Hamdi Akın was born in 1954. He graduated from Gazi University, Department of Mechanical Engineering. In 1976 he founded Akfen Holding, whose main activity area is to invest in, manage and coordinate partnerships and subsidiaries active in infrastructure and superstructure construction, port management, marine transportation, water distribution and waste water services, energy and real estate sectors. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Akfen Holding, he is also the Chairman of Board at Akfen Renewable Energy (Akfen Yenilenebilir Enerji A.Ş.) and Akfen REIT (Akfen Gayrimenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş.). Akın, who served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mersin International Port Management between 2007 and 2024; in 1997, he founded the TAV brand to build and operate Turkey’s first high capacity airport in the aviation sector, one of the hardest sectors of the world, and he managed the company as Chairman of Board until 2017.
In addition to his private entrepreneurship, Mr. Akın realized projects in infrastructure, energy and investment in scope of privatization efforts. He also carried his dynamism and hard work in business to volunteer efforts and non-governmental organizations as a Manager and founder of many societies, foundations, chambers of commerce. He has served as Vice President of Fenerbahçe Sports Club (2000-2002 and 2024-25), MESS-Metal Industrialists’ Union President of Ankara Regional Representatives Council (1992-2004), President of TÜGİAD-Turkish Young Businessmen’s Association(1998-2000), Board Member of TİSK-Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Associations (1995-2001), Board Member of TÜSİAD-Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association President of Information Society and New Technologies Commission (2008-2009) and Board Member of Clean Seas Association/TURMEPA (2011-2018).
Hamdi Akın is a founder of the Contemporary Turkey Studies Chair at the London School of Economics. He is also the Founding Member and Honorary President of the Turkey Human Resources Foundation (TİKAV), founded in 1999 to provide Turkey with well-trained human resources. He is also member of the Board of Trustess at Support and Education Foundation for Basketball and Board Member of Bodrum Promotion Foundation (BOTAV).
Additionally, Hamdi Akın serves as the Honorary Consul of Hungary, responsible for the provinces of Muğla and Denizli.
After graduating from the University of Surrey in the UK with a degree in Spanish Business Administration, Pelin Akın Özalp began her professional career at Deutsche Bank. Following her experience there, she worked at TAV Airports Holding and subsequently joined Akfen Holding as a Member of the Board of Directors.
She currently serves as a Board Member of Akfen Holding, Akfen Construction, Akfen Renewable Energy, Mersin International Port (MIP), Istanbul Sea Buses (İDO), and Travelex. She is also Vice Chair of the Board at Akfen REIT and Chair of the Board of Terminal Kadıköy, operating under Akfen Tourism. In addition, she plays an active role in the Turkish Human Resources Education and Health Foundation (TİKAV), established by the Akın family in 1999, and serves as the Chair of the National Committee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Türkiye. She is also Chair of the Advisory Board of the Contemporary Turkish Studies Programme at the London School of Economics. Alongside these roles, she is actively involved in various national and international business networks, entrepreneurship platforms, and women-focused organizations.
NGO Board Memberships
1. TİKAV (Turkish Human Resources Education and Health Foundation) (2012 – )
2. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Türkiye (2012 – )
3. DEİK (Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey) (2013 – )
4. DEİK UK Business Council (2013 – )
5. TÜSİAD (Turkish Industry and Business Association), Member (2013 – )
6. TAİDER (Family Business Association) (2014 -)
7. TİKAD (Turkey Business Women’s Association) (2016 – )
8. TURMEPA (Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association) (2018 – )
9. YKKD (Women on Boards Association Turkey) (2019 -)
10. TTYD (Tourism Investors Association of Turkey) (2019 -)
11. TÜSİAD, Substitute Board Member (2013 – 2015)
12. PODEM (Center for Public Policy and Democracy Studies) (2015 – 2019)
13. TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Advisory Board (2015 – 2019)
14. TÜRKONFED (Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation) (2015 – 2018)
15. DEİK Ireland Business Council (2018 – 2023)
16. DEİK Spain Business Council (2018 – 2023)
17. DEİK USA Business Council (TAİK) (2018 – 2023)
International Roles
1. Chair of the Advisory Board, Contemporary Turkish Studies Programme, London School of Economics (2010 -)
2. Chair, National Committee of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Türkiye (2012 -)
3. Member, American Turkish Society (ATS) (2021 -)
4. Member, Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) (2013 – 2020)
5. Member, World Economic Forum – Global Shapers (2015 – 2018)
6. Steering Committee Member, Inclusive Capitalism (2023 – 2025)
Selim Akın, graduated from Surrey University, Business Administration Department in the United Kingdom, and after coming back to Turkey Mr. Akın started his professional career in the Akfen Holding Accounting Department and later served in the Project Development and Finance Departments.
The main projects in which he participated are the privatization and financing of Vehicle Inspection Stations, the privatization and financing of Mersin Port and Akfen Holding’s public offering and bond issue. Besides his Chairman of the Board of Directors role at Akfen İnşaat ve Turizm A.Ş. and İstanbul Fast Ferries (İDO), Mr. Akın also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO at Akfen Holding and its various subsidiaries.
Mr. Akın is a member of TÜSİAD, Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD), Young Businessmen Association of Turkey (TÜGİAD) and Turkish Contractors Association (TMB) Supervisory Board. He has also been serving as DEİK representative since 2018.
In 2001, Mr. Durak graduated from Hacettepe University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and started his professional career as an Assistant Account Specialist at the Ministry of Finance in the same year. Between 2005 and 2008, Mr. Durak worked as an Account Specialist at the Ministry of Finance and Special Advisor to the Minister of Finance, and served as Group Manager at the Ankara Tax Office between 2008 and 2009. After completing his master’s degree in Finance at the University of Illinois between 2010-2011, he returned to Turkey and was appointed as Chief Tax Inspector in 2012. In June 2013, he joined Deloitte Turkey and worked as a certified public accountant with the titles of tax director and tax partner until August 2017. Gündoğan Durak is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) registered in Illinois, USA. He also holds CMA and CGMA certificates. He is a Certified Public Accountant, Independent Auditor, CMB Level 3, Derivatives and Corporate Governance licenses and is also a member of TÜSİAD Tax Working Group.
He currently serves as the Assistant General Manager in charge of Financial Affairs at Akfen Holding A.Ş.
Sıla Cılız İnanç, graduated from Marmara University, Faculty of Law in 1995, joined Akfen Holding in 1997 upon having carried out law internship in 1996.She took part in Public Private Partnership projects (PPP) in Turkey, mergers and acquisitions, worked in concern with infrastructure, construction, energy and competition law. She took an active role in secondary legislation of Public Tender Law. She worked at every stage of build-operate-transfer projects, transfer of rights/concession and all process of privatizations implementations including tenders and transfers in which Akfen and its subsidiaries participated, also dealt with establishment of financial structures, facility agreements and both share and bond issues laws and regulations. She conducted company and holding structure works. She is now Board of Directors Chief Legal Counsel of Akfen Holding A.Ş. and also Board Member of various Akfen Holding subsidiaries, Akfen Altyapı Danışmanlık A.Ş. and Akfen İnşaat Turizm ve Ticaret A.Ş.
Having graduated from Gazi University, Department of Economics and Finance in 1977, İrfan Erciyas started his professional career at Türkiye Vakıflar Bankası. After serving as Inspector and branch manager at Türkiye Vakıflar Bankası, he worked as Executive Vice President from 1996-2002 and as CEO from 2002-2003. In 2003, he joined Akfen Holding as Vice Chairman and played a key role in Vehicle Inspection Stations, privatization of Mersin International Port and İDO, establishment of Akfen REIT and Akfen Energy, the IPO of Akfen Holding and Akfen REIT, sales of subsidiaries’ shares and longterm finance. Since March 2010, İrfan Erciyas has served as Executive Director at Akfen Holding; in addition, he is the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Board Member at a number of Akfen Holding affiliates and subsidiaries.
Oğuz Satıcı was born in Istanbul in 1965. He started his education path at Reşitpaşa Elementary School, continued with Mahmutpaşa Junior High and Kabataş Erkek Lisesi ( Kabataş Boys’ School). He started his business life in his family business of Oguz Iplik Company at his early age. He attended to Washington International University and got his Business Administration degree while he was working at the same time. He established in 1991 the textile production and export company Tekfil Iplik Orme Sanayi ve Ticaret AS and Polaris Tekstil Sanayi Ticaret AS in 1994.
He was elected as the youngest Assembly Member of Istanbul Chamber of the Commerce (ITO) in 1990.
He was a board member of Economic Development Foundation between 1996 and 1998.
He was the Chairman of Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Export Association between 1999 and 2001.
He was a board member of the Coordination Committee for the Improvement of the Investment Environment of Turkey (YOİKK) in 2001-2008.
He was a board member of the Investment Advisory Council of Turkey (YDK) in 2004-2008.
He was the Chairman of Turkish Exporter Assembly (TIM) in between 2001 and 2008.
During his leadership period at the TIM, he traveled all around the world in order to increase the Turkish exports. Turkey Export figures has increased % 500 and reached 130 billion USD from only 26 billion USD during Satıcı leadership of Turkish Exporter Assembly.
Oguz Satıcı is known for his innovative and modern ideas and his success in teamwork, and respectfully recognized in exporters and business arena.
After graduating from Izmir American High School in 1990, Funda Çağlan Mursaloğlu graduated from Boğaziçi University, Department of Psychology in 1995 and then completed her MBA, Master’s Degree in International Finance at Yeditepe University.
Between 1996 and 2000, Funda Çağlan Mursaloğlu served at Demir Yatırım A.Ş. as International Sales Representative for Overseas Markets, Research Unit Analyst for Overseas Markets and Sales Representative for Domestic Markets.
In 2000, she joined TEB Investment as an assistant manager for 1 (one) year and took an active role in the public offering processes, among other duties.
Between 2001 and 2006, she was the manager at İş Yatırım Menkul Değerler A.Ş., where she was responsible for the international sales unit’s ability to market capital markets products, providing services to foreign brokerage houses and asset management companies in bond and futures trading, and developing digital marketing strategies for the Corporate Communications Department.
Between 2006 and 2019, Mrs Mursaloğlu worked as Assistant General Manager at İş Yatırım Menkul Değerler A.Ş., where she took part in and led a wide range of capital markets brokerage transactions, both in Turkey and abroad, providing the technical infrastructure for these transactions, planning and strategy development for investor relations, and corporate communication activities.
Funda Çağlan Mursaloğlu has also held senior positions and responsibilities in various non-governmental organisations (TAİK, DEİK, etc.).
Alphan Manas was born in İzmir in 1962. After graduating from İzmir Atatürk High School, he graduated from the Textile Engineering Department of Ege University in 1983. In 1987, he received his postgraduate diploma in Production Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), affiliated with the State University of New York (SUNY), and in 1994, he attended the OPM (Owner/President Management Program) at Harvard Business School.
In 1986, Manas worked as Production Manager at Tenba’s factory in New York, and in 1987, he worked as Country Manager of Colonial Corp., a subsidiary of Fortune 500 company Vicks Corp., which produced ready-to-wear apparel worldwide for major retail chains such as Sears, K-Mart and JC Penny.
In February 1988, Manas founded Exim, a company providing solutions in the field of AIDC (Automatic Identification & Data Collection; today known as the Internet of Things), and also served as the company’s General Manager for 10 years. In 2005, Exim became one of Turkey’s 39 fastest-growing technology companies over the previous five years according to Deloitte’s Fast 50 program, and in the same year ranked 185th among 500 international companies participating in the Fast 500 EMEA program.
After 1997, he became a founding partner of all companies under Teknoloji Holding. These companies included Planet, the Turkish distributor and regional solution partner of Ingenico, the world’s largest EFT-POS manufacturer; Universal Kart Hizmetleri, which provided third-party credit card/debit card/EFT-POS services; and Teknoser, a technical service company serving the IT sector. Through Teknoloji Holding, he established Eniac-Tech in Iran, Technology Ukraine in Ukraine and Technology Egypt in Egypt, and also took part in the acquisition of software company Veriset in Turkey. He actively served as Executive Board Member in the partnerships established by Teknoloji Holding. These included Mobicom, a pre-GPRS mobile data operator established in 1999 with Çukurova Holding, KVK and Genpa; CPG, established in 2000 in partnership with Ericsson to sell telephone switchboards and similar Ericsson solutions in Turkey and MENA countries; Pay, a mobile payment service provider established in 2001 with a 50-50 partnership with Telenity; Sayot, established in partnership with KVK and Teknoloji Holding to provide automatic meter reading and telemetry system services; and DigiKids, a children’s TV channel established in partnership with Turkcell and Teknoloji Holding.
As both a founding partner and Co-Chairman of the Board of Teknoloji Holding, he personally carried out the group’s business and market development activities for 18 years.
In 2006, he separated from Teknoloji Holding by taking seven companies within its structure and established Brightwell Holdings BV, headquartered in the Netherlands, through which he invested in 24 companies. Through Maya Enerji, which he established under Brightwell Holdings BV, he sold the company to Borusan Enerji within two years together with 555 MW installed capacity and licenses.
As a serial and innovative entrepreneur, he has made investments in dozens of sectors and managed numerous mergers and acquisitions processes.
Alphan Manas has also held memberships in many institutions, organizations and boards. In 1996, he became a member of the American Management Association, which provides seminars and management support to executives in the United States with 453 books; in 2004, he became Türkiye President of the World Future Society; and in 2005, he became Honorary Consul General of Cambodia in Istanbul. Having received the Cambodian State Medal in 2009, Manas left this position in 2021.
Between 2006 and 2007, he served on the Advisory Boards of TÜBİTAK-MAM’s Energy, Chemistry and Environment Institutes, and in 2007 on the Advisory Board of Boren (Boron Institute). In 2007, he became the Türkiye founder of the Millennium Project. The United Nations University Millennium Project is an advisory board composed of scientists, planning strategists and futurists working in international organizations, governments, institutions, NGOs and universities worldwide.
Between 2009 and 2016, he served as a member of the TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Board. He continues to give conferences at universities on “Entrepreneurship, Innovation and the Future.”
In 2010, Manas was appointed to the Advisory Board of Dokuz Eylül University Geothermal Institute, and in 2015 to the Advisory Board of Işık University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. In 2016, he was appointed as Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisor to the Turkish Exporters Assembly and Innovation Advisor to the Istanbul Apparel Exporters’ Association, serving in these positions for one year.
Alphan Manas has also undertaken various roles in many organizations within the scope of social responsibility activities. In 2004, he founded the Business Council for Sustainable Development Association and served as a Board Member. In 2005, Manas became the Founding President of the Turkish Futurists Association and has been serving as its Honorary President since 2008. In addition, he has served at various times as Board Member of the Institute of Ecolonomics, Göztepe Sports Club and the Istanbul Entrepreneurs Association.
In 2009, he became President of Mensa High IQ Society Türkiye and Founding President of the Mensa Association for Gifted and Talented Individuals. Within TÜSİAD, of which he is a member, he chaired the Futurism Thought Group, and between 2011 and 2014, he served as Board Member of the Aegean Industrialists and Business People Association.
In 2013, he became the founding president of Keiretsu Forum Istanbul, the Turkish branch of Keiretsu Forum, one of the world’s most widespread angel investor networks headquartered in San Francisco, and served as Chairman of the Board for two years. In 2022, he became the founding president of the Metaverse Union Association.
Manas, who holds dozens of patents involving high technology and innovation, serves as executive or non-executive Board Member in companies established in Türkiye and abroad.
