Istanbul, Istanbul, Türkiye
Highly experienced IT professional specializing in international governmental relations, with a proven ability to build and leverage relationships with key decision-makers to facilitate successful market expansion. Adept at navigating the complexities of international business development, I bring a wealth of experience in government affairs and public sector IT initiatives. My career is defined by forging strategic partnerships in a global context, requiring a high degree of cultural intelligence and adaptability. I thrive in roles that demand a nuanced understanding of diverse political landscapes and the ability to cultivate collaborations that drive strategic growth and achieve impactful results.
As the founder of Cake Yard, I conceptualized and launched a streamlined and highly appealing cinnamon roll franchise, transforming a passion for delicious baked goods into a viable and scalable business model. This venture represents a culmination of entrepreneurial drive, meticulous planning, and a commitment to creating a unique and accessible culinary experience. My journey with Cake Yard was a deep dive into every facet of business development, from initial concept refinement to operational execution. I recognized the potential for a simplified, yet premium, cinnamon roll concept and embarked on a comprehensive development process. This included: Concept Innovation: Developing a prime, easy-to-implement cinnamon roll concept designed for efficient franchising. Expanding the traditional cinnamon roll offering with innovative savory and sweet variations, broadening the appeal and market reach. Strategic Foundation: Meticulously crafting all essential business documentation, including franchise agreements, operational manuals, and financial projections. Establishing a robust company structure, ensuring a solid foundation for future growth and expansion. Operational Excellence: Designing and sourcing specialized equipment tailored to the unique needs of Cake Yard's product line. Creating a cohesive and inviting brand design, reflecting the brand's commitment to quality and simplicity. building all the needed structure to keep the company running. Franchise Model Development: Building a simplified and replicable franchise model, focusing on ease of operation and profitability for franchisees. aiming for a easy to operate and profitable franchise. Entrepreneurial Leadership: Driving the company from initial concept to a fully operational business, navigating the challenges and opportunities of startup life. I am passionate about creating successful and sustainable businesses and am eager to leverage my expertise in future ventures.
As the founder of ZAK GIDA, I lead a frozen pastry production company that specializes in providing high-quality frozen pastries to cafe chains, exporting to international markets, and fulfilling the market demand for innovative products that align with global food industry trends. We also serve as a key provider for several concept chains across Turkey. In establishing ZAK GIDA, my vision was to create a leading player in the frozen pastry sector. My key achievements include: Product Development and Innovation: Continuously monitoring global food trends to develop innovative and unique frozen pastry products that meet market demands. Designing customized product solutions for cafe chains and concept chains, maximizing customer satisfaction. Production and Quality Control: Establishing rigorous production processes that adhere to high-quality standards, ensuring product flavor and freshness. Maintaining strict food safety and hygiene protocols, providing customers with reliable and trustworthy products. Market Expansion and Export: Securing a significant market share by supplying to cafe and concept chains throughout Turkey. Expanding our reach into international markets, taking significant steps towards establishing ZAK GIDA as a global brand. Customer Relations and Business Development: Building strong and long-lasting relationships with customers, fostering valuable business partnerships. Engaging in strategic business development activities to reach new markets and customer segments. By founding ZAK GIDA, I have successfully achieved my goal of creating an innovative and reliable brand in the frozen pastry industry. This experience has provided me with invaluable insights into food industry trends, product development, production management, and market expansion.
As a Founding Partner, I spearheaded the introduction and development of Egypt's first-ever Jacket Potato concept. This innovative venture brought a completely new culinary experience to the Egyptian market, transforming a global favorite into a localized, customer-centric offering. Taking the Jacket Potato from a novel idea to a thriving reality involved: Market Introduction and Concept Localization: Pioneering the introduction of the Jacket Potato concept to the Egyptian market, establishing a completely new food category. Adapting the traditional Jacket Potato to meet the specific tastes and preferences of local customers, ensuring its relevance and appeal. Brand Building and Operational Development: Developing a unique brand identity that resonated with the Egyptian market. Establishing efficient operational processes and systems to ensure consistent quality and customer satisfaction. Customer Engagement and Growth: Building strong customer relationships and fostering a loyal customer base. Driving business growth through strategic marketing and expansion initiatives. Entrepreneurial Leadership: Taking the concept from zero to a live and working business. Navigating the challenges of introducing an innovative food concept to a new market. This experience has provided me with invaluable insights into market entry, concept localization, and brand development within the Egyptian food industry. I am passionate about bringing innovative culinary experiences to new markets and building successful businesses from the ground up.
Head of Business Support & IT | Sky Distributions (Leading Telecom Distributor) Drove strategic projects and IT initiatives across multiple departments (IT, Legal, Admin, Contracts, Security) at Sky Distributions, a leading telecom distributor. Focused on project management, automation, and operational efficiency, achieving: Accelerated retail expansion by leading the end-to-end project management of launching 50 new stores, including IT infrastructure setup and systems integration. Delivered significant cost savings through process optimization and IT-enabled solutions, reducing retail shop construction costs by 20%. Transformed fleet operations by implementing an automated fleet management system, resulting in a substantial increase in capacity (17 to 70 vehicles) and improved efficiency. Enhanced security and asset tracking through IT solutions, enabling the recovery of stolen vehicles during a challenging period. Managed a 70-person team, coordinating multi-departmental efforts and driving the adoption of IT-driven solutions in preparation for ERP implementation.
Country Manager, Cinnabon Türkiye (Initiation Phase) | Spearheaded the market entry and establishment of Cinnabon in Türkiye, encompassing full company setup, strategic recruitment, end-to-end supply chain development, prime location negotiations with major shopping malls, and seamless communication with the US-based brand owner. Establishing the complete company infrastructure and operational framework. Leading all recruitment efforts to build a high-performing team. Developing and implementing a robust supply chain network. Strategically negotiating prime retail locations within leading shopping malls across Türkiye. Cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with shopping mall management teams. Acting as the primary point of contact and ensuring effective communication with Cinnabon's US headquarters.