Management
Hamdi Akın, Chairman, 57
Hamdi Akın assumed his current duties as the Chairman of TAV Airports Holding in 2005. As one of the founders and shareholders of TAV Airports Holding, Akın is also the founder and chairman of Akfen Holding. Graduating from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gazi University, Akın founded Akfen Holding in 1975, a company that operates in the construction, port, energy, tourism, and service sectors. Undertaking infrastructure, energy and port projects within the scope of privatization efforts in addition to private entrepreneurial activities, Akın has undertaken responsibilities as a founder and director of many associations, foundations and NGOs. Akın served as Vice President of the Fenerbahçe Sports Club from 2000 to 2002, President of the Ankara Region Representative Council of the Turkish Metal Industrialists' Union (MESS) from 1992 to 2004, President of the Turkish Young Businessmen's Association (TÜGİAD) from 1998 to 2000, a Board Member of the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK) from 1995 to 2001, a Board Member of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) and President of the Information Society and New Technologies Committee from 2008 to 2009. He is one of the founders of the Chair in Contemporary Turkish Studies at the London School of Economics; and a founding member and Honorary Chairman of the Human Resources Foundation of Turkey (TİKAV), which he co-founded in 1999 in order to provide well-educated human resources for Turkey.
Ali Haydar Kurtdarcan, Vice Chairman, 60
Ali Haydar Kurtdarcan assumed his current duties as the Vice Chairman of TAV Airports Holding in 2000 and is also the Chairman of the Audit Committee. Graduating from the Department of Civil Engineering, Middle East Technical University in 1973, Kurtdarcan is the Chairman of Tepe Construction, a shareholder of TAV Airports Holding. He has filled various managerial positions, including general manager and assistant general manager, at Tepe Construction for the last 23 years.
Mustafa Sani Şener, Board Member and President & CEO, 56
Mustafa Sani Şener was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors, President and CEO of TAV Airports Holding in 1997. Graduating from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Black Sea Technical University (BTU) in 1977, Şener earned his Masters degree in fluid mechanics in 1979 from the Department of Applied Sciences, University of Sussex, the UK. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from BTU for his invaluable contributions to the development of Turkish engineering at the international level. Before his career at TAV Airports, he filled project manager and general manager positions in national and international projects. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Airports Council International (ACI) Europe.
Ibrahim Süha Güçsav, Board Member, TAV Airports Holding, 43
Ibrahim Süha Güçsav was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of TAV Airports Holding in 2000 and as the CEO of Akfen Holding in March 2010. Güçsav graduated from the Department of Economics, Istanbul University in 1992 and earned his Masters degree from the Department of Business Administration at Gazi University. Beginning his career at Alexander & Alexander Insurance Brokerage Co. in 1992, Güçsav joined the Akfen Group in 1994. Serving at Akfen Holding as Financing Group President and then as President of the Executive Board, Güçsav acted as Deputy Chairman of Akfen Holding between 2003 and March 2010. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors at various affiliates including TAV Airports Holding, Chairman at Akfen GYO (Real Estate Investment Partnership) and CEO of IBS Insurance Brokerage Services.
Abdullah Atalar, Board Member, 57
Abdullah Atalar was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of TAV Airports Holding in 2009. Graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Middle East Technical University in 1974, Atalar received his Masters and PhD degrees from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University in the USA in 1976 and 1978 respectively. Beginning his career at Hewlett Packard Research Labs in 1979, Atalar returned to Turkey as an Assistant Professor at Middle East Technical University in 1980. In 1982 he led the project to develop the first commercial acoustic microscope at Ernst Leitz Wetzlar, Germany. In 1986 he served as Chair of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and as Associate Professor at the newly established Bilkent University and was promoted to a professorship in 1990. He worked as Visiting Professor at Stanford University in 1996. Atalar received the Scientific Encouragement and Science Awards of TÜBİTAK in 1982 and 1994 respectively. He was also elected as a full member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences in 1997 and was awarded a fellowship by IEEE in 2007. He has led research projects for companies such as ASELSAN, Teletaş and Hitachi. He has 17 international patents, 76 scientific papers and 108 conference proceedings and there are more than 1,500 citations referring to his papers. He is currently the President of Bilkent University, Member of the Science Board of TÜBİTAK and Vice Chairman and CEO of Bilkent Holding.
Önder Sezgi, Member of the Board of Directors, 43
Önder Sezgi was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of TAV Airports Holding in 2009. Graduating from the Department of Public Administration at Ankara University in 1988, Sezgi served as a tax inspector at the Ministry of Finance until 1998. He joined the Tepe Group in the same year and is currently serving as the Financial Affairs Coordinator (CFO) at Bilkent Holding. With more than 35 articles on economics, tax law and finance published in various newspapers and journals, Sezgi has also participated as a speaker in more than 20 conferences and panels on these topics. A Certified Public Accountant, he has served in various positions and operations in the Tax Council, Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, International Investors Association, Foundation of Tax Inspectors and TÜRMOB.
Mehmet Cem Kozlu, Board Member, 65
Mehmet Cem Kozlu was appointed as an Independent Member of the Board of Directors of TAV Airports Holding in 2006 and is also the Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee. He received his BA from Denison University, Department of Economics in 1969, MBA from Stanford University and PhD from Boğaziçi University in Administrative Sciences. He has also been awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Denison University. Dr. Kozlu has held various positions at National Cash Register Co. in Ohio, Procter & Gamble in Switzerland and Komili, as well as serving as a Member of Parliament between 1991 and 1995. He served as the President and CEO of Turkish Airlines, and President of Central Europe, Eurasia and Middle East Group in The Coca-Cola Company. He currently serves as a Consultant to the Coca Cola Eurasia and Africa Group, President of the International Airlines Training Fund (IATF), Geneva and he is currently a Board Member of The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Saudi Arabia. He also serves on the boards of the following organizations: Coca-Cola İçecek (Bottling) Co., Evyap Soap, Oil and Glycerine Industry and Trading Co., Anadolu Industry Holding, Efes Brewery and Malt Industry, Kamil Yazıcı Management and Consulting Co., The Marmara Hotels & Residences and Foreign Economic Relations Board. He is also a trustee of the following institutions: Anadolu-Johns Hopkins Health Center and Istanbul Modern Arts Foundation.
Ersagun Yücel, Board Member and General Secretary, TAV Airports Holding, 39
Ersagun Yücel was appointed as the General Secretary of TAV Airports Holding in 2002 and as a member of the Board of Directors in 2009. Graduating from the Department of Business Administration, California Newport University in 1999, Yücel is currently pursuing his MBA degree in the same university. He also graduated from the Department of Serigraphy, Yıldız Technical University in 1994, and attended the New York University Advertising and Marketing Program in 1997. Beginning his career as a graphic artist at MR Com Graphics in 1993, Ersagun Yücel worked as a manager at Rifle Jeans and Calvin Klein Jeans between 1995 and 1998. He joined TAV Airports Holding in 1999 as the Assistant to the President & CEO. In addition to his responsibilities as General Secretary of TAV Airports Holding, Yücel also oversees the activities of the departments of Human Resources, Corporate Communication, External Relations and Executive Board Administrative Affairs.
Pierre de Champfleury, Board Member, TAV Airports Holding, 65
Pierre de Champfleury was appointed as the Independent Member of the Board of Directors of TAV Airports Holding in 2007 and is also a Member of the Audit Committee. Graduating from the Paris Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales in Paris in 1967, Champfleury earned his MBA degree from Stanford University in 1971. Beginning his 30-year career in luxury goods at Eli Lilly, he served as the CEO of various companies such as Yves Saint Laurent Parfums, Austin Nichols and Co., and Manuel Canovas.