The 30 Most Powerful Turks Abroad

It was not long ago, just five years, when the appointment of a Turkish executive to a post abroad triggered a major reaction. Regardless of the company, the transfer of executives from Turkey to another country was followed with great interest. But now the situation is very different. Many Turks have been appointed to posts abroad. Moreover, they are in key positions at the top of multinational global giants

Last April Muhtar Kent was appointed to head the Coca Cola Northern Asia, Eurasia and Middle East Group and less than a year later he was promoted to head all of the company’s international operations outside North America. Kent is expected to head the entire Coca Cola company within the next few years. Süreyya Ciliv is responsible for improving the efficiency of Microsoft’s 30,000 strong sales, marketing and service team all over the world. Kaan Terzioğlu is vice president responsible for Cisco’s operations in Central and Eastern Europe in Cisco’s Developing Markets Region. Terzioğlu’s responsibilities cover a total of 17 countries.

The compilation of the study of the “30 most powerful Turks abroad“ once again demonstrated the reality of how things have changed. We identified the 30 most powerful names from the hundreds working in important companies abroad by talking with consultants and with some of the most important members of the business community. We ranked them according to the size of the company in which they work and the importance of the position they hold.

Could become head of Coca Cola
Muhtar Kent ranks first amongst the Turkish executives who have been successful abroad. Last April he was appointed head of the Coca Cola Northern Asia, Eurasia and Middle East Group and less than a year later was promoted to head all of The company’s international operations outside North America; and thus further enhanced his claim to the title of the Turk who has reached the highest position in a giant multinational.

Sürreya Ciliv, who ranks second in the list, is responsible for improving the efficiency of Microsoft’s 30,000 strong sales, marketing and service team all over the world. Ciliv graduated from Michigan University with degrees in both Computer and Industrial Engineering. Ciliv also has an MBA from the Management Department of Harvard Business School.

Ahmet Bozer is ranked third in the list of the most powerful Turks abroad due to his position as Coca Cola President for Eurasia and the Middle East. His area of responsibility covers 14 countries, including Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and the fact that Coca Cola is the biggest soft drinks producer in the world is one of the reasons for him being ranked third in the list.

One of the top executives at Roche
Tuygan Göker is regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe at Roche, one of the giants of the pharmaceuticals sector. After graduating from Ankara Gazi University Faculty of Pharmaceuticals, Göker spent 27 years serving in important posts in the company’s headquarters in Switzerland. From 1996-1998 he was Roche’s General Manager for Indonesia. His successful performance there meant that he was promoted back to Roche’s headquarters towards the end of the 1990s. He served as global head of the company’s Anti-infective, Oncology and Virology departments. His responsibilities were subsequently expanded. While he was chair of Roche’s Pharmaceuticals Division Business Council and Board Chairman of Roche Turkey, Tuygan Göker was promoted to be Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe and responsible for 20 countries.

Another of the most powerful executives working abroad in the pharmaceuticals sector is Bülent Atlığ, Vice President of the Asia, Africa and Middle East Region Production Group at Pfizer, making him one of the most influential names in what is a very critical process in the pharmaceuticals sector.

Ram Foreign Trade General Manager Halil Gülçür ranks eighth in the list of the most powerful Turks abroad. He played a leading role in the Koç Group’s investments in the CIS, is an expert on international trading models and trade finance and played a major role in Ram Foreign Trade’s expansion in recent years.

Fadime Çoban
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