Şişli, Istanbul, Türkiye
Strong track record as CEO in NASDAQ listed company driving x4 times increase in market cap in 3 years. 29 years’ experience across e-commerce, consumer and technology in top Fortune companies: Amazon, P&G and Hepsiburada (HEPS-Nasdaq). Award winning results Worldwide leading over $10bn P&Ls. Nilhan led with strategic plans delivering top and bottom line growth through technology, marketing & sales, process improvement, cost savings and organization design initiatives across many business. She achieved award winning results delivering strong share, profit, equity growth across several geographies including US, İndia, Western Europe, Nordics, Eastern Europe, Near East including Türkiye. Nilhan is known for step changing company performances with her hands-on, collaborative, inspirational and visionary leadership style. She is ambitious, creates and demands high performance and successfully orchestrates external & interna stakeholders, leads cross-functional teams, fosters strong relationships with business partners. She is a key thought leader in e-commerce and consumer known for advancing ideas and driving transformational change. She is passionate for growing talent and business, brand building, scalable innovations and game changing plans.
Hepsiburada Group is a pioneer tech company in Turkiye (listed in NASDAQ as HEPS) with over $5bn GMV that operates across e-commerce, financial services and logistics business with over 11.000 work force. As CEO of the group coming in, after a challenging IPO period for tech players, she led a very successful turnaround and delivered strong sustainable and profitable growth with a strong team she hired and continually rises HEPS performance. • Turned around profitability from -350mm USD annual net loss, to positive net income in 2024. Built a more profitable mix with higher gross margin business (gross margin increased by 60% over three years, reaching to 11.3% in 2024). Built a strong loyalty program (PREMIUM) with 3,5 mm members, optimized performance marketing investment, built a strong retail marketing company (Hepsi Ads) and delivered long lasting cost transformation & tech initiatives focusing on automation. • Achieved +70% GMV growth in three years exceeding 5bn USD GMV (2024). Achieved NPS leadership for Hepsiburada despite strong global competitors with strong service levels for ecommerce & logistics customers. • Diversified the Hepsiburada group revenue portfolio building AI powered B2B advertising (HepsiAds) and e-commerce logistics business: Hepsijet became one of the largest carriers in Turkiye, delivery volume more than doubled and achieved NPS leadership. Hepsi Ads entered largest retail media outlet with strong returns for its customers. • Stepchanged Female Entrepreneurship in Turkiye, more than tripled her female merchant base with a dedicated support program (to 65.000 female entrepreneurs in HEPS Marketplace) creating strong public institute partnerships with Ministry of Trade / Technology and Family. • Strong execution on well-defined priorities led Hepsiburada to success and risen company profile. In 2024, received Silver Youth Award for ‘Most Desired Tech Workplace’ surpassing almost all global competitors.
As Pan-EU Chief of Business / Ops and Tech: responsible from "Business Strategy, expansion, our dedicated fashion supply chain network (5 FCs), tech infrastructure (BI / data engineering functions), product & tech teams, revenue and profitability delivery, improvement targets and programs". Member of European Retail Management Board.
Building a new billion $ transportation business via leading end to end strategy and business development of Amazon Shipping WW. Successfully penetrated Amazon “parcel delivery services” to marketplace merchants and other retailers across Europe and Asia.
Accountable for Product Insurance Business in Europe and Consumer Electronics categories at Amazon UK (Phones, Camera, Home entertainment, Electronics) and various programs focused on delivery experience, Alexa adoption.
Responsible of P&G petcare (Iams & Eukanuba brands playing in cat and dog food) with a Multifunctional team of 20 people. -Stepchanged profitability, delivering strong bottomline growth behind cost efficiencies, reorganization of the roles, smarter marketing plans and more efficient go to market. -Delivered Highest ever share for Iams in UK behind interventions to communication strategy and strong digital focus . (Value sales 106 IYA / penetration 114 IYA) despite divestiture context and recieved Vice President Award for EMEA “Best Pet Care Growth”. -Architect of Petcare digital eco system leading the way in digital targeted marketing, reaching pet owners with personalised content across multi digital touchpoints partnering with Kennel Club, Novartis Animal Health and other social media platforms like facebook and youtube. On top of Petcare business & organizational responsibilities, leads several other projects in P&G Northern Europe: -Media & Digital Capability Building Leader in Brand Management Organization (34 Brand Managers, 80 ABMs) -Display I-media Digital Creative Evaluation Board Member representing UK in Northern Europe -Steering Team Member for “Inspired Leadership” Academy in P&G N.Europe that nurtures talent across functions -Heads up Stewardship in P&G UK for Marketing organization last three years -Mentoring 3 Brand Managers in Household and beauty categories
P&G, Brand Manager, Aircare and Household SCALE AIRCARE: Responsible of P&G aircare portfolio (Febreze – Ambipur brands playing in 6 segments: room & fabric sprays, plugs, candles, car, reeds) worth £110MM sales, leading a Multifunctional team of 12. Key accomplishments: -Brought P&G Aircare to market leadership vs No.3 position in 2011 (27% value share- 2013/ 117ix vs 2011 ) -Stepchanged P&G Aircare profitiability via changing the Ambipur business model and whitespace expansions. Led all interventions end to end, from insight to new packs/communications that is rolled out in rest of Europe. -Defined winning innovation pipeline for aircare & landed with global success for next 3 Years- recieved UK General Manager award for “Best Inspirational Growth in UK” P&G, Household Scale Brand Manager -Initiated and led P&G Household category scale project (Category worth £1.1 Billion sales) aiming at delivering scale advantage for our brands & more value for grocer customers. Led a multifunctional team including insights, sales, marketing. Key accomplishments were: -Identified and led portfolio /innovation opportunities across household care (£14million incremental sales) -Led thought leadership for grocers protecting their business vs discounters (Right Promotional / range / eventing / NPD strategies) and Initiated Joint Marketing Programs and aligned plans with Tesco, JS, Waitrose. -Recognized among most innovative marketing projects in organization by Europe President, shared for re-application.
Responsible from total P&G Fabric enhancers portfolio (Lenor, Fairy, Bounce) and Laundry additives portfolio (Ariel stain removers & Ace) worth £270m in UK & Ireland and leading a multifunctional team of 11 people. Key accomplishments: -Led the Ariel stain removers launch in UK including which has broken global value share, penetration records as of Year1 behind strong marketing/go to market plans. Awarded “Best NPD Launch of 2011”. -Achieved highest ever shares for P&G in fabric conditioners; by identifying the right portfolio strategy for UK (base/premium/sensitive) which brought Lenor to market leadership in UK history and received President Award. -Led most successful Lenor commercial innovation - on premium range (POTY) and prepared the full toolkit including TV that is delivered 3 digit growth for premium business.
Led the future direction of Braun hair care/electrical beauty and also has been the architect of digital ecosystem for total Braun portfolio in UK (Braun sales worth £40m). Key achievements: • Envisioned sustainable business model for hair styling business in UK and gained alignment from headquarters to take the bold, but financially sound decision to withdraw from the UK Hair Care corded market and grow in cordless styling market. This has improved Braun UK profitability by ix 331. • Built first ever digital marketing plans for Braun portfolio, engaged all sales teams with successful leadership that brought biggest ever joint plan by Amazon to Braun and national growth (Braun male business ix 120 & female business ix 190 in Xmas period in 2009). More than 30% of Braun business today is coming from ecommerce. Built the first 'E-commerce & digital playbook' which is scaled across P&G portfolio in Europe.
Consulted Finnish companies in their expansion to CEEMEA region. Dealt clients and multimillion Euro projects at CEO Level. Set clear strategic direction and helped execution via establishing partnerships, mergers and acquisitions in vast array of sectors ie technology, energy, food and electronics. Enabled customers to find new business and value share with right strategic analysis and growth plans. Key achievements: -Increased the turnover of the organization in double digits consistently for 6 years -Led diverse teams +10 people successfully in CEEMEA Region (Selected among Top5 Most influential leader in based on employee feedback