Corporate Governance
Board of Directors
Alpaslan 'AKAR
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Alpaslan "akar graduated from the Department of Public Administration at Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences. He began his career at T.C. Ziraat Bankasi A.S. in 1996 as an Assistant Inspector and subsequently served as Inspector and Branch Manager. In 2005, he was appointed Regional Head. In August 2007, he became Head of Department and subsequently served as Executive Vice President responsible for Retail Banking, Operational Transactions, Retail Banking and Retail Banking again. Between January 2016 and July 2017, he served as Executive Vice President in charge of Distribution Channels Management; between July 2017 and June 2018, as Executive Vice President responsible for Payment Systems; and between June 2018 and March 2021, as Executive Vice President responsible for Retail Banking-2. Between 2003 and 2019, "akar held Board Member and Supervisory Board Member positions at various institutions including Ziraat Financial Leasing, Bilesim Alternative Distribution Channels Payment Systems Inc., Ziraat Life and Pension Inc., Ziraat Insurance Inc., Credit Bureau Inc., Ziraat Bank (Moscow) JSC, T'rkmen Turkish Commercial Bank, Ziraat Technology Inc., Interbank Card Center Inc., Ziraat Real Estate Investment Trust Inc. and Ziraat Bank (Moscow) JSC. Since 16 July 2019, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Ziraat Bank (Moscow) JSC. As of March 2021, he has continued his role as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Ziraat Bankasi. Since 22 April 2021, he has been serving as Chairman of the Banks Association of Türkiye. As of 1 February 2022, he continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of Ziraat Katilim.
Fikrettin AKSU
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
Fikrettin Aksu graduated from the Department of Business Administration at K'tahya Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Eskisehir Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences in 1979. After working in various institutions between 1980 and 1984, he joined T.C. Ziraat Bankasi A.S. in 1984. Between 1984 and 2014, he held various positions within the Bank and later served as General Manager of Ziraat Life and Pension Inc., Ziraat Insurance Inc. and Ziraat Investment Securities Inc. Between October 2018 and December 2019, Aksu served as Head of Human Resources Group and between December 2019 and August 2020 as Head of Internal Operations Group. As of 19 June 2020, he has been serving as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ziraat Katilim as well as Member of the Audit Committee and Corporate Governance Committee, and since 3 November 2021, as Substitute Member of the Credit Committee.
Metin 'ZDEMIR
Chief Executive Officer and Board Member
Metin "zdemir graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration in 1990. He began his professional career at Kuveyt T"rk Finance House Inc. in 1992 and continued his career in managerial roles within the retail sector from 1996 onwards. Between 2004 and 2014, "zdemir served as a Member of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council. From April 2012 to 27 May 2019, he held positions at Ziraat Bankasi as Board Member, Member of the Remuneration Committee and Substitute Member of the Credit Committee. Between May 2018 and May 2021, he served as Chairman of the Participation Banks Association of Türkiye. Having served as Board Member of Ziraat Katilim Bank since 18 February 2015, "zdemir was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Ziraat Katilim Bank on 12 June 2017.
Mahmut Esfa EMEK
Board Member
Mahmut Esfa Emek was born in Erzurum in 1965. He graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Atat"rk University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences in 1985. He began his career as Assistant Inspector at Imar Bank in 1988. Between 1990 and 2017, he held various positions at Albaraka T"rk Participation Bank including Inspector, Head of the Audit Board, Unit Manager, Senior Unit Manager and Executive Vice President responsible for Operations and Loans. He also served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board Member at a private company. Between 2017 and 2019, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Birlesik Fon Bank. Since 31 March 2021, Emek has been serving as Board Member of Ziraat Katilim Bank as well as Member of the Audit Committee and Substitute Member of the Credit Committee.
Ahmet BU'UKOGLU
Board Member
Ahmet Bu"ukoglu was born in Kayseri in 1955. He graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Economics and Finance in 1980. He joined T.C. Ziraat Bankasi A.S. in 1982. Between 1982 and 2014, he served in various positions including Assistant Inspector, Inspector, Deputy Manager of Agricultural Loans, Head of Intelligence Department, Branch Manager and Regional Manager. Between 2014 and 2018, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Türkiye Development Bank. As of 19 June 2020, Bu"ukoglu has been serving as Board Member of Ziraat Katilim and is also a Member of the Credit Committee and the Remuneration Committee.
Mehmet BASIB"Y"K
Board Member
Mehmet Basib"y"k was born in Artvin in 1966. He graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Public Administration in 1988. After working in various institutions between 1988 and 1991, he joined Albaraka T"rk Participation Bank Inc. in 1991 in the Fund Utilization Department. Between 1995 and 2004, he held various roles at Albaraka T"rk Participation Bank Head Office units and served as Branch Manager between 2008 and 2019. As of 25 March 2022, Basib"y"k has been serving as Board Member of Ziraat Katilim and is also a Member of the Credit Committee and Corporate Governance Committee. He is also a Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Assembly and Representative of the Finance Sector Committee.
Dr. Murat CANG'L
Board Member
Dr. Murat Cang"l was born in Balikesir in 1974. He graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Law in 1996. He completed his master's degree in Labour Economics and Industrial Relations at Gazi University and his PhD in Commercial Law within the Private Law Department at Sel"uk University. He began his professional career in 1997 as a research and collective bargaining specialist at the Belediye-Is Union affiliated with the T"rk-Is Confederation. He worked for many years as an independent lawyer and expert witness in Commercial Courts and Intellectual and Industrial Property Courts and served in managerial roles at various civil society organizations. He is also a registered trademark attorney before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. Between 2016 and 2019, he served as Board Member at Türkiye Halk Bankasi and Halk Portfolio Management; between 2018 and 2020 as Board Member of the Social Security Institution; and between 2019 and 2020 as advisor at Türkiye Halk Bankasi and Halk Life and Pension. Until August 2023, he served as Secretary General of TESK and Board Member of the Ministry of Trade - Türkiye Tradesmen and Craftsmen Registry Gazette. Since September 2022, he has been lecturing at Ankara Medipol University Faculty of Law. As of 3 August 2023, Cang"l has been serving as Board Member of Ziraat Katilim and is also a Member of the Remuneration Committee.