TSKB Development Day

Born in Eskişehir in 1974, Mr. Ozan Uyar graduated from the Department of Business Administration at Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. Mr. Uyar began his professional career in 1997 as an Assistant Auditor at the Internal Audit Department of Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. Working as Assistant Manager and Department Manager in the Commercial Loans Allocation Department of Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. between 2006 and 2015, Mr. Uyar assumed the roles of Loans Portfolio Management Manager in 2015, Corporate Banking Marketing and Sales Manager in 2017, Corporate Loans Allocation Manager in 2020 and Project Finance Manager in 2021.

Mr. Uyar worked as a manager at İşbank's corporate branches between 2022 and 2025. He was appointed as TSKB’s Executive Vice President for Loan Allocation, Financial Analysis and Loan Operations on January 21, 2025.

As of 01.08.2025 Mr. Ozan Uyar will serve as CEO and Member of the Board of Directors of TSKB.

He directs Oxford Martin's research programmes on Technological and Economic Change, the Future of Work and the Future of Development. From 2001-2006, he served as Vice President and Group Policy Director at the World Bank and as Special Representative to the United Nations.

From 1996-2001, he served as economic advisor to President Mandela and as Executive Director of the Southern African Development Bank (DBSA), making the bank the largest investor in over 500 municipalities and infrastructure projects across 14 Southern African countries. Previously, he served as Chief Economist at the EBRD and Programme Director at the OECD Centre for Development.

He holds a master's degree from the London School of Economics and master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University. He was awarded the title of Knight by the French Government and has received numerous awards. He has published over 60 journal articles and 23 books. His most recent book is “Rescue: From the Global Crisis to a Better World”. His previous books include “Terra Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years”, “Age of Discovery: Navigating the Storms of Our Second Renaissance”, and “The Butterfly Defect: Why Globalization Creates Systemic Risks and What to Do”, in which he predicted in 2014 that the most likely cause of the next financial crisis would be a global pandemic. Other books include Development: “A Very Short Introduction” and “Is the Planet Full? After The Crash; Will AI Kill Development?” and he has authored and presented three BBC documentary series, “The Pandemic that Changed the World.”

He has advised the IMF, UN, EU, OECD, and over 100 Fortune 500 companies, and has served as a non-executive director at six publicly traded companies worldwide, including Senior Independent Director and chairing a wide range of Board Committees.

Burcu Ünüvar started her career at investment banking in 2004 and worked as the Senior Economist at Is Investment until 2013. Following her investment banking career, she joined Bilkent University as a full time academic at the Department of Economics.

In April 2017 she joined TSKB as the Chief Economist and the Head of Economic Research Department. As of August 2023, she was promoted to the Director position while also continuing her research as the Chief Economist, coordinating macroeconomic content regarding markets and development themes, with a focus on ecosystem crisis.

Ms Ünüvar holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, MSc Degree in Applied Economics and Finance from Denmark and USA, and a PhD in Economics. On a related front, she continues her research as a non-teaching academic focusing on monetary policy, central bank communication and green central banking.

After graduating from Hacettepe University's Department of Physics Engineering in 2007, she received her master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Sabancı University in 2009.

She obtained her doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois (USA) in 2014. During her doctoral studies, she conducted research on flexible and foldable electronic devices that can be worn inside the body and on the skin, encompassing the fields of physics, electronics, chemistry, materials, mechanics, and medicine.

She was included in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Technology Review's annual list of Innovators Under 35. Dr. Dağdeviren, who continues her work at the MIT Media Lab, is also a junior academic member at Harvard University.

With her inventions that bring together different disciplines, Dr. Dağdeviren has begun to be recognized as a significant name in the field of medical technology worldwide before the age of 30, while also serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of Kadir Has University.

Hasan Hepkaya was born in Samsun in 1981, and graduated from the department of Business Administration at Hacettepe University. He started his career in Garanti Leasing in 2003. After serving in a variety of roles and positions in Corporate Banking and Project Finance Departments in TSKB between 2005 - 2014, he was promoted as Head of Project Finance and Head of Corporate Banking respectively between 2014-2018. Appointed as Executive Vice President as of 1 April 2019, Mr. Hepkaya is currently in charge of Corporate Banking Marketing, Project Finance, Corporate Banking Sales and Loan Operations Departments.

Ebru Nur Yıldız graduated from Başkent University’s Department of Business Administration in 2001. She later completed a Master’s in Accounting and Finance program at Hacettepe University’s Institute of Social Sciences. From 2002 to 2005, she worked in the Corporate Banking Department of Garanti Bank. Following her banking experience, she joined the Limak Group in 2005, where she played an active role in short- and long-term financing activities for infrastructure investments, including cement, tourism, ports, roads, airports, energy generation, and distribution projects. She has extensive experience in project finance, corporate finance, insurance, and cash management. Additionally, she holds executive and board memberships in various projects, particularly in the energy and infrastructure industries.

Selin Refik is a finance professional with more than 20 years of experience, combining expertise in both banking and the real sector. She currently serves as CFO of Özaltın Holding, where she leads financial strategy, budgeting, investor relations, and risk management processes. Throughout her career, she has held key positions at major institutions including Finansbank, Tepe İnşaat, and Yüksel Holding, specializing in international banking relations, project finance, and corporate finance. Ms.Refik graduated from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Middle East Technical University and later completed the Executive MBA program at the same university.

A strategic and results-driven leader with over 20 years of experience in R&D and product management, leading large-scale innovation and product development initiatives. He currently heads the R&D organization at Beko, driving innovation, product excellence, and business growth. He has a proven track record in delivering impactful products, optimizing manufacturing operations, and leading cross-functional teams in complex environments.

He began his career after completing his Mechanical Engineering studies at Middle East Technical University (METU) and a master’s degree at Northeastern University, and later strengthened his business and leadership capabilities with an Executive MBA from Koç University. Over the course of his career at Beko, he has held a wide range of leadership roles spanning R&D, product management, and manufacturing, contributing to the development of innovative and high-impact products.

Professional Experience

Beko Corporate

• Executive Director – R&D | July 2025 – Present
• Executive Product Director – Dishwashers | May 2023 – July 2025
• Executive Director – Product Management | August 2022 – May 2023
• Director of Product Management | January 2021 – August 2022
• Group Manager – R&D (Cooling) | April 2019 – January 2021
• Group Manager – Product Management | June 2018 – March 2019
• Head of Product Management (Cooking Appliances) | February 2016 – May 2018
• Head of Product Management (Cooling Appliances) | December 2013 – February 2016
• Production Line Team Leader | November 2011 – November 2013
• R&D Specialist | June 2004 – January 2012

Northeastern Üniversitesi

• Research & Teaching Assistant | Sep 2001 – Oct 2003

Education

·      Executive Education, Program for Leadership Development (PLD) | Harvard Business School, 2023–2024

• Executive MBA | Koç University, 2013–2014
• MSc in Mechanical Engineering | Northeastern University, 2001–2003
• BSc in Mechanical Engineering | Middle East Technical University, 1997- 2001

Akten is an interdisciplinary artist and computer scientist who uses artificial intelligence, code, and data as both creative tools and subjects of critical research. His work is based on “Speculative Simulations” and “Data Dramatizations,” exploring the tension between technology and ecology, science and spirituality, and individual and collective intelligence.

Akten, who holds a PhD in Deep Neural Networks (Artificial Intelligence) from Goldsmiths University, is among the pioneers in this field. He is currently an Assistant Professor at UC San Diego and continues his research within the Superradiance Center, which he co-founded.

His works have been exhibited in leading institutions around the world, including the Venice Biennale, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Barbican, the Grand Palais, and the Mori Art Museum. He has presented at academic conferences such as NeurIPS and SIGGRAPH; and has been featured in publications such as Wired, the NY Times, The Guardian, and Art in America.

He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Prix Ars Electronica Golden Nica (2013). He has collaborated with artists such as Google, U2, Depeche Mode, and Richard Dawkins; and in 2011, he was among the founding partners of Marshmallow Laser Feast studio.

Didem Eryar Ünlü graduated from Lycée Français Pierre Loti in 1986 and from the Department of English Language and Literature at Boğaziçi University in 1994.

She began her journalism career as a reporter at Turkish Daily News. She later worked as an editor at the Office for Official Publications of the European Union in Luxembourg — OPOCE, now known as the Publications Office of the European Union. She also served as the Luxembourg Representative of CIDC, the Center for International Dialogue and Cooperation, and worked as a program producer at NTV upon her return to Türkiye.

In 1999, she joined Dünya Newspaper as Foreign News Editor. She currently serves as Coordinator & Columnist and Sustainability Editor at NB Ekonomi Gazetesi.

Her work focuses on sustainability, economy, global affairs and transformation agendas. She has translated works by Jacques Derrida and Georges Bataille, published by Kabalcı Publishing House. She is also the author of “İyi Olan Kazansın: Sürdürülebilirliğin 5N1K’sı”, published by Sia Kitap in 2022.

Fluent in French and English, Didem Eryar Ünlü is married and has a daughter.

Atakan Nalbant has been developing technology in the internet sector for over a decade. He previously served on the founding teams of high-profile startups, including one featured on the cover of Time magazine, bringing numerous international awards to Türkiye. As an expert consultant, he has guided both public and private sector organizations in digital accessibility. Following his tenure at global FMCG companies, Atakan Nalbant co-founded Binclusive three years ago. The venture simplifies how organizations deliver enhanced user experiences to all customers. Under his leadership, this Turkish-born initiative is now scaling across Europe into a global startup.

Balca Yılmaz is the CEO and Co-Founder of Werover, a company developing AI-driven monitoring solutions for renewable energy assets. A graduate of Control and Automation Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, she has focused on predictive maintenance technologies throughout her career.

She began her entrepreneurial journey in 2018 together with her university peer Çağlar Erat, laying the foundations of Werover and developing underwater robotic systems for industrial inspections. Following the successful commercialization of this technology, the team pivoted to wind energy in 2022 and started developing Windrover, an AI-based wind turbine blade health monitoring system.

Today, Windrover is used in more than 7 countries and works with leading energy companies, helping improve asset reliability and optimize maintenance operations.

Balca Yılmaz has successfully commercialized two different technologies in the renewable energy sector and was named Microsoft Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022. She continues to lead Werover with a vision of making energy more efficient and sustainable.