Board Of Directors

Mr. Ahmet Bal was born in Tokat in 1957. In 1981, he graduated from the Department of Economics and Finance of the Faculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University and entered the Board of Accountants of the Ministry of Finance. He received the title of Chief Accountant and Certified Public Accountant in 1991. Mr. Bal received his MBA degree in Business Administration from Nottingham University in England in 1992. He started to work as an Assistant Financial Affairs Coordinator in Anadolu Endüstri Holding in 1994. He carried his duties as Finance Director in Efes Sinai Yatırım Ticaret A.Ş. in which he was responsible from the International Coca-Cola business operations of Anadolu Group between 1995 and 1998 and as General Manager between 1998-1999. He served as the Financial Affairs Coordinator for the Automotive, Finance and Stationery companies in Anadolu Endüstri Holding's Financial Affairs Department between 1999-2006. He worked as the Audit Coordinator responsible for all Group companies Anadolu Endüstri Holding between 2006-2012. From 2013 to 2018, he served as the Audit President responsible for the audit of all Anadolu Group companies. Mr. Ahmet Bal is married and has two children.

Mr. Ahmet BAL contributes to the Board through his significant expertise in fast moving consumer goods, supply chain management, Consumer retail and Finance, financial affairs, audit and tax, risk management and regulatory affairs, as well as his experience in corporate governance.

Mr. Ali Ülker was born in 1969 and educated in the Business Administration Department of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Boğaziçi University, Istanbul. He has also attended various programs at IMD and Harvard. He worked in the Internal Kaizen Projects at De Boccard & Yorke Consultancy (1992) and on IESC Sales System Development and Internal Organization Projects (1997).

Mr Ülker joined the group in 1985 as an intern in the Quality Control Department of Ülker Gıda. From 1986 to 1998 he worked at chocolate production facilities and at Atlas Gıda Pazarlama in positions including Sales Manager, Sales Coordinator, Product Group Coordinator, and Product Group Director. In 1998 Mr Ülker became General Director of Atlas Gıda Pazarlama, and in 2001 became the General Director of Merkez Gıda Pazarlama.

In 2002, he rose to Vice Chairman of the Food Group and in 2005 Chairman of the Group. After worked as Vice Chairman of the Yıldız Holding Board of Directors for nine years, as of January 29, 2020 Mr. Ali Ülker became the Chair of Yıldız Holding.

Mr. Ali Ülker is married with three children. He enjoys fishing, cinema and literature, as well as playing basketball and billiards.

Mr. Murat Ülker began his professional career in 1982 after graduating from Boğaziçi University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Business Administration. Fluent in English and German, Mr. Murat Ülker is married with three children. In addition to sailing, he enjoys traveling with his family.

Mr. Mehmet Tütüncü graduated from Gazi University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and received his master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Maltepe University.

He started his career as an engineer in the Ministry of National Education's Construction Department in 1981, then worked as a Domestic Industry Specialist at the Ministry of Industry and Trade between 1983-1987. Since 1987, he has worked as the General Manager of Best Rothmans Cigarette and Tobacco Industry Inc.

In 1996, Mr. Mehmet Tütüncü joined Ülker Gıda A.Ş. and served as a business coordinator until 1998. Following, he worked as General Manager of Ülker Bisküvi and Ülker Çikolata factories, Vice President of the Ülker Group, Food and Beverages Group President and Ülker International Group President. In 2017, he continued his duties by taking the responsibility of Global Information Systems & Business Transformation. In October 2018, he was appointed as Vice Chairman and CEO of Yıldız Holding. Mr. Tütüncü is also the President of Yıldız Holding Information Security Board. Additionally, he serves as a Board Member and Chairman of the Board at several companies.

He is a member of the TÜGİS Board of Directors, and is a member of TÜSİAD and many other Turkish and foreign sectoral organizations. He is also the member of the Liaison Committee of FoodDrinkEurope.

He has attended several training courses in many different areas throughout his professional career. In 1987, he took a training course in Business Management for 6 months in Italy on an IRI Scholarship. He attended Boğaziçi University Business Administration Training Program and received training on Marketing Techniques, International Marketing, Factory Organization and Management. He has attended a training course in Strategic Marketing at Harvard Business School and IMD Switzerland. Also, he completed the Insead program in Singapore.

Mr. Mete Buyurgan has over 25 years of experience in FMCG industries. He started his career as Management Trainee in Marketing in Baser - Colgate Palmolive. Between 1993-2005, he held various management roles as brand/category of Marketing Manager, National Sales Manager and Sales/Marketing Director. In 2005, he had joined to Hobby Cosmetics as a general manager who lead the restructuring of the company including end to end supply chain, Sales & Marketing transformation, Human resources process and implementing new ERP(SAP) system while building a brand-new manufacturing plant. In 2009, he completed the acquisition process of the company to Dabur India. After that, he got further responsibilities as CEO/Board member in Dabur International,Turkey until 2013 June. Mr. Mete Buyurgan, joined Yıldız Holding in 2013 June as Vice President and played an important role in terms of transforming Gum & Candy business, culinary business and some JV Companies of Yıldız Holding. In 2015, he assigned to Chocolate Category President and he is still leading pladis Turkey, Central Asia and Romania as the Managing Director since 2016 June. Mr. Mete Buyurgan holds bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and completed his master’s degree in human resources management & Development. He joined various management programs including Sales Management program in New York University.Mete is married with two children and enjoys exploring new places and cultures, travelling and he loves basketball and football games.

Mr. İbrahim Taşkın was born on April 15th 1965 in Trabzon. He went to primary school in Artvin and high school in Istanbul. He graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1986. He served his military service as a disciplinary officer at military disciplinary court in Şanlıurfa in 1988.

He is a member of Istanbul Bar as a self-employed lawyer since 1989.

Beginning from 1990 for four years he lectured constitutional law, criminal law, criminal procedure law and police profession code at Florya Police Academy in Istanbul. In between 1996-2004 he was involved in political activities with various assignments in addition to his career as a free-lance lawyer. He has been in charge of Legal Affairs of Yıldız Holding since 2004. Currently he is President of Global Legal Affairs at Yıldız Holding. He is also member of board of directors of many companies and member of board as a founder and/or director at various association and foundations. Besides his responsibilities at Yıldız Holding Group he is President of Discipline Committee, Food Safety and Defense Board and Global Legal Affairs at Yıldız Holding. He is married and father of four children. He speaks English.

Ms. Füsun Kuran, who started her career as an auditor at Arthur Andersen, became the General Manager of Stefanel in 2001, where she continued her career as the General Manager. In 2005, she was deemed worthy of the “Youngest Successful General Manager” award by Capital Magazine. Ms. Füsun Kuran became the General Manager of Brooks Brothers in 2013, served as the CEO of RMK Classic, where Brooks Brothers and Edwards brands are located, until January 2019. Kuran, who served as the President of the Registered Trademarks Association (TMD) for two terms in 2010-2012 and 2014-2016, Experienced businesswoman Ms. Füsun Kuran became the CEO of Make-A-Wish Turkey, an international organization for children struggling with life-threatening diseases. Currently serving as the CEO and Board Member of TUTUMLUDUKKAN.COM which is Turkey's marketplace for second-hand children's and women's products. Since May’22, Ms.Kuran is serving as the independent board member of Ülker Bisküvi

Ms. Füsun KURAN contributes to the Board through her significant expertise in fast moving consumer goods, supply chain management, Consumer retail and Finance, financial affairs, audit and tax , risk management and regulatory affairs, as well as her experience in corporate governance.

Graduated from Izmir Bornova Anadolu High School in 1983. Graduated from the faculty of Administrative Sciences at Bogazici University in 1988 with a degree in Public Administration. After completing the Management Trainee programme at Emlak Bank in 1989, worked in the department of investment credit evaluation. Later, assumed the position of Financing Assistant Manager at Vakıf Financial Leasing Inc. and carried out her mission for the next 3 years. Since 1995 she is working at ARGE Consulting and currently she is carrying out her mission as a managing partner in ARGE Consulting and is taking part in various projects. Under the roof of ARGE, she has conducted management consulting projects for more than 100 different organizations in different sectors in the areas of strategic evaluation, performance enhancement, institutionalization, corporate organization & HR. She is actively providing long term consulting services for leading companies of the retail and food sectors in international retail, production, international sales and marketing. Her services for these companies are focused on areas such as governance, strategy, organization and performance management. She has experiences in Human Resources Management, Organizational Structure & Operations, Institutionalization, Corporate Governance, Total Quality Management areas. She has been Management Board - Vice President at Argüden Governance Academy, Management Board - Vice President at Özel Sektör Gönüllüleri Derneği (Private Sector Volunteers Association), Collaboration Committee Member qt Yönetim Kurulunda Kadın Derneği (Women In Management Boards association) , Social Gender Equality Workgroup Member at Tüsiad (Turkısh Busıness Person Association), Workgroup Member at Wep’s (Women Empowerment Principles – Un Women). She has been selected for the First Class Of “More Women In Management Boards” Programme wıth 40 other women managers and has completed the training that aims to prepare the participants for taking active role in management boards as Independent Members. She has made intellectual contributions to the following: Kurumsal Yönetişim Modeli (Corporate Governance Model) – Arge Publications 2007 , Gönüllü Kuruluşların Yönetimi (Management Of Volunteering Organizations) – Arge Publications 2006 , Değişim Yönetimi (Management Of Change) – Arge Publications 2004.

Ms. Pınar ILGAZ contributes to the Board through her significant expertise in fast moving consumer goods, supply chain management, Consumer retail and Finance, financial affairs, audit and tax, risk management and regulatory affairs, as well as her experience in corporate governance.