Management Team

Tamer Saka

Dr. Tamer Saka has received his undergraduate, master and doctorate degree from the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration. Saka served as Manager and Senior Manager responsible for Risk Management Consultant services in Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young companies, and then joined the Sabancı Holding in 2004 as Risk Management Director. Tamer Saka served as Managing Director responsible for the business development activities of approximately 20 countries, including Turkey, for Willis London from 2010 to 2011. Assuming the position of Strategy and Business Development Coordinator at Kibar Holding as of December 2011, Saka continued as Head of Automotive and Corporate Functions Group and Kibar Holding Board Member as of May 2012. Dr. Tamer Saka serves as the CEO of Kibar Holding since 2014, and is appointed as the Head of Cement Group of the Sabancı Holding as of April 2, 2018.

Daniel Gauthier

Daniel Gauthier was born in 1957 in Belgium. Upon completing his degree in the Mining Engineering Department at Mons Polytechnic University, Mr. Gauthier began to work at CBR, a subsidiary of HeidelbergCement in 1982. Mr. Gauthier has been a Board Member of HeidelbergCement since 2000. He is responsible for the Africa, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and Western Europe regions, and Sustainable Environment and Group Services. He was re-elected for 3 years of assignment at the Ordinary General Assembly held in 24.03.2015.

Burak Orhun

(Office Term: 03.09.2018-03.09.2021)

Mr. Burak Orhun, having graduated from Bogazici Univerysity Economy, has received his masters degree in Finance from George Washington University and MBA from Univerysity of Pennsylvania – Wharton School of Business. Having started his career at Mercedes Benz Türk in İstanbul as Financial Analyst, after completing his graduate degrees in US, he worked at Thomson Corporation/Reuters, CapitalOne Financial and CadenceQuest, Inc, respectively, at various management positions such as Finance Manager, Director of Portfolio Management, Director of Corporate Development and CFO, respectively. Mr. Burak Orhun, being responsible of all M&A and new investments activities of the Group between 2009- 2018, was the General Manager of Oyak Venture Consulting and Oyak Capital Investment companies, while having executive management, executive director of board and chairmanship roles at chemical and energy companies of the Group, both domestic and global. Mr. Orhun is appointed as Sabancı Holding Strategy and Business Development Director as of 03.09.2018.

Hakan Gürdal

(He left his duty in the Board of Directors on 16.10.2015.) – (He was appointed again on 10.03.2016.) Born in 1968, Hayrullah Hakan Gürdal, graduated from the department of mechanical engineering in Yıldız Technical University in 1989, and he completed in 1990 master degree of International Business in Istanbul University. Gürdal, who started to work in 1992 in Çanakkale Çimento, was appointed in 1996 to Directorate for Strategy and Business Development in Akçansa and in 1997 to Deputy General Manager being responsible for Trade. He served as Akçansa General Manager between 01 August 2008-01 September 2014. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors between 01 September 2014-16 October 2015. Gürdal, who maintains still his Membership of the Board of Directors in Heidelberg Cement AG, was appointed again on 10.03.2016 as Member of the Board of Directors of Akçansa Çimento.

Mehmet Sami

(Office Term: 29.03.2018-29.03.2021)

Mehmet Sami has received his undergraduate degree from the Economy Department of Kingston University in London, and then his master degree on "Business Systems Analysis - Design" field in the City University. Sami has started his professional career in 1988. With his experience in Corporate Financing and Capital Markets during the last 30 years, Sami has opened offices in New York and Dubai and established strategic partnerships in Germany, USA and Japan since 1994, and has addressed speeches and managed panels on the Turkish economy and investment opportunities in domestic and at abroad. Mehmet Sami has carried out various privatization, merger, partnership, financial partnership, initial public offering, company valuation and consultancy projects from 1988 to date. Sam has led the financial partnership projects in Turkey, and served as a member of the investment committee for seven years after being involved in the establishment process of Turkey's biggest financial partnership fund.

Dr. Markus C. Slevogt

(Office Term: 29.03.2018-29.03.2021)

Dr. Markus C. Slevogt received his MBA degree from the Philipps University in Germany in 1997 and then, respectively, completed the MBA program in the Philipps University, Executive Training Program for Private Bank Executives at the NYU Stern School of Business in New York, USA, the Executive Transition Program for General Managers in School of Management and Technology in Berlin, and doctorate degree in Banking & Finance in the Philipps University. Starting from 1998, Slevogt served in various positions in Deutsche Bank AG, and then served as Regional Market Manager in ING Switzerland S.A., General Manager and Main Asset Management of ING Bank A.Ş. in Turkey. As of 2012, Slevogt has served as Independent Board Member at various companies.

Umut Zenar

Appointed on 09.07.2018. Graduated from the Boğaziçi University International Relations Department in 2003 and completing the Executive MBA program in the Boğaziçi University in 2010, Umut Zenar has started his career in Zorlu Energy Group in 2003 as Assistant Business Development and Planning Specialist. Zenar joined the Sabancı Group in 2004 and acted as Sales Specialist, Marketing and Sales Planning Officer, Strategy and Business Development Manager, Business Development and Marketing Manager, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, and General Manager of Akçansa, respectively, in Akçansa until December 2016. Zenar acted as the General Coordinator in Oyak Cement, Concrete and Paper Group from December 2016 to June 2018. Umut Zenar is appointed as the General Manager of Akçansa as of January 9, 2018.

Gilles Covello

Gilles Covello completed ENSI of Clermont-Ferrand Department of Chemical Engineering in 1991. He started his professional career as Environmental /Process engineer at the Gargenville Cement Plant –Ciments Français Group in 1991 and worked as Quality & Quarries Manager at Beffes Cement Plant between 1993-1996. He worked respectively as Production Manager of the Cement Plant of Beffes, Assistant Plant Manager of the Picton Cement Plant, Production Manager of the Cement Plant of Bussac, Production Development Manager of the Cement Plant of Bussac, Production Manager of the Cement Plant of Couvrot, Plant Manager of Cement Plant of Villiers au Bouin, Plant Manager of Cement Plant of Gargenville, Plant Manager of Cement Plants of Couvrotbetween 2012-2016 at Ciments Calcia (ItalcementiGroup) between 1996-2016. His recent responsibility was Technical Director Suez Cement Egypt HeidelbergCementsince September 2016 composed by 5 integrated plants with 11Mt/y capacity. He is appointed as Assistant General Manager – Operations as of 04.03.2019

Steffen Schebesta

Steffen Schebesta was graduated from University of Florida, Business Administration Department in 2004 and had received his Master Degree from the same university, International Business Department in 2005. He obtained Chartered Financial Analyst Certification in 2011. He worked as Financial & Competition Analyst between 2006-2010, Investor Relations Manager between 2010-2014 and Senior Investor Relations Manager since 2014 at HeidelbergCement. Schebesta was appointed as Akçansa Assistant General Manager – Finance on January 16, 2017

Ozan Erinçkan

Ozan Erinçkan was born in 1979. He received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Bilkent University, and in 2005 obtained his master’s degree in Business Administration from the same university.

Since 2002, he has worked as an R&D engineer at the Georgia Centers for Advanced Telecommunication Technology, as a Research Assistant at the Bilkent University, and as a Strategy and Business Development Specialist, Corporate Strategy and Planning Specialist, Corporate Business Development Specialist, and Corporate Business Development Manager, respectively, at Sabancı Holding A.Ş. He has served at Akçansa as AFR & Business Development Manager, as well as Energy, Fuel Procurement and Business Development Manager, respectively. Ozan Erinçkan is appointed as the Chief.

Musa Keşaplı

Musa Keşaplı was born in Ünye in 1971. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Karadeniz Technical University in 1992.

Since 1993, Keşaplı has worked as Facility Manager at Samsun Makine Sanayi, Facility Manager at Demirören LPG Group, and Regional Manager in Yibitaş Lafarge Hazır Beton A.Ş., respectively. Keşaplı worked as Ready-Mixed Concrete Regional Manager, Black Sea and Cement Regional Sales Manager, and Northern Marmara Regional Manager, respectively, in our company since 2007. He is appointed as the Chief Ready-Mixed Concrete and Aggregate Officer on November 2, 2016.

Gökmen Togay

Ziya Gökmen Togay started his professional career as Control Engineer in Construction Works Department of the Turkish Electricity Administration in 1993. Togay continued his career as Customer Representative in Akçansa and Betonsa from 1997 to 1998, and then as Edremit and İzmir Plant Supervisor from 1998 to 2006. Togay acted as Bursa Regional Director from 2006 to 2010, and as West 1 and West 2 Regional Manager from 2010 to 2015. After that, Togay acted as Northern Marmara Regional Manager for 1 year, attended to Philosophy graduate program of Maltepe University from 2014 to 2015, and is appointed as Assistant General Manager for Ready-Mixed Concrete and Aggregate.

Sezgin Sezer

Sezgin Sezer was graduated from İstanbul University, Economy Department in 1991. Sezer, has been working for Akçansa respectively as Cement Sales Supervisor – Büyükçekmece, RMC Regional Manager – Asia, RMC Regional Manager – Thrace, RMC Regional Manager – Aegean, RMC Regional Manager – East Marmara, Cement Sales North Region - Regional Manager and Karçimsa Plant Manager since 1996.

Serkan Yorulmazlar

(Appointed as 01.04.2016) Born in Istanbul in 1975 Serkan Yorulmazlar was graduated from Boğaziçi University, Business Administration Department in 1998. He worked as Senior Auditor in PricewaterhouseCoopers between 1998 – 2000, Human Resources Specialist in Akçansa between 2001 – 2006, Compensation & Benefits Manager in Cadbury Schweppes Kent between 2006 – 2007, Employee Relations & Quality Manager in Coca – Cola between 2007 – 2010, HR Manager in Coca – Cola between 2010 – 2011, Employee Relations & Administrative Affairs Manager in Ergo Insurance in 2011 and he has worked as Human Resources Manager – Compensation Management & Labor Reletions at Akçansa since February 2012.

Berrin Yılmaz

Appointed on 01.07.2018. Born in Ankara in 1971, Berrin Yılmaz graduated from the Middle East Technical University Business Administration Department in 1993. Yılmaz completed her MBA Master's Degree program in the Bilkent University in 1995.

Yılmaz started her career in Eczacıbaşı Holding as Human Resources Specialist in 1995, and then acted as Human Resources Manager in Eczacıbaşı-Baxter from 1998 to 2006, Human Resources Director in Roche İlaç from 2006 to 2015, General Manager in Atrain GmbH from 2015 to 2017, and Human Resources Director in Sabancı Holding from 2017 to 2018. She is appointed as the Chief Human Resources Officer as of 01.07.2018.

Barış Karahüseyin

After graduating from the Istanbul Technical University’s Civil Engineering Department in 1996, Barış Karahüseyin has completed the MBA program at the Istanbul University in 2007. Barış Karahüseyin started his professional career as Facility Supervisor at Set Beton - Italcementi Group in 1998. After assuming various positions at different groups in the sector, he acted as Strategy and Business Development Manager, Commercial Directors, Assistant General Manager - Sales & Marketing & Executive Committee Member at Çimentaş-Cementir Group, respectively, from 2013 to 2018, and will serve as the Assistant General Manager - Ready-Mixed Concrete Sales & Marketing at Akçansa.

Onur Yazgan

Onur Yazgan has received his bachelor’s degree from Industrial Engineering Department of the Galatasaray University in 2005, and his master’s degree on Business Administration from the Boğaziçi University in 2010. Onur Yazgan started his career in 2006 as Export Regional Sales Manager in Unika Universal Kablo, and acted as Marketing Officer, Strategic Marketing & Process Development Director, Marketing & Sales Development Manager and Cement Sales Regional Manager - Northern Marmara in Akçansa from 2010 to 2016. Yazgan worked as Marketing & Special Products Director in Oyak Cement Group between 2017 and 2018. Onur Yazgan is appointed as Assistant General Manager - Cement Sales & Marketing as of September 19, 2018.

Dr. Carsten Sauerland

Born in 1978. Having studied business administration at the universities of Mannheim and Barcelona, Dr. Carsten Sauerland holds Bachelor (2002), Master (2004) and PhD (2007) degrees. He started his professional career in audit, tax consulting and advisory in Frankfurt. He joined HeidelbergCement in 2010 as Staff to the Group CFO. He acted as CFO of Akcansa from 2012 to 2016. In 2016 he returned to Heidelberg to assume the role of Director in charge of the management and financial reporting of the Group. Two years after he left Akcansa he took on the role of non-executive Director in the Board of Akcansa representing HeidelbergCement.