Ahmet Burak Dağlıoğlu
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
Vice President
Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK)
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 Emanuel
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 Hotel Benchmark 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.
Eryiğit Umur
Chairman of Board & CEO
Doğuş Hospitality & Retail Group
Mr. Eryigit Umur is the CEO of Doğuş Food & Beverage, Hospitality and Retail Group.The Group he directs operates in over 23 countries with more than 300 locations and employs over 9,000 people.
The Group is involved with leading brands in the restaurant sector (including Zuma, Coya, Nusret, and Günaydın), hotels (such as D-Maris, Peninsula Istanbul, Grand Hyatt Istanbul, and Aldrovandi Roma), and retail (representing exclusive brands in Turkey including Loro Piana, Under Armour, Kiko Milano, Hublot, and Tag Heuer).
Mr. Eryigit Umur has served as the Head of the Investment Department at Doğuş Group for over 10 years before being appointed to his current role at Doğuş Food & Beverage, Hospitality and Retail Group, where he has been serving since 2018.
In the early years of his career, he worked as a management consultant in the UK, and in various European countries, and Turkey.
Eryigit Umur holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Turkey and an MBA from Boğaziçi University, Turkey.
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.
Dariha Choudhry
Associate Partner
McKinsey
Dariha Choudhry is an associate partner at McKinsey and Company, with a core focus on real estate and tourism investments. She works closely with tourism destinations, mega developers, hospitality groups, and others to unlock partnerships and investments.
Sahir Erozan
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.
Angelica Corsini
Director Head of Business Development
Arsenale Group
Angelica is currently responsible for Arsenale Group’s business development activities, both for the hotels & resorts real estate division projects, including new asset acquisitions, investments, and operator selection, as well as the the Group’s international luxury train cruising division.
With a strong background in the commercial real estate sector, particularly in the hospitality asset class, Angelica spent five years working in the Capital Markets team at CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate firm. Initially based in Milan and later in their European headquarters in London, she specialized in the disposal strategy and execution of large-ticket single-asset deals, pan-European portfolios, and platform transactions across Continental Europe.
Her career began on the operational side of the hospitality industry, where she primarily focused on commercial activities. Angelica has collaborated with luxury hotels in Italy and also worked at a corporate level with The Leading Hotels of the World, one of the largest and most important collections of luxury hotels worldwide.
Angelica holds a BBA (Hons) degree in International Hospitality Management from Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland.
In addition to her business responsibilities, Angelica is an active contributor to market studies and a frequent speaker at industry conferences on real estate investments and the hospitality sector. She brings a wealth of experience in both operational and corporate roles, making her adept at navigating the complexities of high-end hospitality and real estate projects.
Julia Kleber
CEO
Kleber Group
Julia Kleber is the CEO of KLEBER GROUP, a company with over 30 years of expertise in communication and marketing in the tourism sector. She has led the company into the future of travel by embracing sustainability, luxury, and AI-driven innovation. Under her leadership, KLEBER GROUP has expanded into Switzerland and Spain, introduced advanced digital marketing and customer experience services, and launched several pioneering initiatives. These include Journeyable, an inclusive tourism concept; AKUA, a project focused on sustainable water solutions; and the RED KARPET KLUB, a luxury offering tailored to high-end travelers. Julia’s forward-thinking vision ensures KLEBER GROUP remains at the cutting edge of modern tourism.
Jonathan Crook
Managing Director
The Peninsula Istanbul
Jonathan H. Crook has been Managing Director of The
Peninsula Istanbul since January 2022. His commitment to The Peninsula Hotels, however, spans more than two decades. Prior to his appointment at The Peninsula Istanbul, Mr. Crook held key executive positions at other Peninsula locations in both Asia and North America. Most recently, he served for ten years as General Manager of The Peninsula New York; he also held posts as General Manager at The Peninsula Manila, Hotel Manager of The Peninsula Tokyo, Resident Manager of The Peninsula Beijing, and Director
of Food and Beverage at The Peninsula Chicago.
Before joining The Peninsula Hotels, Mr. Crook spent several years working in managerial roles at renowned luxury properties— including The Dorchester in London, and The Sonnenalp Resort in Vail, Colorado.
Born and raised in the U.K., Mr. Crook spent his formative years in Portugal, Zambia, Montserrat,
and Egypt before receiving a Higher National Diploma in Hotel & Institutional Management from Gloucestershire University
in Cheltenham, U.K. During his career in the hotel industry, he completed the Executive Development Program at the Kellogg School of Management through The University of Science and Technology in Hong Kong. He also completed an Executive Management program at Harvard Business School.
Cevza Başman
Member of Board
Kavaklıdere Wines
Born in 1990. Studied in Ankara in a French shcool Charles de Gaulles, then Paris for University and studied Economics&Management and a master degree of Marketing.
She worked in different French companies in Marketing department, such as Peugeot&Citroen and Sephora. After her experience in several industry she came back to Turkey and joined the family business.
Since 2013, she is dealing with Marketing & Sales in the company as a 4th generation.
Kavaklidere Wines is the oldest wine producer in Turkey and represent almost 100 years of heritage.
The mission of Kavaklidere Wines is to introduce the Anatolian grapes and terroir to the world and become a worldwine player in wine business.
The new generation represents the passion of women in wine Business in Turkey.
Starting from the vineyards, then wine making, selling and management, the women touch increases day after day in Turkey and women started to play an important part in Turkish wine world.
Seçil Yıldız
Executive Vice President
TKYB
After graduating from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Business Administration, Yıldız has held various senior positions in Corporate Finance and Financial Analysis at the Industrial Development Bank of Turkey, served as Deputy Manager of Corporate Finance at Oyak Securities, and Senior Credit Analyst at Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank AG. Additionally, Yıldız has led Capital Markets Advisory at UniCredit Securities as Director and managed the Structured Finance Group at ING Bank. Since March 2019, Yıldız has been the Executive Vice President responsible for Investment Banking, Project Evaluation, Sustainability, Environmental and Social Impact Management, and Corporate Communication at the Development and Investment Bank of Turkey.
Yıldız also chairs the Board of Directors at Kalkınma Yatırım Varlık Kiralama A.Ş. and serves as a Board Member at Kalkınma Girişim Sermaye Portföy Yönetim A.Ş. Furthermore, Yıldız is an active Board Member of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Turkey (SKD Türkiye) and serves as Vice Chairman of the Advisory Board on Impact Investment (EYDK). Yıldız is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Operating Principles for Impact Management (OPIM).
Ahmet Can Yakar
Project Finance Managing Director
ICBC
“Mr. Ahmet Can Yakar has commenced his banking career at Denizbank Corporate Banking Division, and then developed his expertise in the field of project finance at Denizbank. Continuously, he worked for UniCredit and Ciner Group. Currently he leads ICBC Turkey Investment Banking Project Finance Department as Managing Director. He is responsible for project finance, acquisition finance and structured finance transactions mainly in infrastructure, energy, tourism sectors with a concentration on healthcare PPP’s, BOT type, renewable energy investments as well as CCGT’s and CFPP’s. He participated the financing of several milestone projects, including the world’s longest suspension bridge project and financing of a hospital PPP project with the first Green & Social Project Bond Issue for an infrastructure project in Turkey as well as long term financings in peripheral countries.
As educational background; after graduating from Bilkent University Department of Business Administration, Mr. Ahmet Can Yakar successfully completed his masters degree on MSc Business Studies specialization on Entrepreneurship at University of Amsterdam. Mr Yakar also has SPK Level 3 License and TSPB Sustainability Expertise Certificates.”
Kıvılcım Pınar Kocabıyık
President
Yuvam Dünya
Kıvılcım Pınar Kocabıyık is the founding president of Yuvam Dünya, a non-profit organization dedicated to tackling the climate crisis. As an entrepreneur and impact investor, she invests in national and international ventures that provide solutions to social and environmental problems. She serves as a member of the investment committee at TechOne Venture Capital. Kocabıyık is also the co-founder of AkkoMarka Group, a company focused on sustainability with operations in the food and beverage, technology, and green energy sectors across six countries.
Kocabıyık actively supports various civil society organizations, serving as a Board Member of KAGİDER (Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey) and Darüşşafaka, as well as a mentee in the 5th term of Women on Board Association Turkey. She is also a member of the executive boards of WEF Chapter Zero Turkey and the Turquoise Coast Environment Fund.
She holds degrees in Statistics from Yıldız Technical University and Geography from Istanbul University. She completed the Chief Sustainability Officer Program at MIT and Climate Change Expertise at Yale University. Currently, she is pursuing an Executive MBA at IAE Paris Sorbonne University.
Kocabıyık is married and a mother of two. She is an amateur birdwatcher and nature enthusiast, living a life close to nature and the arts. Her work focuses on sustainability and climate crisis communication, climate justice, inequality in education, and building impact networks.
Almila Kından Cebbari
In 2000, she received her bachelor’s degree from METU Department of Environmental Engineering and in 2006 she received her master’s degree from Ankara University in Social Environmental Sciences. After graduation, he started working as a project coordinator responsible for education programs for sustainable development and sustainable tourism programs at the Environmental Education Foundation of Turkey. Between 2008 and 2023, as the National Coordinator of the Blue Flag Program, he traveled the coasts of Turkey step by step and worked to ensure sustainability on the coasts and to develop the tourism sector and local governments in accordance with international criteria.
In 2024, Almıla Kinden Cebbari was appointed as the General Manager of TÜRÇEV and leads the execution of various projects to achieve a sustainable future through environmental education at TÜRÇEV, which aims to carry out international environmental programs in Turkey and thus contribute to the promotion of the country.
During her career, she has seen exemplary work in more than 20 countries and represents our country in international meetings.
Alp Aksoy
Vice President
Diversey
Alp Aksoy, Vice President of Hospitality at Diversey Africa, Middle East and Turkey, started working in the hospitality industry about 25 years ago.
He globally managed Diversey teams for esteemed brands such as Hilton, Accor, IHG, Kempinski, Wyndham, and Best Western to deliver hygiene solutions for improved guest satisfaction and the safety of guests and staff; while reducing total costs and the impact on the environment.
He has initiated efforts with governments in Egypt, Turkey, Poland, and China to improve the perception of hygiene and food safety in restaurants; stressing that good hygiene is a prerequisite for sustainability in the F&B business, and life itself.
Alp has worked on almost every continent. He has been based in Europe, and lately works from Dubai. He is a true believer that efficiency, quality, and respect – respect for the environment, respect for energy, and the people that make it possible, should be at the center of any sustainable business endeavor that aims for success.
He is a strong supporter that tolerance and empathy for each human being through diversity and inclusion, along with seeking and understanding the unique powers of the individual regardless of gender would improve the quality of business, and the quality of life.
Hediye Güral Gür
Chairperson of the Board
NG Hotels
After graduating from Koç University with a degree in International Relations, Hediye Güral Gür completed her MBA in Business Administration at Yeditepe University. She began her career as the Human Resources Manager at Kütahya Porselen in 1999 and later advanced to the role of CEO at NG Hotels in 2006. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board at NG Hotels. Additionally, Hediye Güral Gür is a Board Member of the NG Education Foundation, Skål, One Association, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, TİKAD, TÜROB, and TTYD.
Sinan Temo
After graduating from Robert College, I studied Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Southern California and completed a master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Columbia University. I began my career at Thor Equities in NYC. However, my journey took an unexpected turn 11 years ago when my uncle, Serdar Bilgili (RC’81), invited me to return to Istanbul. Now, as CEO of Bilgili Holding, I lead the company’s real estate development and investment efforts.
Our vision is to inspire the future by creating projects that embody cultural and environmental values, ensuring sustainability for generations to come. We combine knowledge, passion, creativity, and innovation to deliver unique and transformative experiences. Collaborations with prestigious hospitality brands like The Peninsula, Aman, and Soho House elevate residential living by offering legendary service and unparalleled luxury.
Notable projects include The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Istanbul, offering exceptional living experiences; Bodrum Bodrum Houses; the historic Akaretler Row Houses; and Galataport, which transforms Istanbul’s historic port into a global hub featuring the world’s first underground cruise terminal.
In partnership with Bizzi & Partners, we are expanding globally, our first project together, 125 Greenwich, a sophisticated residential condo tower in Manhattan designed by renowned architect Rafael Viñoly.
As CEO of Bilgili Holding, I believe that art underlines our commitment to cultural sustainability. Merging tradition with a forward-looking vision, and striving for excellence are our guiding principles. Creativity, art, and design are key elements that set our projects apart.
Bilgili enhances Istanbul’s cultural landscape through initiatives like Artweeks Istanbul, which supports the economic sustainability of art galleries and increase public interest and knowledge in art. Additionally, One Akaretler provides space for independent artists, and ADA – Akaretler Antiques & Design Show brings together enthusiasts of art, antiques, and design.
We are excited to celebrate the 10th edition of Artweeks from October 1-13 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Residences Istanbul, B Block. We continue to contribute to Istanbul’s vibrant cultural scene and enhance the city’s global standing as a hub of creativity and innovation.
Amin Ismail
Managing Director
Certares
Amin Ismail is a Managing Director of Certares with nearly 30 years of investment and banking experience. He worked in mergers and acquisitions at American Express Global Business Travel. Amin has served in several executive management positions including as the CEO of Palestine Investment Fund’s real estate and hospitality investment company Amaar Group. He started his career working in leveraged finance for Bank of America and Abn Amro Bank. Amin previously served on the Boards of Directors of Nirvana Travel & Tourism and a tourism investment joint venture with Dubai Holdings. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Nebraska, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Miami.
David Rico
Director Hotels & Tourism
Caixa Bank
David Rico holds a law degree from ICADE (E-1) and an MBA from the University of Houston, USA.
He began his professional career in London working for the Japanese investment bank Nomura. Later he worked for Banco Santander, Credit Agricole and Barclays, specializing in project finance and particularly in commercial real estate & hospitality.
In 2010 he joined CaixaBank to head the Commercial Real Estate team. And in 2017 he led the creation of CaixaBank Hotels & Tourism, a business line dedicated to providing service and financing to hotel and tourist clients. After 7 years, CaixaBank has become the benchmark bank in the hospitality sector at a national level.
In 2019, CaixaBank was admitted as an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism.
He is member of the lobby Mesa del Turismo de España and member of the Tourism Commission of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce.
Neşecan Çekici
Chair Person of the Board
GYODER
Neşecan ÇEKİCİ is a graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Economics at Marmara University. She pursued her Master’s degree in Money/Banking at Istanbul University and subsequently completed an MBA program at Istanbul University’s Faculty of Business Administration. After serving in managerial roles within Turkey’s leading conglomerates for seven years, she entered the real estate sector in 1995 and has since contributed to numerous projects. ÇEKİCİ is the founder and managing partner of Epos Real Estate Consultancy and Valuation Inc.
Providing valuation, real estate development, and consultancy services to a range of national and international organizations, ÇEKİCİ has published extensive research, compilations, and articles on the sector. She holds a Capital Markets Board (CMB) Valuation Specialist License. From 2011 to 2013, she served as the Chairperson of the Association of Licensed Appraisal Companies (LideBİR). Additionally, she teaches in undergraduate and graduate programs as a sector lecturer at several universities. For many years, she has actively supported the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGİDER), aiming to foster female entrepreneurship and strengthen the role of women in economic and social life. Currently, she serves as an active Board Member for the 2023-2025 term.
Since 2011, ÇEKİCİ has been a continuous member of the boards at the Association of Real Estate and Real Estate Investment Companies (GYODER), and as of November 2023, she serves as its Chairperson. Recognized for her professional and academic contributions, as well as her sophisticated, ethical insights within the industry, she has been honored with various awards from Turkey’s economic and business circles.
Neşecan ÇEKİCİ is married and has a daughter.
Bruno Hallé Boix
Partner, Co-Head of Hospitality Spain
Cushman & Wakefield
From a hotel family, he began his career with studies in Hospitality and Tourism, and later in Management: MBA in International Hospitality Management from Cornell University ‐ Groupe ESSEC (Paris and New York), PDD from the IESE Business School ‐Barcelona. After working in hotel groups such as Occidental Hoteles and Accor, he joins the international consultancy MTR‐ Horwath Consulting in 1995, and after the MTR / Mazars merger in the year 2000, he works in Mazars Tourism as a partner and positions the brand in the national hotel consultancy sector.
Bruno has been passionate about his work in hospitality and strategic consulting for the last 25 years, 15 of which have been devoted to his own company, Magma Hospitality Consulting founded in 2004, with offices in Barcelona, London and Bogotá.
Bruno is recognized as one of the 150 most influential professionals in the Spanish tourism sector for years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Since March 2019 Partner Co‐head Hospitality Spain at Cushman & Wakefield.
In March 2018 he is named member of the board for the Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero (ITH), institute that is affiliated to the Confederación Española de Hoteles y Alojamientos Turísticos (CEHAT). And in 2021 member of the board of the Mesa del Turismo (national tourism lobby).
Has developed the Hotel Quality System through the Hotel Stars Union of the EU for the CEHAT implemented in 5 Regions in Spain and Andorra. Worked for the UNWTO, with the diagnosis of the hotel rating system in Tunisia and Seychelles.
His areas of expertise are as follow, development of strategic and investment plans in the hotel sector, for investors, HNWI and Family Offices as well as for national and international hotel groups, advising permanently the board of several hotel groups.
Developed more than 250 hotel feasibility and market studies in more than 25 countries of all types of hotel concepts for both investment groups and national and international hoteliers. As well has developed Asset and Interim Management for variousinvestment groups with interests in the hospitality sector, financial valuations and sale and purchase of hotels and hotel groups in Spain and abroad.
Teaching, lectures and speeches in Business Schools and international conferences, on hotel trends, consumer behavior, business models …
Onur Kurç
Vice President of Development Türkiye
Accor
Onur Kurç serves as Vice President of Development at Accor, based in Istanbul, where he oversees the group’s strategic expansion in Turkey. With nearly 25 years in the hotel industry, he has extensive experience in both hotel operations and development. Onur’s educational background includes a high school diploma in Hotel Management from Istanbul and a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from a prestigious university in Ankara.Throughout his career, Onur has held numerous senior management roles with various international hotel brands in Turkey. In 2007, he transitioned to hotel development as a Development Consultant, successfully managing over 100 franchise and management deals with global operators. Since joining Accor in 2012, he has significantly advanced the company’s presence in Turkey, with over 50 operational properties and 18 more in the pipeline. His success is attributed to his strong relationships with key property owners and his skillful signing of projects across multiple market segments.
Ece Demirpençe
General Manager
Akfen GYO
Ece Demirpençe completed her undergraduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Mimar Sinan University, Faculty of Architecture, and holds a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Istanbul Technical University. She began her professional career as a Real Estate Development Consultant at Proje Yönetim A.Ş. from 2003 to 2005. In 2005, Demirpençe joined the Netherlands-based company Multi Development, where she spent 10 years working on the development and management of large-scale international real estate projects. During her tenure, she held several key positions, including Assistant Project Manager, Commercial Project Manager, Director of Investment and Operations, and Commercial Director. In 2016, Demirpençe established her own company in the United States in the online retail sector, where she achieved significant success in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
At the beginning of 2023, she joined Akfen Holding as the Real Estate Development Coordinator. On December 31, 2023, she was appointed Assistant General Manager at Akfen REIT A.Ş. and served as Acting General Manager. As of June 2024, she was officially appointed General Manager of Akfen REIT.
Maribel Rodriguez
Maribel Rodríguez, member of various Tourism Advisory Boards including TIF and Tourism Expert Committees. President of Women Leading Tourism and during 10 years she has served as Senior Vice President of the World Travel and Tourism Council where she has led the expansion of the organisation in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America as well as consolidating the markets in Europe and North America. Maribel has an extensive network within the public and private sector of the Travel and Tourism industry globally. Chief Commercial Officer of Travelodge Hotels Spain and for more than a decade and led the implementation of low-cost commercial aviation in Southern Europe in companies such as Virgin Express, Go-Fly, EasyJet and Ryanair. She has also worked for British Airways as Marketing and Sales Director for British Airways for Spain, Portugal and France.
Executive MBA from ICADE, she has a degree in Industrial Psychology from the University of Salamanca and a Senior Executive Program in Travel and Tourism from IESE, as well as recently completing the Executive to Advisor program from IESE-AEDE-KPMG. Together with 7 presidents from different verticals, they have just launched the W8 Network of Networks, a community of female executives that represents more than 56% of the Spanish GDP. In 2023 was named one of the 100 most influential Tourism Experts in Spain and this year she has been listed by FORBES on of the 30 most influential tourism leaders in Spain.
Alessandra Priante
President (SpA)
Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT)
Alessandra is the President of ENIT SpA, the Italian Tourism Board. In this role, she Presides the Board of Directors, designs the strategy and represents the Company abroad.
As an Economist with extensive international and diplomatic experience, she served as Director for Europe at the United Nations Agency for Tourism (UN Tourism), being the first woman and first Italian in the agency’s history to hold such a prestigious position. In this role, she managed the agency’s most significant region, comprising 43 Member States representing 51% of the global tourism market. During her tenure, she enhanced Member States’ satisfaction by introducing dynamic and effective projects and work methods, engaging the global private sector significantly, thus contributing to increased financial contributions to the agency.
Alessandra also adeptly managed the pandemic period – the most severe crisis for the global tourism sector – spearheading impactful initiatives such as the Global Tourism Crisis Committee and various global technical committees, positioning UN Tourism at the heart of European and global institutions. During this productive professional period, she positioned Italy at the center of global initiatives, from the global communication campaign for tourism recovery (#RestartTourism) launched on July 1, 2020, in Rome, to the organization of the first World Summit of Youth on Sustainable Tourism in Sorrento.
She is a graduate of Bocconi University in Business Economics, with two Master degrees including an executive MBA from Luiss Guido Carli University, fluent in six foreign languages (bilingual in Italian and English) and with a great passion for the public sector, she resumed the reins of the national tourism policy in 2015 after an exceptional five-year diplomatic mission in the Persian Gulf as a special envoy of the Government. The diplomatic project, that she herself conceived, aimed at promoting Italy’s cultural and educational heritage in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The mission stemmed from Alessandra’s excellent results achieved in the early 2000s in the field of cultural heritage and audiovisuals, where she served as head of studies and international relations.
Upon her return, she quickly restored Italy to a central position in key international platforms, from UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) to OECD, Europe, and the BlueMed, Eusair, and Eusalp strategies. As an expert in policy, particularly in economic and financial analysis, Alessandra coordinated the construction of a robust national database and contributed to the drafting of the national strategic plan 2017-2020, governance reforms, and the challenging transition of tourism from culture vs. agriculture in 2018. In addition to this demanding role with the government in 2018-2019, she served as head of international relations and protocol at MiPAAFT.
Author of numerous publications, she has taught at various Italian universities and is currently an associate professor at Luiss Business School and a Research fellow at the Corporate Strategy Research Center at Luiss Guido Carli University. She is passionate about music, cinema (also a member of the European Film Academy), art, and good cuisine. She loves her work, reading, traveling, her family, friends, and AS Roma!
Enrique Ybarra
Founder & CEO
City Sightseeing
Enrique Ybarra is the founder and CEO of City Sightseeing Worldwide, the World’s leading open-top bus and boat tour company. Since he established the global brand in Seville, Spain in 1999, Ybarra has developed his business model and managed to take the City Sightseeing brand to over 100 cities on five continents. City Sightseeing not only provides double decker bus tours, boat tours, sightseeing train tours, and guided walking tours, but has become a marketplace for tourist experiences available in the most popular global destinations as it has grown throughout the years.
Sergio Guerreiro
Chairman
OECD Tourism Committee
PhD in Tourism. More than 25 years of experience in the tourism sector in the areas of strategy, market intelligence, tourism policy and innovation. Senior Director for Strategy & Knowledge Management at Turismo de Portugal and Chairman of OECD Tourism Committee and previously Chair of the European Travel Commission’s Market Intelligence Group. Tourism Expert in several workgroups from international organizations such as EU, UNWTO, OECD, ETC and WEF.
Invited Professor at Nova School of Business and Economics, Nova Information Management School and Universidad Europea das Canarias.
Joe Stather
Vice President Market Leader – Operational Real Estate
Questex
Joe Stather is a leader in the hospitality and real estate sector, currently serving as Vice President at Questex. He focuses on market intelligence and strategic insights, with a particular emphasis on investment and development. In his role, Joe connects industry stakeholders and facilitates knowledge exchange through events and media platforms. With a strong understanding of market dynamics, he plays a key role in shaping Questex’s approach and supporting important industry collaborations.
David Kelly
Senior Vice President Continental Europe
Hilton Worldwide
David leads Hilton’s business across Continental Europe, encompassing 830 properties trading or under development across more than 40 countries and territories. He covers a diverse region with 34,000 team members serving guests in hotels spanning from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe and including CIS nations and Türkiye.
Joining Hilton in the US in 1995, David later moved with the company to Australia where he spent 13 years in senior operations and commercial positions. He subsequently led Hilton’s rapidly growing portfolio in Greater China and Mongolia, including as the region’s Senior Vice President – Operations. During this time, Hilton’s presence in the region increased from 34 to more than 210 hotels.
With a reputation for strategic leadership and focused execution, David is known for taking a “people first” approach – with a focus on creating exceptional experiences for guests, meaningful opportunities for Team Members and strong returns for owners.
David lives in Barcelona with his wife Carol and son Jayden.
Jean-Baptiste Recher
Regional Vice President Development Luxury Brands MEAT
Accor Hotels
As RVP Development Luxury Brands MEAT, Jean-Baptiste oversees the development activities of the Accor Group in over 75 countries for Accor luxury and ultra luxury brands including Orient Express, Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Emblems and MGallery. He has been instrumental in driving the Group’s organic growth over the last ten years and in particular in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Jean-Baptiste’s wealth of experience spans over a decade within leading companies including Marriott and JLL. His senior leadership roles covered several disciplines from real estate advisory, feasibility studies to asset management and operation across France, the United Kingdom and the Middle East and Africa region.
In his previous role, Jean-Baptiste worked for JLL, a leading real estate advisory firm. In this key leadership role, he was responsible for conducting market research, financial modeling, feasibility studies, asset valuation and operator selection.
Jean-Baptiste has an MBA in International Hospitality Management from ESSEC Business School, Paris, France as well as a Masters of Hotel and Tourism Management from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Jerome Briet
Chief Development Officer, EMEA
Marriott International
In his capacity as Chief Development Officer, Jerome oversees the expansion of Marriott International across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Based in Dubai, Jerome leads a team of development experts, committed to growing Marriott International’s footprint and to further strengthening the company’s position as the world’s largest travel company.
Previously, Jerome led the Middle East & Africa development team and also oversaw the expansion of the branded residences business line of Marriott International across all brands in the Middle East and Africa. His extensive network and solid market reputation built over more than a decade spent in the region enabled Jerome to bring some of the company’s most iconic brands to the continent, including Edition and Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, as well as expand the midscale and full-service brands in underprovided submarkets.
Prior to joining Marriott International, Jerome has advised international clients in successfully conducting hotel transactions both in Europe and the Middle East, having been a senior member of the Capital Markets team of Jones Lang Lasalle in Dubai and previously in Paris.
Jerome holds a BSc in Finance from INSEEC Paris and an MBA from ESSEC Paris in Hospitality Management.
Simon Allison
President
Hoftel
Simon is the founding chairman of HOFTEL, the leading global association for hotel real estate investors who pay management or franchise fees to, or get rents from, the brands, with members’ portfolios now around US$ 100 billion. Members and subscribers include significant investors worldwide such as Katara, Union Investment, Blackstone, Schroders, Brookfield, Invesco, CapMan, 4C Hotels, Klarent Hospitality, CTF Development, Cedar Capital, Swire Properties, SC Capital, Aldar, and Harilela Hotels. We also have domestic players like HR Group in Germany, Er Yatirim in Turkey, Dur Hospitality in Saudi Arabia, Boutique Group in Thailand and Lionstone Development in the USA. HOFTEL holds meetings for its members annually in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia as well as publishing a quarterly Hotel Owners Journal.
HOFTEL also runs three hotel investor-led conferences each year, one in Spain (www.aohis.co) one in the UAE (www.giohis.com) and one in Thailand (www.seahis.com).
Simon has widespread hotel industry experience, having been Chief Development Officer at Onyx Hospitality in Thailand from 2009 – 2013 and, prior to that, Chief Financial Officer of both luxury operator Six Senses and of US$ 500 mm hotel ownership company Hospitality Europe BV. Before that he worked for ten years in the corporate finance division of JP Morgan in London, coming to head up their global hotel industry coverage.
Simon has an MA in Modern History from Christ Church, Oxford
Javier Arus
Managing Partner
Azora
Senior Partner in Azora responsible for the Hospitality & Leisure platform. From Azora he has actively participated in the acquisition and management of over 100 hotels with a total investment in excess of €3.3 Bn with special focus in the Resort Segment across the Mediterranean and main European cities.
Before joining Azora in 2010 Javier spent 15 years at Banco Santander holding different positions in Investment Banking, Asset Management and Private Banking.
Javier Arús holds a Business Law Degree from ICADE and MBA from The Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.
Amir Golbarg
Senior Vice President MEA&India
MINOR Hotels
Senior Partner in Azora responsible for the Hospitality & Leisure platform. From Azora he has actively participated in the acq
Amir Golbarg heads up the Middle East & Africa region for Minor Hotels, in addition to the Indian Ocean islands of the Seychelles and Mauritius. Minor Hotels’ portfolio currently totals 550 hotels in 56 countries and includes the highly-acclaimed luxury Anantara brand and the upscale Avani brand. Amir currently oversees a total of 38 properties in operation across ten countries and five brands, in addition to driving the development of the strong pipeline of properties within the region across multiple brands.
Early in 2024 the group added two Anantara properties in the UAE, including Minor Hotels´ first property in Ras Al Khaimah, , bringing the brand´s total to nine in the country. In 2023 Minor Hotels debuted NH Collection in the Middle East with the opening of a new-build property on The Palm in Dubai. The group also launched NH Hotels earlier this year in Africa with a hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Joining the Minor Hotels regional team in March 2019 as Vice President Operations for Middle East, North Africa, Mauritius and Seychelles, Amir was promoted in September 2021 to Senior Vice President Operations, including adding the group’s operation in Southern Africa into the mix.
Amir previously held the strategic position of Chief Operating Officer at Al Rayyan Hospitality and Corporate Director – Asset Management at Katara Hospitality. Both entities are subsidiaries of the state-owned Qatar Investment Authority and in this dual role, Amir supported the State of Qatar with the opening and positioning of government assets and hotels both locally and internationally, in addition to managing a portfolio of operating entities and opening five luxury properties. These included the relaunch of Ritz Carlton Doha, the rebranding of the Six Senses Spa with Chiva-Som Resort in Thailand, the renovation of Raffles Singapore and the acquisition of Grosvenor House London.
A graduate of Glion Institute of Higher Education, Amir began his career in hospitality in 2004 and held various front of house roles for prestigious hotels such as Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. Amir first joined Minor Hotels in 2012 as Director of Operations & Hotel Openings based in the Bangkok Corporate Office. He then held several international positions with Minor, before becoming Hotel Manager at Souq Waqif Hotel Doha, Qatar in 2015.
Amir, who is a Danish national, is based in the Middle East Regional Office in Dubai. Now a seasoned international hotelier, Amir’s passion for excellence has led him to successfully drive the operations and hospitality assets for a number of companies for over 17 years.
Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor with a diverse portfolio of brands including Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH, nhow and Elewana.
uisition and management of over 100 hotels with a total investment in excess of €3.3 Bn with special focus in the Resort Segment across the Mediterranean and main European cities.
Before joining Azora in 2010 Javier spent 15 years at Banco Santander holding different positions in Investment Banking, Asset Management and Private Banking.
Javier Arús holds a Business Law Degree from ICADE and MBA from The Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.
Tatiana Veller
Managing Director
Stirling Hospitality Advisors
Tatiana is the Managing Director of Stirling Hospitality Advisors with 20+ years of worldwide experience in strategic advisory, asset management, and hotel/restaurant operations, as well as executive search.
Over the past 15 years, Tatiana has headed up advisory firms or hospitality divisions of international consultancies such as HVS and JLL with responsibility over large geographical regions, as well as having been through operational departments of some of the global hotel brands (Radisson, Hyatt, etc.), and having also experienced the world of airline catering with LSG Sky Chefs in the US.
Tatiana, through her years of consulting work and hundreds of engagements, has a deep understanding of the needs, approaches, and agendas of all types of hotel investors and owners – from private to institutional to banks and funds.
Tatiana has incubated, organized, and led sizeable regional-level industry events both in the investment and operations themes, as well as being a frequent speaker and moderator on the panel discussions of other tradeshows. She’s produced numerous pieces of research articles and analytical reports, as well as being often quoted in the trade press and interviewed on the hot topics of the market.
Tatiana has been an Advisory Board member of many hospitality events, and she also has a Bachelor’s in Hotel & Restaurant Management and an MBA in International Business from the University of St. Thomas.
Dimitris Manikis
Vice President Market Leader – Operational Real Estate
Questex
Dimitris Manikis was appointed President and Managing Director for EMEA in April 2018. In his current role as President of EMEA, he is responsible for the development of all of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ brands in the EMEA region as well as maximising the performance of all new and existing franchise and managed hotels. He focuses on driving the strategic objectives of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts including quality and technology solutions as well as new business, loyalty, sales and marketing.
Dimitris Manikis has a long-standing career and deep knowledge of the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, he spent over 27 years with RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange, across a number of senior roles, and most recently served as Vice President of Business Development for EMEA. Earlier in his career, he also held a number key positions in the region as Managing Director of RCI Greece and RCI South Africa.
Dimitris is an Industry Advisory Board member for Hotelschool the Hague, a Senior Advisory Board member for the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and a Board member for Christel House Europe.
A Greek national, Dimitris was born in Athens and holds a Bachelor degree in Tourism and Administration from the Technical University of Patras in Greece, and an MSc Postgraduate degree in Tourism Marketing from the University of Surrey. His passion for people and work ethic comes from his father, who built up a grocery retail business in Athens where Dimitris learned the value of elevated customer service, having a positive outlook and hard work as being the foundations of success in both business and life.
He is based in Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ London office.
Willemijn Geels
VP Development
IHG
Willemijn Geels is Vice President Development Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. She drives the expansion of the group’s brands across Europe, encompassing luxury, upscale and mainstream opportunities through managed and franchised deal structures. In addition to identifying new opportunities, she leads a team which works closely with owners and investors in a support and advisory capacity to drive long-term revenue.
Prior to joining IHG in 2005, Willemijn was Development & Acquisitions Director at Louvre Hotels Group where she delivered strong returns for European owners. She also gained experience in Deloitte’s Transport, Hospitality and Leisure team in Paris, where she led multiple hotel valuations, feasibility studies, and transaction and strategic advisory assignments.
Willemijn graduated from IMHI-ESSEC business school with a MBA degree in International Hospitality Management and specialising in Real Estate.
Mehmet T. Nane
Chairperson
Pegasus Airlines
Mehmet T. Nane started his career in 1988. After holding positions in various business units at the Türkiye Emlak Bankası, Demirbank and Demir Invest until 1997, respectively; he held roles including Vice President of the Strategic Planning and Project Development department, Director of the Retail Group and General Secretary of Sabancı Holding within the Sabancı Group, which he joined in 1997, until 2005. He served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Teknosa between 2000 and 2005, CEO of Teknosa between 2005 and 2013 and CEO of CarrefourSA between 2013 and 2016. Mehmet T. Nane, who transferred to Pegasus Airlines in March 2016 and served as CEO for 6 years, has been working as Vice-Chairperson of the Board (Managing Director) of the company as of May 2022.
Mehmet T. Nane graduated from Boğaziçi University, department of International Relations, in Istanbul, in 1990. In 1993, Mehmet T. Nane received a full scholarship for his graduate degree from the department of International Banking and Finance at Heriot Watt University in Scotland. He also completed the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program in 2013.
Mehmet T. Nane has served as Founding Chairman of Asia Pacific Retailers Federation (FAPRA), Founding Chairman of the Turkish Federation of Shopping Centers and Retailers (TAMPF), President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Retail Council, Chairman of the Board of the SEV Health and Education Foundation, and Chairman of the Association of the Harvard Business School Turkish Alumni Association. He currently holds the following positions in various Non-Governmental Organisations: Chair of the Board of Governors and Member of the Chair Committee of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Private Aviation Enterprises Association (TÖSHİD), Vice President of Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Civil Aviation Council, Vice President of Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TTYD), Member of the Board of Trustees and Board Member of the TOBB GS1 Turkey Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees of the SEV Health and Education Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees and Board Member of the Boğaziçi University Foundation.
Mehmet T. Nane is a Founding Member of the Yanındayız Association and Women in Technology Association (WTECH), and he joined the PWN Equality Ambassadors as a part of the Manifesto of Gender Equality Supporting CEOs by Professional Women Network (PWN) Istanbul.
Mehmet T. Nane is married with 2 children.
Franck Mereyde
CEC & EBD
TAV Airports
Franck Mereyde was born on April 6, 1972 in Paris. He studied Civil Engineering and the holds a postgraduate degree in Geophysics, Space Techniques and data analytics. Franck Mereyde commenced his professional career with Environment Canada and then Météo France, later joining the Office of the Minister of Infrastructure in 2002 as Technical Advisor in the Research and Intermodal Transportation Department, then as Advisor for the Budget, Financial Affairs and Civil Aviation departments. Franck Mereyde joined Groupe ADP in 2005 as Director of Operations at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. At the same time, he also served as the Head of ADP’s Cargo Division. In 2007, Mr. Mereyde was appointed as the Director of Terminals 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and, in January 2010, Director of Terminals 2E, 2F and 2G. On March 1, 2011, he was appointed as the Director of Paris-Orly Airport. Franck Mereyde also served as a Member of the Board of Directors at Aéroports de Paris Management and at Hub Safe. He is a Member of the Board and the Deputy CEO at TAV Airports, since September 2017. In May 2022, he has been appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee of TAV Airports. He serves on the Executive Board of DEIK Turkey-France Business Council and Institut du Bosphore. Franck Mereyde was elected the President of the Turkey-France Chamber of Commerce (CCI France Turquie), as well as Chairman of the French Foreign Trade Advisors in Turkey. He is married with three children.
Dave Dorner
CEO
Celebi Group
Dave Dorner officially took on the role of Chief Executive Officer at Çelebi Aviation Holding in the beginning of 2017, following a period of half a year in charge as acting CEO.
He is also working as an Operating Partner of Actera Group. Prior to joining Actera, Mr. Dorner was the Regional Head of Live Nation Entertainment and the CEO of Biletix, the largest event ticketing company in Turkey with more than 3 million annual ticket sales, which he co-founded in 2000 and later sold to Live Nation Entertainment in 2006. Prior to Biletix, Mr. Dorner had a 10 year tenure with Monitor Group where he also started his career. Mr. Dorner received a BA in Finance and Economics from the University of British Columbia.
Bilge Turcan
Partner
Petra Hospitality Management
20 years of hospitality and property experience having worked as Chief Business Development Officer for Dedeman Hotels and Resorts responsible for new concepts, acquisitions & developments and Head of Valuation & Advisory for Cushman & Wakefield in Turkey. Bilge is a member of RICS on Planning & Development
Begüm Kaya
Senior Development Director
Marriott
Begüm has been with Marriott International since 2018 and leads Marriott International’s business development efforts in Turkey to grow the footprint of the company via management and franchise models.
She completed International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in high school, Ted Ankara College as of 2003. She obtained B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University in 2007. She also completed online Core Program of Harvard Business School with focus on Economics and Financial Accounting in 2015.
Begüm leverages over 15 years of expertise in business development and project development within the real estate sector. She is specialized in hospitality projects encompassing hotels, resorts, branded residences, and student housing.
Prior to joining Marriott, she held various positions in different companies including Development Manager for the Peninsula Istanbul hotel within mixed-used Galataport Project, as well as various hotel investment consultancy roles with Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and Servotel.
She has worked over 100 hotel projects for different scopes including business development, operator search, advisory, feasibility and capital markets.
Prof. Dr. Orhan Gazi Yiğitbaşı
Medical Director
Medipol University Hospital
Prof. Dr. Gazi Yiğitbaşı was born in Afyonkarahisar in 1965. He graduated from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 1988. Between 1989 and 1993, he worked as a research assistant at Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, ENT Department. In 1996, he worked as an Assistant Professor. He became Associate Professor in 1999 and Full Professor in 2005.
During his academic studies, he worked as an observer at the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburg in 1998 and as a Research Fellow at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2002-2004. Dr. Gazi Yiğitbaşı has 75 scientific articles published in national and international journals.
Among his academic awards; Erciyes University ‘The faculty member with the most international publications, also has the first prize in the field of Clinical Translational Research in the scientific competition held by the University of Texas in 2004.
Dr. Yiğitbaşı, who is known for his senior management as well as his academic identity, served as Chief Physician at İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital between April 2005 and November 2011. For this duty, he was rewarded with the “Outstanding Achievement Award” by Izmir Governorship and Konak District Governorship. He took over the position of Medical Director of Medipol Mega University Hospital in 2011. Dr. Yiğitbaşı has been the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul Medipol University since 2018. He served as the President of DEIK Health Business Council in the 2018-2020 period and received the first prize in the “Best member relations and most member recruitment” category during this period. Dr. Yiğitbaşı, who is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the Service Exporters’ Association (HİB) and the Chairman of the HİB Health Committee, has also assumed the Board Membership of DEİK as of 2024.
Reşat Bahat
Born in Giresun in 1964, he completed his primary and secondary education in Giresun and Afyon (Bolvadin). After graduating from Giresun Atatürk High School in 1982, he enrolled in Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, graduating in 1988 and immediately beginning his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Istanbul Training and Research Hospital. In 1993, he became a specialist and completed his mandatory service at Bayrampaşa State Hospital (Sağmalcılar State Hospital). Following his military service as a Second Lieutenant in Samsun and Çanakkale (Gelibolu) in 1995, he began part-time work at Anadolu Health Center in Kanarya.
In 1994, he founded the Western Child Health and Birth Center in Kanarya, Küçükçekmece, and in 2000, he established Batı Bahat Hospital. He subsequently opened Halk Hospital (Ortomedica Hospital) in 2001 and added GOP Hospital to his group’s portfolio in 2008. In 2020, he opened BHT CLINIC Istanbul Tema Hospital.
Since 2008, he has served as the Chairman of the Board of OHSAD, and in early 2020, he was elected Chairman of DEİK Health Business Council. He has also served for 10 years on the Board of Giresunspor, five years on the Board of Küçükçekmece Sports Club, and four years on the Board of Istanbul Amateur Sports Club. He is also a member of the Giresun Foundation.
Ömer Tosun
Chairman
INDIGO Group
Ömer Tosun began his career in the tourism sector in the 1970s and worked in banking between 1979 and 1988. Afterward, he returned to tourism as an entrepreneur and investor, founding Indigo Group in 1992, where he serves as Chairman. Indigo Group has pioneered numerous innovations in tourism and hospitality, particularly in Cappadocia. Tosun launched the first hot air balloon operations in Cappadocia in 1992 and went on to design and build the award-winning Museum Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel recognized internationally for its unique concept and high-quality service since its opening in 2003.
Through Indigo Group, Tosun also operates Matiana Travel, Boutique Style, Lil’a Restaurant, Maara Konak, and Indigo Gallery in the tourism industry, and has diversified investments in geothermal energy, thermal tourism, oil exploration, marble, and viticulture. A licensed antique collector and a recognized expert in Anatolian and Caucasian carpets, Tosun is a founding member of the Cappadocia Tourism Infrastructure and Service Association (KAPHİB) and a founding Board Member of Turkey’s Tourism Promotion and Development Agency. He currently serves on the Board of the Turkish Tourism Investors Association, as Vice Chairman of the Geothermal Investors Association, and as Chairman of the Cappadocia Region Tourism Investors Association.
Since 2012, Tosun has served as the Honorary Consul of Brazil for the Kayseri and Nevşehir regions and is the Vice Chairman of the Turkey-Brazil Business Council under DEİK, playing a key role in strengthening tourism relations between Turkey and Brazil. Tosun is a recipient of Brazil’s Order of Rio Branco and is fluent in English and French.
Tom Dixon
Architect
Tom Dixon Design
Established in 2002, Tom Dixon is a British luxury design brand which is represented in 90 countries. Specialising in furniture, lighting and accessories, Tom Dixon has hubs in London, Milan, New York, Tokyo and China. With an aesthetic that is intrinsically inspired by the brand’s British roots, the products are internationally recognised and appreciated for their pioneering use of materials and techniques. Founder and eponymous Creative Director Tom Dixon (OBE) is a restless innovator who rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as a maverick, untrained designer with a line in welded salvage furniture and is now one of the industry’s most feted British designers, internationally heralded as a significantly original talent.
Tom Dixon
Architect
Tom Dixon Design
Established in 2002, Tom Dixon is a British luxury design brand which is represented in 90 countries. Specialising in furniture, lighting and accessories, Tom Dixon has hubs in London, Milan, New York, Tokyo and China. With an aesthetic that is intrinsically inspired by the brand’s British roots, the products are internationally recognised and appreciated for their pioneering use of materials and techniques. Founder and eponymous Creative Director Tom Dixon (OBE) is a restless innovator who rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as a maverick, untrained designer with a line in welded salvage furniture and is now one of the industry’s most feted British designers, internationally heralded as a significantly original talent.
Andrew Linwood
Head of Hospitality & Business Development
Areen Design
Andrew has designed interiors for the world’s leading hotel operators, holding senior positions at well- renowned hospitality specialists over the last 35 years.
After studying Interior Design in London and working in the UK and Europe, Andrew became Senior Designer and then Managing Director of regional Interiors group GTD in Hong Kong and Singapore. He went on to become Senior Project Designer/ Associate with globally renowned hospitality specialists Hirsch Bedner Associates in Singapore, designing luxury projects in Bangladesh, China, India,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia and Thailand. After moving back to the UK with HBA, Andrew became an Associate at Richmond International – part of the Areen Group, and in 2008 he established Areen Hospitality.
As Head of Hospitality Design, Andrew is involved in and monitors all aspects of a project, from conception through to site installation.
Ussal Şahbaz
Managing Partner
Ussal Consultancy
Ussal Şahbaz has a career at the intersection of business, government and research. He is currently a managing partner of a boutique consultancy on government affairs for tech scaleups in Turkey. His career includes leadership positions at GE (General Electric), various think tanks and earlier in the government of Turkey (Pesident’s Office & Turkish Competition Authority). Ussal holds a master’s degree in international development from Harvard University. He writes weekly columns for Ekonomi, Turkey’s business daily newspaper, and publishes a weekly e-mail bulletin on tech, society and policy that reaches a Turkish audience of 8,000.
Engin Yaşar
Vice President of Eastern Europe, Public Sector
Mastercard
Engin Yasar is an accomplished professional with a diverse background spanning international affairs, business administration, and public sector leadership. With a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, Engin holds expertise in finance, advanced data analysis, and economics. Notably, he was honored with a Fellowship for his academic excellence.
Engin’s career journey reflects his commitment to excellence and innovation. As the Eastern Europe Vice President, Public Sector at Mastercard, he leads international teams in managing major government accounts, spearheading high-level meetings, and driving annual sales volume exceeding $30 million USD.
Prior to his current role, Engin served as a Senior Account Manager for Public and SOE’s at Microsoft, where he achieved remarkable milestones such as securing the first-ever MACC Agreement in the Public Sector and driving over 500% overachievement.
His extensive experience also includes roles at Huawei, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Vodafone Turkey, where he demonstrated expertise in government relations, strategic planning, and team leadership.
Engin’s dedication to fostering bilateral trade relations is evident from his tenure as Commercial Attaché at the Turkish Consulate in Houston, where he facilitated trade and investments between Turkey and the South West USA, doubling trade delegations and supporting major investment projects.
Engin began his career as an Advisor to the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy, where he played a pivotal role in legislative initiatives, international delegations, and representing Turkiye at the International Organizations and bilateral negotiations.
Engin’s expertise extends beyond his professional experience, with certifications including advanced Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Cybersecurity and Cloud Technologies among others
With a passion for continuous learning and a proven track record of driving results, Engin Yasar is a dynamic leader poised to make significant contributions in the intersection of technology, public sector, and international investments.
Ömer Erdoğan
Partner
Gen Temizer Law
Ömer Erdoğan is a leading expert in Türkiye’s real estate sector, heading the Real Estate, Banking, and Finance service lines at Gen Temizer Erdoğan Girgin Attorney Partnership. With extensive experience in high-profile and complex projects, Ömer is known for his deep industry knowledge and strategic approach to guiding clients through every phase of real estate ventures.
Ömer’s expertise goes beyond standard transactions; he handles intricate, multi-disciplinary projects that encompass corporate and real estate due diligence, negotiation, financing, development, and project structuring. He has advised several multinational real estate development and hospitality companies on their complex residential and hotel development projects, ensuring that each project aligns with both international standards and local regulations.
With nearly two decades of experience, Ömer’s ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and craft tailored solutions has made him a trusted advisor for clients seeking innovative, commercially-sound real estate strategies.
