Istanbul, Türkiye
Technology executive with 25+ years leading engineering, data, and enterprise architecture across insurance, retail, and financial services. Proven in building teams, driving digital transformation, and delivering measurable outcomes in governance, analytics, security, and market growth.
• Led the technical team across solution delivery and pre&post sales consulting, improving execution discipline and technical ownership for regional customers. Expanded DataSunrise adoption across Turkey and Europe, securing 15 enterprise customers in finance and holding companies and increasing regional market presence in data security and compliance. Spearheaded the expansion of the Value-Added Distribution (VAD) solution portfolio, strategically growing beyond core security products to include advanced Analytical and Governance products, which successfully expanded the company's addressable market. Engineered and deployed a comprehensive, internal demo and test Environment ecosystem for all represented applications (Security, Analytics, Governance), eliminating critical technical knowledge gaps and enabling high-fidelity customer demonstrations and faster Proofs of Concept. The test environments were provided for the prospect customers to test and evaluate the products remotely without any on-prem installation. This service was provided as DaaS. Drove strategic product management and selection, successfully evaluating, onboarding, and managing key vendor relationships while ensuring all solutions align with evolving enterprise security, data, and architectural needs. Managed the relationships with vendors, customers and partners and acted as a bridge in technical aspects.
• Directed and mentored multiple technical teams spanning Business Intelligence (BI) and Software Development, driving project execution and fostering collaboration across all phases of the SDLC and ETL, Data warehousing and Analytics. Provided also a leadership to team managers. • Led the implementation of a sophisticated Claims Fraud detection project leveraging a partner solution that combines rule-based scoring with Machine Learning (ML) and Social Network Analysis. Achieved a measurable Return on Investment (ROI) in less than two months by significantly reducing fraudulent payouts. • Architected and implemented a new, enterprise-grade Data Warehouse solution, selecting the IBM Insurance Information Warehouse (IIW) data model as the standard. Utilized IBM DataStage for ETL routines and IBM CDC for near real-time data capture, significantly enhancing data integrity and availability. • Established a Self-Service BI capability using IBM Cognos, providing training and enablement for power users across various business units. This shift allowed the core BI team to pivot focus toward high-value projects, including Advanced Data Analytics and performance optimization. • Spearheaded the integration of external data sources into the diagnostic analytics framework, laying the foundational capability for subsequent Predictive Analytics initiatives. • Prepared and secured approval for a multi-year digital transformation roadmap for Groupama Group using a TOGAF-based approach to modernize core systems, align technology with business priorities, and define the enterprise architecture roadmap. • Technical Lead for the Usage Based Insurance application, overseeing design and development of telematics-based back-end infrastructure for new insurance products. • Strengthened IT governance and compliance by implementing an ISO 27001-aligned information security framework and supporting CIO-led COBIT and ITIL operating models.
Established the entire foundational IT function for the greenfield life insurance startup, responsible for the strategy, design, and implementation of all technology necessary for launch and operations. Led critical IT procurement and vendor management for all systems, including the successful selection and implementation of the Core Insurance Software solution, ensuring alignment with regulatory and business requirements. Designed and executed the complete IT infrastructure build-out for the new head office, encompassing all network components (data and voice), server infrastructure, and end-user computing, enabling the company's operational readiness. Developed the inaugural, multi-year IT Strategy, prioritizing system implementation, data security, and operational resilience to support the immediate and long-term growth objectives of the new life insurance entity.
Provided specialized consultancy services, driving critical data management and architectural projects for international and domestic clients, including: Aviva Asigurari de Viata S.A., Romania. Led end-to-end Data Warehouse development originating from the core policy administration system, establishing foundational reporting and analytical capabilities for the Romanian entity. Enhanced Data Quality and Business Integrity by identifying critical data discrepancies within the core system using the new DWH. Developed specialized Life Insurance simulation applications to model business impact and ensure data accuracy. Oversaw data migration efforts for critical systems, including the design and execution of migration reconciliation reports to guarantee data fidelity and regulatory compliance. Provided advanced technical support for crucial back-end infrastructure, specifically managing and optimizing IBM AIX and Oracle server environments.
Managed the Software Development Group, leading the entire lifecycle for the company's in-house application portfolio, including development, maintenance, and strategic improvement initiatives. Architected and delivered a centralized management application critical for the operational stability of the retail environment, successfully controlling over 300 IBM POS terminals deployed across 50+ store locations. Drove significant operational efficiency through the optimization of core Oracle databases and the direct enhancement of business continuity procedures, bolstering system resilience and performance. Architecturally enhanced and stabilized the ETL environment by changing the failing batch process and implementing an incremental ETL solution. This critical intervention ensured data warehouse loads were finalized reliably and within nightly windows, eliminating prior failures and significantly improving data availability and analytical timelines for the Data Warehouse Group. Provided technical consultancy and strategic assistance to the IT Manager across a broad spectrum of IT-related issues, contributing to high-level decision-making and project prioritization.