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The Meeting Point of the Tourism Ecosystem

TIF 2024, a B2B platform recognized as a key reference point for global tourism investments in Turkey, offering networking opportunities along with business and financial prospects. It will be held on November 26-27, 2024, in Istanbul, under the strategic partnership of the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with Questex.

TIF 2024 will bring together international investors, financial institutions, banks, funds, global hotel brands, international thought leaders in tourism, technology innovators, and real estate development firms to explore investment opportunities in Turkey.

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Speakers

Oylum Talu

Master of Cerenomy

Oya Narin

President
TTYD

Julia Simpson

President
WTTC

Zafer Ali Yavan

Founder & CEO
Zay Strategy

Dominique Exmann

Commercial Associate Director
Oxford Economics

Abdullah Yüksel

Hamdi Akın

Chairman
Akfen Holding

Thomas Emmanuel

Senior Director
STR

Diane Daudin Clavaud

Corporate Director of Global Business Development
Nobu Hotel

Saurabh Chawla

Vice President Transactions
Westmont Hospitality Group

 

Dariha Choudhry

Associate Partner
McKinsey

 

Kemel Kharbachi

Founder and Chairman
EOS-X SPACESHIP

Sahir Erozan

Founding Partner
Maça Kızı

 

 

Julia Kleber

Jonathan Crook

CEO
Peninsula

 

Ali Başman

Chairman of Board
Kavaklıdere Wines

 

Sahir Erozan

Seçil Yıldız

Executive Vice President
TKYB

Etkin Özen

Senior Financial Sector Specialist
The World Bank

Mehmet Erdem Yaşar

Deputy Head Turkiye, Corporates
EBRD

Kıvılcım Pınar Kocabıyık

President
Yuvam Dünya

 

Murat Karagözoğlu

Gines Martinez

Vice President
Alpitour World

 

Müberra Eresin

Hediye Güral Gür

Chairperson of the Board
NG Hotels

 

Ahmet Akbalık

Chairman
Özak Global

Sinan Temo

Amin Ismail

Managing Director
Certares

 

Tassos Kotzanastassis

David Rico

Director Hotels & Tourism
Caixa Bank

 

Ali Güreli

Enrique Ybarra

Founder & CEO
City Sightseeing

Sergio Guerreiro

Mehmet T. Nane

Chairperson
Pegasus Airlines

Franck Mereyde

CEC & EBD
TAV Airports

 

Dave Dorner

Joe Stather

Vice President Market Leader – Operational Real Estate
Questex

Jean-Baptiste Recher

Regional Vice President Development Luxury Brands MEAT
Accor Hotels

 

David Kelly

Senior Vice President Continental Europe
Hilton Worldwide

 

Jerome Briet

Chief Development Officer, EMEA
Marriott International

 

Maribel Rodriguez

 

Alessandra Priante

Dr. Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu

Ali Güreli

Founder & President
Contemporary Istanbul Foundation

 

Enrique Ybarra

Founder & CEO
City Sightseeing

 

Dimitris Manikis

Vice President Market Leader – Operational Real Estate
Questex

Willemijn Geels

VP Development
IHG

Simon Allison

President
Hoftel

 

Javier Arus

Managing Partner
Azora

 

Amir Golbarg

Senior Vice President MEA&India
MINOR Hotels

 

Jose Canals

Chief Operating Officer
Barcelo Hotel Group

 

Fatih Tokatlı

Deputy General Manager
Indigo Group

Bilge Turcan

Tom Dixon

Architect
Tom Dixon Design

 

Ahmet Haldun Kilit

Chairman of the Board
Interior Architect

 

Andrew Linwood

Head of Hospitality & Business Development
Areen Design

 

Banu Küçükel

Dr. Mehmet Altuğ

Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Lokman Hekim University

 

Prof. Dr. Orhan Gazi Yiğitbaşı

Medical Director
Medipol University Hospital

 

Kike Sarasola

President & Founder
Room Mate Group

 

Ömer Erdoğan

Haluk Özdoğan

Founder & President
Access Hospitality

 

Begüm Kaya

Senior Development Director
Marriott

 

Mine Sakmar

Managing Partner
Sakmar Law Office

 

Ussal Şahbaz

Managing Partner
Ussal Consultancy

 

Engin Yaşar

Vice President of Eastern Europe, Public Sector
Mastercard

Haluk Özdoğan

Founder & President
Access Hospitality

 

Begüm Kaya

Senior Development Director
Marriott

 

Mine Sakmar

Managing Partner
Sakmar Law Office

 

Ussal Şahbaz

Managing Partner
Ussal Consultancy

 

Engin Yaşar

Vice President of Eastern Europe, Public Sector
Mastercard

Program

November 26, 2024
First Day

08.00-08.55

Registration & Networking

09:10- 09:25

Opening Remarks

Oya Narin, President | TTYD

09:30-10:30

Welcoming Remarks

Kaan Gür
Board Member and General Manager
Akbank

Ahmet Bolat
Chairman of the Board
THY

İbrahim Ömer Gönül
Chairman
Capital Markets Board of Türkiye

Ahmet Burak Dağlıoğlu
President
Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye

10:35– 10:50

Future Strategies for Travel and Tourism

Julia Simpson
President
WTTC

10:55-11:25

Economy and Future of Tourism and Travel

Moderator: Zafer Ali Yavan
Founder & CEO
Zay Strategy

Dominique Exmann
Commercial Associate Director
Oxford Economics

Abdullah Yüksel
Vice President
Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK)

11:30-11:40

Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Tourism through Privatization

Bekir Emre Haykır
President
Privatization Administration of Turkiye

11:45-12:00

Turkey’s Booming Tourism – How to Take Your Space?

Hamdi Akın
Chairman
Akfen Holding

12:00-12:30

Lunch

12:35-12:50

Presentation: Hospitality Outlook 2024

Thomas Emmanuel
Senior Director

STR

12:55-13:35

Investor Priorities: Key Drivers in Tourism Investment

Diane Daudin Clavaud
Corporate Director of Global Business Development
Nobu Hotel


Eryiğit Umur
Chairman of Board & CEO
Doğuş Hospitality & Retail Group

Saurabh Chawla
Vice President Transactions
Westmont Hospitality Group

13:40-13:55

State Of Travel & Tourism

Dariha Choudhry
Associate Partner
McKinsey

14:00-14:10

Keynote Speaker

Kemel Kharbachi
Founder and Chairman
EOS-X SPACESHIP

14:15-14:55

Luxury, Brands & Lifestyle: Transformation, Trends and Market Share

Moderator: Sahir Erozan
Founding Partner

Maça Kızı

Angelica Corsini
Director Head of Business Development
Arsenale Group

Julia Kleber
CEO
Kleber Group, Red Carpet Club

Jonathan Crook
CEO
Peninsula 

Cevza Basman
Member of Board

Kavaklıdere Wines

15:00-15:40

Climate Resilience for Tourism: Finance Trends & Strategies

Moderator: Seçil Yıldız
Executive Vice President
TKYB

Etkin Özen
Senior Financial Sector Specialist
The World Bank

Mehmet Erdem Yaşar
Deputy Head Turkiye, Corporates
EBRD

Ahmet Can Yakar
Project Finance Managing Director
ICBC 

B. Serkan Duruduygu
Head of Investment Banking – Project Finance & Sustainable Finance
Akbank

15:45-16:25

From Source to Destination: Ensuring Sustainability in Tourism

Moderator: Kıvılcım Pınar Kocabıyık
President
Yuvam Dünya

Almila Kından Cebbari
CEO
The Turkish Environmental Education Foundation (TÜRÇEV)

Tuncay Özses
Manager
Setur Marinas Kaş 

Alp Aksoy
Vice President
Diversey

Özgür Uzunoğlu
CFO
Akfen Energy

16:30-17:10

From Local to Global: Prospects for Turkish Tourism Brands

Moderator: Naci Başerdem
CEO
The Marmara Hotels

Hediye Güral Gür
Chairperson of the Board
NG Hotels

17:15-17:55

Financing Hospitality Investments: Thinking out of the Box

Moderator: Sinan Temo
CEO

Bilgili Holding

Amin Ismail
Managing Director
Certares

Tassos Kotzanastassis
CFA
8G Capital Partners

David Rico
Director Hotels & Tourism
Caixa Bank

Çağlar Yüncüler
Economic Research and Market Strategies Vice President
Akbank

18:00-18:40

Hotel Real Estate: Navigating Trends, Opportunities, Strategies and Challenges

Moderator: Ferzan Celikkanat, General Manager | ER Yatirim

Neşecan Çekici
Chair Person of the Board

GYODER

Bruno Hallé Boix
Partner, Co-Head of Hospitality Spain
Cushman & Wakefield

Onur Kurç
Vice President of Development Türkiye
Accor

Ece Demirpence
General Manager
Akfen GYO 

18:40-21:00

Istanbulian Street Food Festival

November 27, 2024
Second Day

08:00-08:55

Registration & Networking

09:00-09:10

Recap & Key insights, setting the Stage

09:15-09:55

Destination Marketing and Product Development Powering Investments

Moderator: Maribel Rodriguez

Alessandra Priante
President (SpA)
ENIT

Dr. Elif Balcı Fisunoğlu
Vice General Manager

TGA

Cemil Hakan Kılıç
General Manager
ICVB

Enrique Ybarra
Founder & CEO

City Sightseeing

10:00-10:15

New Tourism Ecosystems

10:20-11:00

Culture, Art & Entertainment: Turkish Perspective and How to Make Best Use

Moderator: Ali Güreli
Founder & President
Contemporary Istanbul Foundation

11:05-11:45

Trends Shaping Future Developments in the Hospitality Industry

Moderator: Joe Stather
Vice President Market Leader – Operational Real Estate
Questex

Jean-Baptiste Recher
Regional Vice President Development Luxury Brands MEAT
Accor Hotels

David Kelly
Senior Vice President Continental Europe

Hilton Worldwide

Jerome Briet
Chief Development Officer, EMEA
Marriott International

11:50-12:30

Money Talks: Where do International Investors Look for Return?

Moderator: Simon Allison
President
Hoftel

Javier Arus
Managing Partner
Azora

Amir Golbarg
Senior Vice President MEA&India
MINOR Hotels

Tatiana Veller
Managing Director
Stirling Hospitality Advisors

12:35-13:05

Trends Shaping Future Developments in the Hospitality Industry

Moderator: Joe Stather
Vice President Market Leader – Operational Real Estate
Questex

Dimitris Manikis
President EMEA
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Willemijn Geels
VP Development
IHG

13:05-13:45

Lunch

13:50-14:30

Mature Markets, Emerging Travel Trends

Mehmet T. Nane
Chairperson
Pegasus Airlines

Franck Mereyde
CEC & EBD
TAV Airports

Dave Dorner
CEO
Celebi Group

Yıldıray Karaer
Chairman of Board
Corendon Group

14:35-15:15

Design Process: Path to Project Success

Moderator: Fatih Tokatlı
Deputy General Manager

Indigo Group

Tom Dixon
Architect
Tom Dixon Design

Ahmet Haldun Kilit
Chairman of the Board

Interior Architect

Andrew Linwood
Head of Hospitality & Business Development

Areen Design

15:20-16:00

Harnessing the Potential of Health Tourism: Investing in Wellness, Medical, Therapeutic Travel

Moderator: Banu Küçükel
President
Guven Health Group

Dr. Mehmet Altuğ
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Lokman Hekim University

Prof. Dr. Orhan Gazi Yiğitbaşı, Medical Director
Medipol University Hospital

Reşat Bahat
President
The Private Hospitals and Healthcare Institutions Association

Ömer Tosun
Chairman
INDIGO Group

16:00-16:20

Coffee Break

16:25-17:05

Brands, Hospitality Management and Contracts: Evolving Solutions

Moderator: Ömer Erdoğan
Partner
Gen Temizer Law

Bilge Turcan
Partner

Petra Hospitality Management

Haluk Özdoğan
Founder & President
Access Hospitality

Begüm Kaya
Senior Development Director
Marriott

Mine Sakmar
Managing Partner
Sakmar Law Office

17:10-17:50

Digital & Tourism: Mastering Travel &Tourism Data

Moderator: Ussal Şahbaz
Managing Partner
Ussal Consultancy


Engin Yaşar
Vice President of Eastern Europe, Public Sector
Mastercard

Selen Özkan
Head of CPG
UBER

17:55-18:15

Closing Remarks

Gallery

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Contact Us

Adress

Nispetiye Cad. Aydın Sok. Aydın İş Merkezi K:2 D:6, Levent, Beşiktaş, İstanbul

Phone

(0212) 347 21 35

Mail

tif@tif.com.tr

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A.Burak Dağlıoğlu, President of the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye 

Burak Dağlıoğlu is President of the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye,  a position he took up in February 2020. Prior to his appointment as President of the Investment  Office, Mr. Dağlıoğlu held a number of posts within the Office; from 2010 to 2015, he worked as  Project Director in charge of investment projects from the Gulf Countries, India, Japan, and USA.  From 2015 to 2020, Mr. Dağlıoğlu served as the Vice President of the Investment Office in charge  of overseas promotion and lead generation activities. In November 2020, he was appointed  Member of the Board of Türkiye Wealth Funds. 

Earlier in his career, Mr. Dağlıoğlu worked in the private sector in consulting industry at various  positions. Mr. Dağlıoğlu holds a BA in Economics from Boğaziçi University and MA degree in  “Global Master in Finance” from IE Business School.

Julia Simpson

President
WTTC

Julia Simpson is President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council.  She spent 14 years in the aviation sector on the Board of British Airways and Iberia and as Chief of Staff at International Airlines Group. Before joining British Airways, Julia was senior adviser to the UK Prime Minister. She has held a number of key positions in the UK government and public sector, including Director at the Home Office and Department for Education and Employment; Assistant Chief Executive at the London Borough of Camden; and head of communications at the Communication Workers Union. Julia is currently on the Board of the London Chamber of Commerce. Julia believes in the power of travel to transform lives, grow economies, and protect the planet and its people.

Zafer Ali Yavan

Founder & CEO
Zay Strategy

Expertise: Policy Simulation, Political Risk Analysis, Government Relations, Crises  Management, Civil Society, European Affairs, Macro-econometrics. 

Zafer A. Yavan, before having founded ZAY Strateji Public Affairs Consultancy in 2017,  served as the secretary general and the board member of TÜSİAD, and as the Capital  (Ankara) representative of TÜSİAD in 2009-2016 and 2000-2008 respectively. Before, he has  served in the State Planning Organization, Prime Ministry of Turkey, as an economist,  department head and director for 14 years in various parts of the institution. 

Both at TÜSİAD and in government he took major responsibilities at various junctures of  Turkey’s economic and political development; among those, 1989 financial sector  liberalization, 1994 Financial Crises, 1999-2000 and 2001 macro adjustment programs, 2001  and 2004 EU-TR membership negotiations, 2007 Turkey’s Constitutional Reform and  numerous negotiations throughout 2000’s between the government and the business  organizations. 

Yavan, throughout his career, developed strengths in transforming his mathematical,  statistical and econometric infrastructure into the political and economic risk analysis. Yavan has extensive experience and expertise on negotiation and crisis management. Yavan, also  taught Forecasting and Open Economy Macroeconomics at METU and Ankara University  respectively for some 10 years. 

Yavan is the author of various academic studies on macroeconomics, econometrics, time series forecasting and social policy fields. 

Yavan studied, economics, statistics, operational research and received bachelor’s degree  from Middle East Technical University (METU) Ankara, Master of Science degree from  Salford University, Manchester UK and completed various macro modelling certificate  programs at UPENN, USA.

Dominique Exmann

Commercial Associate Director
Oxford Economics

Dominique Exmann is an expert in travel, tourism, and technology, with over 20 years of experience driving growth and innovation in global markets. She leads the commercial focus for Oxford Economics’ work in tourism forecasting and economic impact analysis as Commercial Director, Tourism Economics MENA. The team forecasts global leisure and business tourism flows for 185 countries and over 300 cities, based on economic drivers and in reaction to major geopolitical events as well as the positive impacts of major sporting or business events. Recent reports and custom analysis has focussed on the importance of tourism growth in recovery and the evolution of tourism demand within wider economic activity.

Abdullah Yüksel

Mr. YÜKSEL was born in Seydişehir in 1981. After graduating from Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering in 2005, he started working as an engineer at the General Directorate of Construction Works.

He started working as an Assistant Expert at the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2006 and received the title of TURKSTAT Expert in 2009. He has participated in various seminars, workshops and training programs in the field of official statistics at home and abroad. YUKSEL, who speaks fluent English, is married and has two children.

Abdullah YÜKSEL, who served as Head of Producer Prices Group between 2015-2017 and Head of Short-Term Business Statistics Department between 2018-2021. He has been serving as the Vice President of the Turkish Statistical Institute since August 5, 2021.

Hamdi Akın

Chairman
Akfen Holding

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.), adn Member of the Board MIP (Mersin International Port). 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), 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 Vice Chairman of the Board of Fenerbahçe Sports Club and the Honorary Consul of Hungary, responsible for the provinces of Muğla and Denizli.

Thomas Emmanuel

Senior Director
STR

Thomas Emanuel is a Senior Director at STR, a CoStar Group Company. He is based in London, and leads a team focused on driving business with Industry Partners.

He has spent his entire career in the hotel industry, beginning in 2000 with Miki Travel, before joining Hyatt Hotel & Resorts, where he gained experience in corporate sales at both the worldwide sales office and at property level. Thomas then led the corporate sales function for Hazlitt’s Hotels, a group of independent boutique hotels in London.

In 2006, Thomas joined the Deloitte HotelBenchmark team, where he was responsible for creating and leading the department’s business development function. He held this role until the formation of STR in March 2008, and has since focused on overseeing STR’s rapid expansion outside North America. Throughout his time with STR, Thomas has gained a wealth of experience working with hotels, investors, developers, consultants, banks, governments, destination management companies and many others.

Thomas has been a guest lecturer at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, and been invited and participated in the OECD’s high level meetings on tourism policies.

Travelling extensively, Thomas has worked in over 45 countries across 6 continents and regularly speaks at major hospitality conferences around the world. He is also frequently interviewed for his insights on the hotel industry by news outlets including CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, as well as various tourism and hospitality publications.

Diane Daudin Clavaud

Corporate Director of Global Business Development
Nobu Hotel

Diane’s rich professional background traverses diverse industries, encompassing Luxury & Hospitality, Arts, Media & Entertainment, and Corporate Social Responsibility. 

She has collaborated with startups, SMEs, governmental cabinets, family offices, consulting firms, and esteemed international companies like Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and Nobu Hospitality.

Notably, her journey in the hospitality sector began with her role as Director of Communications and Marketing at these renowned establishments. Little did she anticipate that these initial steps would pave the way for her eventual ascent into hospitality management two decades later!

Since 2021, Diane has rejoined Nobu Hospitality as their Corporate Director of Global Business Development, a role that sees her operating on a worldwide scale. Nobu Hospitality, a premier approachable luxury lifestyle brand owned by Robert De Niro and Chef Nobu, boasts a presence on six continents, with over 50 restaurants, 43 hotels, and 13 branded residences globally.

Saurabh Chawla

Vice President Transactions
Westmont Hospitality Group

 

Saurabh has recently joined Westmont to manage the full spectrum of hotel real estate transaction, from sourcing off-market and distress deals, to closing all transactions.

Prior to joining Westmont, Saurabh was the C.E.O for Selina’s Real Estate entity (NASDAQ: SLNA), responsible for creating distinguished value in the Real Estate value chain. From sourcing distressed, underperforming assets, converting them to the Selina product in an efficient and cost-effective way, and asset managing the asset throughout its life cycle.

He joined Selina after his tenure at Groupe du Louvre (a Jin Jiang subsidiary) where he was the Chief Development Officer, overseeing the group’s ambitious development and M&A strategy globally. During his role at Groupe du Louvre, Saurabh led numerous acquisitions, mergers, strategic partnerships, and thus was able to derive significant growth (and EBITDA) each year for the group.

Saurabh was also a partner with HVS’s London office, where he asset-managed and advised numerous owners/funds on maximizing their investments in hotels.

Saurabh brings with him over 18 years of extensive hospitality investment experience.

Sahir Erozan

Founding Partner
Maça Kızı

 

 

Sahir Erozan is the founding partner of Macakizi Hotel located in Bodrum, Turkey. He  has been in the hospitality business in the United States and Turkey since 1983. Also, he  established Villa Macakizi during the summer of 2018. 

Starting his education in Istanbul, Mr. Erozan majored in mathematical engineering  and international business, while continuing his studies in Washington, D.C, he began  his first business in the heart of Georgetown, Café Med. Later in the 1980s, Mr. Erozan  opened Cities Restaurant in Adams Morgan neighborhood of D.C. 

Living in the United States’ capital city for close to thirty years, Mr. Erozan was naturally  drawn to politics. He has worked at five presidential campaigns as well as numerous  congressional races. 

Sahir Erozan was a Board Member of the American-Turkish Council for over 20 years.  He was also instrumental in raising more than five hundred thousand dollars in private  contributions for the victims of the 1999 earthquake in Turkey. 

He served on the Host Committee for NATO’s 50th Anniversary celebration held in  Washington, D.C. He was on the civilian advisory committee for the Prague NATO  Summit. Mr. Erozan has hosted numerous presidential, congressional and other  dignitaries throughout the years during their visits to Turkey in addition to hosting  Turkish delegation including Prime Ministers and Parliamentarians, while he was in  Washington. 

Recently, Mr. Erozan has focused his energy and time in the broad promotion of Turkish  tourism. To that end, he has hosted events in Washington, New York, London and Paris  as well as three large events during Venice Biennale for Art and Architecture and Art  Basel Miami. This year, started a festival in Bodrum -MedBodrum- hoping to make an  international date for the early summer in Bodrum.