executive Committee Member of TÜRKONFED (Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation), Chairman of the TÜRKONFED Access to Finance Commission, and a member of TÜSİAD (Turkish Industry and Business Association) as well as TAİDER (Turkish Family Businesses Association). 

Believing that the sustainability of Turkish family businesses relies fundamentally on institutionalization and effective family governance, Kiziroğlu advocates for well-structured shareholders’ agreements and family constitutions to ensure smooth intergenerational transfer of ownership. As a personal commitment, he regularly drafts one to two shareholders’ agreements or family constitutions per year as a “professional hobby.”

Pelin Akın Özalp

After graduating from Surrey University, UK, in 2010, Pelin Akın Özalp started her career in the Deutsche Bank. Following her return to Turkey, she attended the MT Program of TAV Airports Holdings. Later moving on to the parent company, she has been serving as a Board Member in Akfen Holding as of 2012.

She is an active member of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors at TİKAV (Turkish Human Resources Education and Health Foundation) and Vice President of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award-Türkiye National Committee. She is also Chairwoman at the Advisory Board of the Contemporary Turkish Studies Chair founded in London School of Economics since 2010.

She has been serving in DEİK(Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey) as a Board Member in Spanish, British and US Business Councils. She is also a Board Member of Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD), Turkey Business Women's Association (TIKAD), the Marine Environment Protection Association (TURMEPA), Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TURKONFED) and American Turkish Society (ATS) Boards and in Steering Committee Member of Inclusive Capitalism at the moment.

Previously, her experience entails different Board Memberships in various networks such as Association of Family Businesses (TAİDER) and Turkey Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Young Entrepreneurs Advisory Councils, Association of Women in Board of Directors (YKKD). She was elected as the youngest deputy board member in TUSIAD in 2014.

Pelin Akın Özalp serves as a Board Member at Akfen Holding, Akfen Renewable Energy, Akfen REIT, Istanbul Sea Buses (İDO), Travelex and runs the Terminal Kadıköy project.

Kazım Köseoğlu

Kazım Köseoğlu is the Managing Partner & Chairman of ESAS Properties and serves on its investment committee. Also a board member at ESAS Holding.

Kazım is also a board member of Capreon, real estate investment manager across UK and Europe with expertise in retail and office sectors and Feldberg, real estate investment manager across UK and Europe with a focus on high conviction themes including residential, industrial & logistics, green workplaces and life sciences.

Previously, Kazım worked as an investment analyst at F&C REIT Asset Management and chaired the UK network group of TUSIAD (Turkish Industry & Business Association).

Kazım Köseoğlu earned his M.S. degree in International Finance and Banking from Cass Business School and B.S. degree in Business Economics (German) from Brown University.

Nilüfer Sezgin

After graduating from Boğaziçi University with B.A. and M.A. degrees in Economics in 2003 and 2005, respectively, Sezgin developed 19 years of experience in the finance sector. She assumed active roles as teaching and research assistants during her academic life. She began her professional career in the financial sector in 2005 as Economist, before taking Chief Economist posts in reputable local and international investment houses between 2011- 2015. In 2015, she joined İş Asset Management and worked as Chief Economist until 2020. Nilüfer Sezgin has been appointed as Executive Vice President in April 2020 and she is in charge of Distribution Channel and Management, Investment Advisory and Sales and Corporate Communications Departments in İş Asset Management.

Berfe Tümen

Berfe Tümen is the founder of Beam Bakes, a boutique bakery known for its innovative approach to gluten-free and refined sugar-free pastry. After completing her university education in the United States, she began her career in the marketing and advertising industries. Driven by her lifelong passion for the culinary arts, she later pursued professional pastry training at the French Culinary Institute in New York (now known as the International Culinary Center).

Gaining hands-on experience in pastry kitchens across New York, Zurich, and Istanbul, Berfe began developing gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and additive-free recipes in 2018, initially to meet the dietary needs of her own children. What started in her home kitchen quickly evolved into a growing business. In 2019, she opened Beam Bakes’ first production and retail space in Istanbul, marking the transition to a full-scale professional bakery.

Beam Bakes distinguishes itself by offering custom-made cakes, healthy desserts, and snacks that combine wellness with refined taste and visual appeal. The brand has also embraced digital innovation by developing its own e-commerce infrastructure, allowing customers to easily place personalized orders through a user-friendly website — a move that positioned Beam Bakes as a forward-thinking player in the pastry industry.

A mother of two, Berfe Tümen has been living in London since 2023 and manages her bakery remotely. She is a passionate advocate for healthy living, female entrepreneurship, and digital transformation in the food sector.

Buse Bayraktar Üçer

Buse Bayraktar Ucer is the Founder and Creative Director of Ribbon Flowers, a leading luxury floral and gifting company based in İstanbul. She is responsible for the brand’s creative direction, product design, and marketing strategy across both digital and physical platforms.

After earning her degree in Business Management from the University of Miami in 2010, Buse began her career in New York as a Social Media Specialist at Roomster.com, where she gained valuable experience in digital marketing and brand communication. In 2012, she returned to İstanbul and launched her own business, inspired by the popularity of her personal floral designs among family and friends.

Founded initially as a weekly flower membership service, Ribbon quickly expanded into retail with the opening of its first boutique in Reşitpaşa. The brand grew its digital presence with the launch of ribbonflowers.com in 2019, followed by the Ribbon iOS app in 2021, which earned 2nd place in two categories (Mobile App Shopping and Mobile App Storefront) at the Altın Örümcek Awards.

In 2023, she was selected as one of 20 Turkish women entrepreneurs for Ernst & Young’s “Winning Women™ EMEIA” program, marking the international recognition of her entrepreneurial journey.

Guided by her vision to make Ribbon the leading online destination for luxury flowers and gifting, Buse emphasizes originality in design, exceptional customer service, and uncompromising quality. To deliver on its promise of “delivering happiness,” Ribbon manages its entire supply chain in-house—from sourcing and production to customer care and delivery—ensuring excellence at every step.

Can Türkay

Can Türkay is an entrepreneur and Software Engineering Manager at Papara. He earned a degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s in Computer Science from Northwestern University. In 2020, he co-founded Finfree, a fintech platform for stock investment, which was acquired by Papara in 2024. He now drives engineering innovation in investment technologies. As a third-generation member of his family’s enterprises in textiles, renewable energy, and carbon trading, he bridges legacy business with modern technology. His current focus lies in investment tech and AI innovation, with a particular interest in practical applications of large language models.

Senih Mete Dal

Senih Mete Dal co-founded the Finfree investment app in 2020 with two partners. After reaching more than 300,000 users in a short time, Finfree was acquired by Papara, Turkey’s largest fintech company. Following the transaction, Dal joined Papara as a senior executive, a role he continues to hold. He holds a degree in Management Engineering from Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and previously worked at Ünlü & Co and Baker Tilly Güreli. While his family operates in healthcare, Dal has built his career in financial technology.

Selda Oknas Tanbay

Selda Oknas Tanbay graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration. She has 30 years of experience in risk management consulting and insurance. Over her career, she worked at Allianz Insurance, AIG Insurance, and Marsh Brokerage, before joining Aon Insurance and Reinsurance Brokerage Inc. in 2002. After serving in various roles and levels at Aon, she was appointed as the company’s Co-CEO in 2015. She continues to serve in this position.

Bager Akbay

Storyteller of Robot Poet Deniz Yilmaz. Bager's artworks are exhibited in Ars Electronica, Todays Art and Transmediale festivals. He is the co-author of Programming Scratch for Kids, co-founder of Iskele47 Studio and co-curator of Istanbul Maker Faire. Bager is currently a member of Amber Platform which hosts art and technology festivals since 2007 and Baska Bir Okul Mumkun NGO which works in the democratic school movement. Currently teaching in Todays Art History at Istanbul Mimar Sinan University and Marmara University and Programming for Puppeteers at Berlin Ernst Busch University and running an “Art Talk Show” at FLU TV.

Prof. Dr. Maximilian Lude

Prof. Dr. Maximilian Lude is an entrepreneur, scholar, and public speaker. As the founder and CEO of philoneos, a future-focused consultancy for family businesses based in Munich (GER), he and his team accompany family-run companies with innovation, future foresight and transformation projects. Since October 2023, Maximilian has been a Professor of Innovation and Strategy at the Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences, where he teaches international students in a metaverse-based campus. He studied in Germany and Denmark before earning his PhD from the Friedrichshafen Institute for Family Businesses (FIF). His professional and academic work revolves around innovation and the future within the context of family businesses. He regularly publishes in esteemed journals and speaks on national and international academic and non-academic stages. As a passionate lecturer at institutions like Zeppelin University, Politecnico Milano, and Technical University of Munich, he is also an avid skier and dog owner.

Cecilia Davalos

Cecilia is a third-generation member of her family’s flower business in Ecuador, bringing a deep understanding of legacy, innovation, and the dynamics of family enterprises. She began her journey with the Family Business Network (FBN) as a volunteer, and through her dedication and leadership, grew into a full-time role supporting global initiatives. As the NxG and Entrepreneurs Community Coordinator at FBN, she designs and manages programs that strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems, foster next-generation leadership, and create platforms for cross-cultural collaboration. With a multidisciplinary background in entrepreneurship, community building, and international project coordination, she has worked with stakeholders across continents to curate experiences that drive strategic connections and long-term impact. Known for her ability to merge purpose with execution, Cecilia is passionate about building communities where ideas flourish, leaders grow, and collaboration fuels transformation.

Güven İslamoğlu

Producer of Nature and Environment programs, nature activist and TV journalist.

The hustle and bustle of hot news and agenda did not take him away from nature.

He also brought news about nature and the environment to the agenda. In 2003, he filmed a sperm whale in Turkish territorial waters for the first time. The documentary titled "Operation Whale", which was about the rescue operation of an injured whale caught in fishing nets, received the best documentary award from the international WWF (World Wide Foundation).

In 2011, he started to prepare the "Green Nature" and "Staying Spectators" programs in order to draw attention to increasing environmental problems.

He defined himself as a nature lover and nature activist, not an environmentalist. He tried to be the voice of nature, based on the philosophy "If you protect nature, you also protect people". He prepared short nature and environmental spots to raise awareness. These spots called 'Don't Be a Spectator' and 'Environmental Detective' made a lot of noise.  The Green Nature program was awarded the "Eurosolar 2011 Solar Prize", which is considered Europe's Environmental Nobel Prize in 2011. He received the award in Berlin. He currently prepares and presents these 3 programs. It is known for swimming in drinkable waters. In Türkiye, including Mount Ararat (except Cudi), there is almost no mountain he has not climbed, no canyon he has not entered, no waterfall he has not seen, no crater lake he has not swam in.

In addition to these programs, he also prepared and presented many projects such as "Womens of the Land" and "Respect for the Land" at certain periods.

He has been giving conferences on topics such as Sustainable Living, Journey of Discovery, Environmental Journalism, Nature and Human, Biodiversity, Carbon and Water Footprint, Resilient Cities, Green Energy, Green Economy for about 10 years. Güven İslamoğlu, who believes that environmental problems can only be solved through education, tries to raise awareness by organizing workshops in schools.

Ergem Şenyuva Tohumcu

Ergem Senyuva Tohumcu is a multidisciplinary sustainability strategist with 20 years of experience delivering high-impact projects across sectors. She co-founded FutureWise Partners, a strategic advisory firm that helps companies and financial institutions embed sustainability into core operations, supply chains, and investment portfolios. Her work supports investors in aligning ESG goals with long-term value creation and resilience, with a particular focus on climate, water, and nature assessments to better understand risk, opportunity, and materiality across their portfolios.  Ergem is a faculty member at Fordham University’s London Centre, where she lectures on sustainability marketing and strategy at the Gabelli School of Business. A recognized climate leader with Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project since 2010, Ergem is also a member of the BMW Foundation’s Responsible Leaders Network and Network Connector for the UK. She co-founded and serves as a trustee of the Turkey Mozaik Foundation, a UK-based grant-giving organization supporting grassroots initiatives in Turkey, and sits on the steering committee of the Turquoise Coast Environment Fund, a marine conservation-focused NGO. Ergem holds degrees in International Affairs, Environmental Affairs, and Finance from George Washington University, and a Master’s in Management and Systems from New York University. She earned a postgraduate certificate in Sustainable Supply Chains from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership, and is certified as a Climate Risk Professional by the Global Association of Risk Professionals and a Social and Environmental Risk Professional by the UN Environmental Program.

Metin Akman

Born in Ankara in 1966, Metin Akman holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from METU (1989) and a master’s degree in International Economic Law from Bilkent University (2013). He began his professional career at Unilever and later continued as an entrepreneur in various sectors. He currently serves as Chairman at Anako Egg Products, Atıken A.S and Yuniko A.S which was established in partnership with the Netherlands-based Schaffelaarbos. He is also a Board Member at Yaşar University Board of Trustees and Viking Kâğıt. He additionally serves as the Vice Chairperson of the Board at TAİDER and leads the External Relations Committee of TGDF. A member of several institutions including TUSIAD, ATO, ASO, Konya Chamber of Industry, and the Business Council for Sustainable Development, Akman served as a TUSIAD Board Member between 2014 and 2019. Since 2019, he has been the Chairman of YÜSAD and, since 2014, the Chair of the Agriculture and Food Committee at Business at OECD (BIAC). Supporting university–industry collaboration, he has lectured at Bilkent University and continues to contribute to sustainable agriculture and food initiatives at both national and international levels.

Ezgi Özkök Sefer

Ezgi Özkök Sefer, Country Director of Ashoka Turkey, which aims an everyone a changemaker world, is a leading figure in the social impact sector. A graduate of Harvard University, Sefer uses her experience in civil society and financial resource management to guide social change strategies, accompanying influential individuals and institutions in the field on their changemaking journeys. She is also a meditation guide and a compassion-focused changemaker, inspiring individuals on their inner journeys.

Ekin Al

Ekin Al is an impact and social innovation consultant, working at the intersection of business, policy, and society to design regenerative and distributive economic models. His interdisciplinary practice spans system transformation, culture, leadership, and human and life rights.

Carrying out international work in the field of new economy, Ekin is a Post Growth Fellow at the Post Growth Institute and contributes to the Postcode Institute. He also serves on the advisory board of Impact Hub Ankara, bridging local initiatives with global dialogues.

As the founder of Onarım Atölyesi | Regenerative Impact Space, he leads projects that reimagine the private sector and advocates for a new economy across different sectors. He is the community leader of Doughnut Economics Türkiye, where he convenes civil society, social entrepreneurs, business leaders, public institutions, local governments, and marginalized communities to explore new economic models.

Ekin is also a columnist for Nasıl Bir Ekonomi Gazetesi and produces written and live content for Harvard Business Review Türkiye. He hosts a podcast series where he engages with diverse voices on transformation, sustainability, and culture. Positioned as an international impact and social innovation consultant, Ekin works to bridge local and global perspectives on building fair, regenerative, and human-centered economies.

Dr. Kerem Dündar

Dr. Kerem Dündar graduated from Gülhane Military Medical Academy and specialized in biophysics. He conducted academic and clinical research with his doctoral studies in neuroscience and has worked as a physician, academic, and manager for many years. Starting his journey with individual counseling, he has conducted over 25,000 sessions and continues to share his experience with companies and wider audiences.

Through the Neuro Health Brain Research Center, Beyin Akademi, and Yaratıcı Ebeveyn platforms he founded, he brings scientific knowledge to the business world and society. Author of the books “The Brain at Work” and “Sales Intelligence,” Dr. Dündar provides training and consulting in areas such as neuroleadership, brain-based education, unconscious biases, resilience, and artificial intelligence–human relations. He continues his work in institutions in Turkey and the UK today and gives international talks under the umbrella of the London School of Mind, which he founded.