Meet the Board of Directors of Garanti

Ferit Faik Şahenk

Chairman

Ferit F. Şahenk is the Chairman of Doğuş Group and also the Chairman of Garanti Bank. Formerly, he served as the founder and Vice President of Garanti Securities, CEO of Doğuş Holding and Chairman of Doğuş Otomotiv. Mr. Şahenk is an Executive Board Member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) of Turkey. Following his term as the Chairman of the Turkish-American Business Council of DEİK, he is currently chairing the Turkish-German Business Council and serving as Vice-Chairman of Turkish-United Arab Emirates Business Council of DEİK. An active member of the World Economic Forum and the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative, he is on the Regional Executive Board for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management for Europe, Middle East, South Asia and Africa. Mr. Şahenk is a Board Member of Endeavor Turkey as well. Mr. Şahenk holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Human Resources from Boston College and is a graduate of the “Owner/President” Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Süleyman Sözen

Vice Chairman

Süleyman Sözen is a graduate of Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences and has worked as a Chief Auditor at the Ministry of Finance and the Undersecretariat of Treasury. Since 1981, he has served in various positions in the private sector, mainly in financial institutions. Sözen has been serving on the Board of Directors of various Doğuş Holding and Garanti affiliates since 1997. He holds a Certified Public Accountant license.

Ahmet Kamil Esirtgen, PhD

Board Member

After graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Economics, Ahmet Kamil Esirtgen earned his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and his PhD from Istanbul University School of Business Administration. He worked at various private sector companies after concluding his academic career in 1975. In 1987, he joined Doğuş Group as Finance Group President. He currently is a Board Member of several subsidiaries of Garanti, as well as some other companies in the private sector.

Ergun Özen

Board Member, President and CEO

Ergun Özen earned a BA in Economics from New York State University and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He joined Garanti in 1992 where he has been serving as President, CEO and Board Member since April 1, 2000. He is a Board Member of Garanti Bank Moscow, Garanti Bank International NV, The Banks Association of Turkey, The Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD), The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV). He is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Garanti Securities, Garanti Asset Management, Garanti Pension and Life, Garanti Factoring, Garanti Leasing and Teachers Academy Foundation.

M. Cüneyt Sezgin, PhD

Board Member

M. Cüneyt Sezgin received his undergraduate degree from Middle East Technical University Department of Business Administration, his MBA from Western Michigan University and his PhD from Istanbul University Faculty of Economics. He served in executive positions at several private banks. Sezgin is the Country Director of the Global Association of Risk Professionals. He is a Board Member at Garanti Bank SA, Garanti Pension and Life, Garanti Factoring, Garanti Leasing, Garanti Bank Pension Fund Foundation and World Wildlife Fund-Turkey.

Carlos Torres

Board Member

Mr. Torres graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and both a B.S. and a M.S. in Management Science from its Sloan School of Management. He also received a Law Degree from Spain's Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). He has worked at various private sector corporations and is currently the Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at BBVA and a member of its Executive Committee.

Manuel Castro Aladro

Board Member

After graduating from Universidad Pontificia Comillas (ICADE) in Economics and Business, Mr. Castro Aladro received an MBA from University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. After working as an executive at various private companies and banks, he joined BBVA in 1992. He is the Chief Risk Officer and a Member of the Executive Committee of BBVA.

Cano Fernández

Board Member

Mr. Cano Fernández has a degree in Economics and Business from Oviedo University. He joined Argentaria in 1991, as an Assistant Controller, mainly responsible for the development of all the accounting functions. In 1998, he was appointed Controller and Member of the Executive Committee. Between 2001 and 2003, Mr. Cano Fernández held the position of Chief Financial Officer of BBVA. In 2005, Mr. Cano Fernández takes the lead of Technology of the BBVA Group and becomes Head of Human Resources and Information Technology and in 2006, he became responsible of the Global Transformation of the BBVA Group. Since 2009, he is the President & COO of BBVA.

Manuel Galatas Sanchez-Harguindey

Board Member

Mr. Manuel Galatas Sanchez-Harguindey has a degree in Business Administration and International Finance from Georgetown University. After working as an executive at various private corporations, he joined Argentaria (today BBVA) in 1994. Before joining Garanti, he was based in Hong Kong as the General Manager in charge of all BBVA Branches and Representative Offices in Asia/Pacific. He is now both Board Member  and Audit Committe Member of Garanti Bank Turkey and General Manager of BBVA Turkey Representative Office based in Garanti Bank Headquarters in Istanbul

Murat İnan/Auditor

Murat İnan graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Economics. After serving in various positions at the Ministry of Finance and at private companies, he joined the Doğuş Group in 1998.

Altan Reha Göksu/Auditor

Altan Reha Göksu graduated from Istanbul University Law School and became an attorney after graduation. He joined Doğuş Group in 1972 and serves as Legal Advisor for the Doğuş-GE Real Estate Investment Trust.