Senior Management

Taha ÇAKMAK

Vice Chairman and CEO

Having graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Business Administration in English, Mr Taha ÇAKMAK worked at Ziraat Bank as an Inspection Board Inspector, Business Design Manager at Operations Center Department, Ankara Retail Branch Manager, Head of Human Resources Department and Ankara Public Corporate Branch Manager between 2005 and 2019, after working as an Auditor in Deloitte Touche & Tohmatsu in 2004 and as a Deputy Inspector at Social Insurance Institution in 2005.

Mr Taha ÇAKMAK, after serving as Head of The Privatization Administration of Türkiye at Treasury and Finance Ministry, in 2019, he worked as the Vice President at the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency between 2019-2021 and as the Vice President of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye between 2021-2023.

Mr Taha ÇAKMAK has been serving as the General Manager and Vice Chairman at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik as of 3 August 2023.

Mr. ÇAKMAK, at the same time, continues to work as Board Chairman of Agricultural Insurance Pool Management, Board Chairman of OSEM, Board Vice Chairman of Turk P & I Insurance and Board Member of Pension Monitoring Center.

Çağrı AKPINAR

Assistant General Manager

After graduating from Marmara University College of Banking and Insurance in 2003, Mr. Çağrı Akpınar completed his master's degree in Banking and Insurance at Marmara University in 2007. Mr. Akpınar started his career as a Sales Consultant in Aviva Sigorta Corporate Sales Directorate in 2007, later served as Assistant Manager in Güneş Sigorta Non-Auto Insurance Technical Directorate between 2009-2017, and as the Director of the Non-Auto Insurance Technical Directorate, in Halk Sigorta  between 2017-2019. Mr. Akpınar worked as a Senior Manager at Marsh Sigorta ve Reasürans Brokerliği in 2019, started to work as the Non-Auto Insurance Director at Türkiye Sigorta in December 2019.

Mr. Akpınar was assigned as Assistant General Manager of Türkiye Sigorta in charge of Technic, as of September 6, 2023.

At the same time; Mr. Akpınar continues to serve as Board Member of Turk P & I Insurance.

Çiğdem KILIÇ

Assistant General Manager

Ms. Çiğdem Kılıç, graduated from Boğaziçi University, Department of Computer Engineering, completed her Master's degree in Financial Engineering at the same university and then completed her Master's degree in Cyber Law at Bilgi University.

Ms. Çiğdem Kılıç; started her career as a Software Engineer at Garanti BBVA Technology in 1999 and continued her leadership roles in the fields of architecture, information technologies service management and strategy. After working as Country Professional Services Director at Broadcom (formerly CA) Turkey between 2018-2020, Ms.Kılıç served as New Generation Technologies Middleware Applications Director at Softtech.

Since 2023, Ms. Kılıç has been a board member of Maxitech, one of Softtech's subsidiaries in Silicon Valley, and a member of the Softtech Academic Board; she took on presidency role and served as Assistant General Manager at Softtech.

As of January 2024, Ms. Kılıç has provided senior management consultancy and leadership training at Chikara, the company she founded. Ms. Kılıç is also continuing her doctorate at Kadir Has University, Department of Management Information Systems.

In addition to her professional business life, Ms. Kılıç gave lectures undergraduate and graduate courses in the field of "Management Information Systems and Cyber Law" at universities.

Ms. Çiğdem Kılıç has been appointed as Chief Information Officer (Assistant General Manager) of Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik as of March 7, 2024.

Doğan BAŞAR, PhD

Assistant General Manager

Doğan Başar, PhD, PhD graduated from Karadeniz Technical University, Department of Business Administration in 2005. He received his Master’s and PhD degrees in the fields of Science of Strategy and Human Resources, respectively, at Gebze Technical University, Institute of Social Sciences.

He worked as a Human Resources Manager in various companies within the finance sector, including Türk Eximbank and Borsa İstanbul.  He carried academic studies in the field of human resources in London, England and Tomas Bata University in the Czech Republic for about 2 years. In his academic life, he served as Dr. Faculty Membership, Head of Department and College Principal at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University. He served as Member of Board of Directors and Remuneration Committee at The Interbank Card Center (BKM) between 2021-2023. Finally, from January 2020 to August 2023, serving as the General Manager of Human Resources at the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, PhD. Başar has written many national and international articles and book chapters in the field of Human Resources.

As of September 6, 2023, PhD. Başar has started to work as Assistant General Manager responsible for Human Resources, Strategy, and Support Services at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik.

PhD. Başar also continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of Turk P & I Insurance.

Eniz ÜNAL

Assistant General Manager

Mr. Eniz Ünal, graduated from Middle East Technical University, Department of Economics in 2006, started working as an Audit Board Assistant Inspector at Ziraat Bank in 2007.  Until 2020, Mr. Ünal served in various positions as Branch Operations Department Manager, Human Resources Department Manager and Branch Manager at Ziraat Bank. Mr. Ünal, having started to work at the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey in 2020, worked as the General Manager of Audit since 2022, after serving as Assistant General Manager of Human Resources.

As of December 15, 2023, Mr. Ünal has started to work as Assistant General Manager responsible from Bancassurance Sales at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik.

Kürşat PEDİS

Assistant General Manager

Having graduated from Istanbul Technical University the Department of Management Engineering in 2003, Mr. Kürşat Pedis began his career as a Specialist at Non-Auto Claims Department of Garanti Sigorta in 2004.

Mr. Pedis who served as an Executive in the same Directorate between 2008 and 2016, undertook the position of Non-Auto Claims Manager at Allianz Sigorta from 2016 to 2019. Appointed as the Group Manager in charge of Non-Auto, Bodily and Health Claims at Güneş Sigorta as of November 2019, Mr. Kürşat Pedis continued his services as Non-Auto Claims Director at Türkiye Sigorta following the merger of insurance companies on August 31, 2020.

Mr. Pedis was assigned as the Assistant General Manager in charge of Claims at Türkiye Sigorta, as of June 2, 2021.

Mehmet Turgay ÖZATA

Assistant General Manager

Mr. Mehmet Turgay Özata who graduated from Marmara University College of Banking and Insurance in 2002, completed his master's degree in Insurance Department at Istanbul Ticaret University in 2016.

Having started his professional career as a Financial Consultant at Daçka Sigorta Brokering Services in 2000, Mr. Mehmet Turgay Özata later served at Şeker Sigorta respectively, as Agency Sales Responsible, Collection Officer and Claims Officer between 2005 and 2007.

After working as an Insurance Sales Consultant at Generali Sigorta in 2008, Mr. Özata worked as Agency Sales Executive and Agency Sales Assistant Manager at Demir Sigorta between 2009 and 2012.

Mr. Özata, having began to work at Güneş Sigorta in 2013, was assigned as Agency Sales Manager in 2019. After the merger, as of 1 September 2020, he was appointed as Türkiye Sigorta Agency Performance and Efficiency Monitoring Manager. In 2021, by the organisational change, he continued as the Agencies Sales Manager. Mr. Özata assumed the position of Agencies Sales Director in 2022.

Mr. Özata was assigned as Assistant General Manager of Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik in charge of Agency Sales, as of November 2, 2023.

Melike Nur ÇINAR

Assistant General Manager

Ms. Melike Nur Çınar graduated from Gazi University, Department of Economics in 2006 and completed her master's degree in Business Management MBA programme at Yıldız Technical University between 2021-2022.

Ms. Çınar started her career as a specialist in Euroko Sigorta in 2007, later served as Assistant Manager in Ak Sigorta between 2015-2017, and as the Manager in Halk Sigorta between 2017-2019. Ms. Melike Nur Çınar, having transfered to Güneş Sigorta as a director in Auto Insurance and Actuarial Directorate, continued to work in the same position at Türkiye Sigorta upon the merger.

Ms. Çınar was assigned as Assistant General Manager of Türkiye Sigorta in charge of Auto, Agricultural Insurance and Actuary and Assistant General Manager of Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik in charge of Actuary, as of November 2, 2023.

Murat SÜZER

Assistant General Manager

Mr. Murat Süzer who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics (in English) at Istanbul University in 2010, completed the Executive MBA program at Sabancı University between 2019 and 2020.

Mr. Süzer started his career in 2010 at KPMG, an international audit and advisory services company. Involved in financial audit projects conducted in the insurance industry as an assistant, senior specialist and manager, Mr. Süzer attended various training programs related to the industry and financial management in Türkiye and abroad, and gave support to the overseas projects as well.

Mr. Murat Süzer who began to work as Accounting and Financial Reporting Manager at Güneş Sigorta in February 2016 served as the Finance Department Group Manager in charge of Collections, General Accounting, Budget Reporting and Investor Relations, and Underwriting Accounting functions as from May 2019.

Having assumed the position of Finance Director at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik upon the merger of insurance companies on and of public pension companies, Süzer was appointed as the Assistant General Manager of Finance at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik as of 15 December 2020. Mr. Süzer is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), holds an Advanced Level (Level 3) license from the CMB.

Mr. Süzer left his position at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik in March 2023 and he has been assigned as Assistant General Manager of Financial Management at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik on October, 2023.

Mr. Süzer, at the same time, continues to serve as Board Member of OSEM.

Tuba BULDU

Assistant General Manager

Ms. Tuba Buldu, after she had completed her bachelor of science degree in Istanbul University Nursing Department, she went on to complete her master's degree in Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Lung, and Chest Diseases Department and she finished certification programs in METU Health Information Technologies.

After her multiple roles in the health industry, Ms. Tuba Buldu having entered into the insurance sector at Allianz Sigorta in 2000, most recently, she took office as the Director Health Production, Underwriting, Product Management, Network, Provision, and Compensation units at Eureko Sigorta.

Ms. Buldu has started her new role as Assistant General Manager of Health Insurance in Türkiye Sigorta, as of September 1, 2022.

Şebnem ULUSOY

Chief Legal Counsellor

Graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Law in 1992, Ms. Şebnem Ulusoy received her attorney’s license in 1993 after completing her internship at Ankara Bar Association. She received her LLM in the European Union Law in 1996 at the University of Kent at Canterbury where she studied with Jean Monnet scholarship she earned in 1995.

She worked as Assistant Specialist in the Directorate General of Foreign Capital at the Undersecretariat of Treasury and Foreign Trade in 1994, as Treasury Specialist in the Directorate General of Insurance at the Undersecretariat of Treasury between 1995 and 2002 and as Branch Manager in the Directorate General of Insurance as of 2002.
She underwent internship as a career employee at the insurance unit (DG Internal Market) of European Union Commission in Brussels from January to April, 2000. Between 2008 and 2010, she worked as a Senior Associate at Paksoy Law Firm which provides legal consultancy services to the national and foreign investors in Türkiye.

Holding the position of Assistant General Manager in charge of Legal Affairs and General Secretariat at Groupama Sigorta and Groupama Emeklilik as of 2010, Ms Ulusoy also served as the Law Committee Member of the Association of Insurance, Reinsurance and Pension Companies of Türkiye. Appointed as the Assistant General Manager in charge of Legal Affairs at Güneş Sigorta as of August 10, 2020, Ms. Ulusoy has been serving as the Assistant General Manager of the Chief Legal Counsellor  at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat Emeklilik since September 1, 2020.

Ms. Ulusoy is also the Board Member of Corporate Governance Committee on Life and Pension of Association of Insurance, Reinsurance and Pension Companies of Türkiye.

Gürdoğan YURTSEVER

Head of Internal Systems

Graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences of Istanbul University, Mr. Gürdoğan Yurtsever completed his master’s degree at Istanbul University the Institute of Social Sciences. Starting his professional life as a deputy inspector in the Inspection Board of a private bank in 1995, Mr. Yurtsever held the positions of Inspector, Executive and Senior Executive at two banks.

Mr. Yurtsever who is experienced in the fields of Audit, Control, Risk Management, Legislative Compliance most recently worked as the Executive Director at the Head of Internal Control and Compliance as well as Financial Group and Bank Compliance Officer at ICBC Turkey Bank AŞ. Holding executive positions at various non-governmental organizations, Mr. Yurtsever serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Compliance Association.

Besides, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Institute of Internal Auditing - Turkey (TİDE) between 2014 and 2016. Mr Yurtsever is also the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Association of Futurists and the Chief Editor of Internal Auditor (İç Denetim) Magazine.              
Mr. Yurtsever wrote five books, two of which were published by the Association of Turkish Banks (TBB). Having written many professional articles and essays published in various magazines, Yurtsever edited numerous books, as well.

Mr. Yurtsever who has a monthly column in a magazine on economy and finance lectured undergraduate and graduate students in various universities. Mr. Yurtsever has the licenses and certificates of Certified Independent Accountant and Financial Advisor (CPA), Independent Auditor, Risk Management Assurance Specialist (CRMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) as well as Level 3 license from CMB, Derivative Instruments License, Credit Rating License and Corporate Governance Rating License.

Mr. Yurtsever holds the positions of the Head of Internal Systems and Supervisory Board Member at Türkiye Sigorta and Türkiye Hayat ve Emeklilik companies, as of January 8, 2022.