Istanbul, Istanbul, Türkiye
Senior executive, board-level advisor, and technology strategist with 32+ years of leadership experience across telecommunications, R&D, innovation ecosystems, digital and AI transformation, venture development, and corporate strategy. I specialize in bridging technology with business impact—building scalable, sustainable innovation and R&D models that enable organizations to grow, transform, and compete in rapidly evolving global markets. Throughout my career, I have led large-scale technology transformation programs, established international innovation centers, and advised boards and executive teams on governance, investment strategy, and technology-driven business models. My work focuses on deep tech, digital transformation, and future-ready growth strategies, helping organizations unlock new value, navigate complexity, and create long-term strategic advantage. Beyond my professional role, I am deeply committed to mentorship, innovation leadership, and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. I actively support collaborative innovation ecosystems and advocate for greater representation of women in leadership and technology, believing in the power of knowledge-sharing and strategic investment to drive meaningful and sustainable impact.
http://stravision.com.tr
Verda Emiroglu (VE) started working with Turkcell to lead the establishment of Turkcell Technology (TTECH), the R&D company of the Group, in 2006. In the establishment stage of TTECH, VE managed the entire program and has become a member of the management team as the R&D, Innovation & Strategy Executive. She developed and managed Turkcell’s business models and infrastructures in the fields of R&D, innovation, internal entrepreneurship, management of intellectual property rights (IPR), and ensured that TTECH participated in and benefited from national and international R&D Programs, and took part in the Board of Directors of ITEA. VE, who gave seminars to business partners and universities, has played a role in elevating Turkey to the position of being one of the 2 countries whose efforts are supported by ITEA3. VE, who established the IPR management model and managed IPR since 2007, was able to elevate Turkcell to the position of one of Turkey’s 3 intellectual rights leader companies in the last 3 years on the basis of patent application and acceptance numbers that have been on the rise throughout the years. VE, who established “embedded systems” and “computational intelligence” applied research laboratories at TTECH, has worked with teams that have been passionate about research and with technologic vision, and managed the processes from the idea phase to prototype, and from prototype to the final product. Upon the decision of Turkcell to increase its R&D investments under an R&D center in 2013, she has assumed the leading role of founding one of the biggest R&D centers in Turkey, and completed the task by establishing entire processes and infrastructures in a flawlessly operating manner. Upon receiving the approval of the R&D center in late 2013 with 750 engineers, she successfully continued her duties as the R&D Center Executive. TTECH R&D Center has kept its leadership as an exemplary R&D Center in Turkey within the framework of all assessment criteria.