Key Appointments at Kuwait Türk

Kuveyt Türk has made senior appointments at the management level. Semih Sel has been appointed as the Deputy General Manager of Human Resources and Strategy, Dr. Okan Acar as the Deputy General Manager of Digital Banking and Payment Systems, Aslan Demir as the Deputy General Manager of Treasury and International Banking, and Dr. Ruşen Ahmet Albayrak as the Deputy General Manager of Corporate and Commercial Banking.

As one of Turkey's leading participation finance institutions, Kuveyt Türk is entering the new year with these significant management-level appointments. Following the retirement of Ahmet Süleyman Karakaya, the Deputy General Manager of Corporate and Commercial Banking, Dr. Ruşen Ahmet Albayrak has been appointed to this position. Aslan Demir has been appointed to the position of Deputy General Manager of Treasury and International Banking, while Semih Sel has taken on the role of Deputy General Manager of Human Resources and Strategy. Dr. Okan Acar has been appointed to the newly established position of Deputy General Manager of Digital Banking and Payment Systems.

Ufuk Uyan, the General Manager of Kuveyt Türk, commented on the appointments: "We thank Ahmet Süleyman Bey, who has served our bank with dedication for many years, and wish him health and happiness in his retirement. I believe that the newly established Deputy General Manager of Digital Banking and Payment Systems will further advance our strong vision in digital transformation, adding value to the future of our bank by combining technology with a human-centered service approach. I wish all the appointees success and hope the upcoming period will be filled with achievements."

Dr. Ruşen Ahmet Albayrak - Deputy General Manager of Corporate and Commercial Banking Ruşen Ahmet Albayrak graduated from the Industrial Engineering Department of Istanbul Technical University. He earned his master's degree in Organizational Leadership and Business from North Carolina State University in the U.S. in 1993 and his doctorate in Technology Management from Istanbul Technical University in 2007. Albayrak entered the participation banking sector 30 years ago and has been working as a Deputy General Manager at Kuveyt Türk since 2005. He managed the Banking Services Group until October 2012, after which he was appointed as the Deputy General Manager responsible for Treasury, Investment, and International Banking. Dr. Ruşen Ahmet Albayrak will assume his new role as Deputy General Manager of Corporate and Commercial Banking on January 1, 2025.

Aslan Demir - Deputy General Manager of Treasury and International Banking Aslan Demir graduated from the International Relations Department of Marmara University and completed his master's degree at the University of Sheffield in the U.K., focusing on "Critical Elements of Strategy Implementation in Banking Sector." He began his banking career in 1995 in the Treasury Department of Kuveyt Türk, serving for six years before continuing his career in Project Management and Quality Management from 2001 to 2004. Appointed as Project Management and Quality Manager in 2005, he transitioned to Group Manager of Information Technologies with a reorganization in 2007. Aslan Demir has continued as the Deputy General Manager responsible for Strategy since October 2012 and will start his new role as Deputy General Manager of Treasury and International Banking on January 1, 2025.

Semih Sel - Deputy General Manager of Human Resources and Strategy Semih Sel graduated from the Industrial Engineering Department of Istanbul Technical University and began his career at Kuveyt Türk as a Quality Development Specialist in 2000. From 2004 to 2009, he held various roles in human resources, including recruitment, compensation, career, and performance management, before becoming the Human Resources Manager in 2009. Serving as Human Resources Manager until 2012, he led numerous award-winning projects, including the first implementation of flexible fringe benefits in the banking sector and the establishment of the Kuveyt Türk Banking Academy, after being appointed as the Human Resources Group Manager. Semih Sel will commence his role as Deputy General Manager of Human Resources and Strategy at Kuveyt Türk on January 1, 2025.

Dr. Okan Acar - Deputy General Manager of Digital Banking and Payment Systems Dr. Okan Acar graduated from the Industrial Engineering Department of Marmara University and completed his master's degree in management and organization and his doctorate in finance at Istanbul University. He began his career in 2000 at Pamukbank in the Commercial Credit Allocation Unit and joined Kuveyt Türk in 2004 as a Credit Product Development Specialist. After a period as the Product Development Manager at Shamil Bank of Bahrain, he returned to Kuveyt Türk in 2008, where he held various positions, including Individual and Business Product Development Manager, Individual and Business Marketing Manager, and Digital Marketing Manager. Since 2016, he has served as Group Manager of Private Banking and Digital Transformation. Dr. Okan Acar has published four books. He will take on the role of Deputy General Manager of Digital Banking and Payment Systems on January 1, 2025.