Executive Board

Onur Ünlü

President
Emre Eczacıbaşı

Vice President
Sibel Zorlu
Canberk Mersin
Monica Merino
Merve Tolan
Semih Beken
Feyyaz Ünal
Oana Maria Rebedea
Khusrav Sharifov

Coordination Team

Arda Batu

TÜRKONFED
Tamer Şen

TÜSİAD
Hansın Doğan

UNDP
Simay Kardeş

Associate Director, Business for Goals

Onur Ünlü

President

Onur Ünlü graduated as Mechanical Engineer from Yıldız Technical University and completed Engineering Business Management master’s degree at University of Warwick (UK).

He started his career at Universal Makine ve Isı Sanayi Tic. A.Ş. as Industrial Systems Sales Engineer. He co-founded ESCON in 2004 and still works as CEO. ESCON is the first and only global Turkish ESCO company, providing energy efficiency services, energy performance contracts and power purchase agreements for industrial facilities. He has successfully completed over one thousand energy audits, consultancy services and system solutions to national and international companies and still operates as technical assistant for international financial institutions such as World Bank, EBRD and UNIDO. He also implemented 42 successful Energy Performance Contracts.

Onur Ünlü is a Certified Energy Manager, Certified Energy Auditor and Performance Contracting and Funding Professional (PCF) and published hundereds of articles in national and international platforms. He still continues to serve EYODER (Energy Efficiency and Management Association) as President, TURKONFED as Vice President and Chairman for Green Transformation Commission, TOBB HVAC Council Member and Chairman for Waste Heat Commission, Business4Goals as President and member of AEE (Association of Energy Engineers), ASHRAE, ÇEDBIK, ENSIA, TTMD and MMO.

Emre Eczacıbaşı

Vice President

Emre Eczacıbaşı completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard University in 2006, and received a Business Administration Diploma degree from Colombia Business School. His career started at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as a financial advisor. He was then appointed as Group President for Strategic Marketing and Finance at Eczacıbaşı Holding in 2008. During the period of 2011-2013, he realized microfinance and social entrepreneurship projects in the USA and in 2013-2014 he worked in the strategic marketing department of Yapı Products Group. In January 2015, Eczacıbaşı became the General Manager of the Construction Products Group’s culinary business area and launched İntema Yaşam company.

Sibel Zorlu

Sibel Zorlu was born in Izmir in 1974. She is a graduate of Izmir ACI, American Collegiate Institute. She has a degree in Environmental Engineering from Marmara University. She has worked in various positions in Mazhar Zorlu Holding companies since 1996. She is currently the Chairman of Board of Mazhar Zorlu Holding companies.

She has memberships in various non-governmental organizations and foundations: ESİAD (Aegean Industry and Business Association) President of the Board, BASİFED (Western Anatolia Industrialists’ and Businesspeople’s Associations Federation) Vice Chairman of the Board, TÜRKONFED (Turkish Business Confederation) Member of the Board of Directors, TOBB (The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye) Plastic, Rubber and Composite Industry Council Member, KALDER İzmir (Türkiye Quality Association İzmir Branch) Member of the Board of Directors, İEKKK (İzmir Economic Development Coordination Board) Member, İZTAV (İzmir Tourism Foundation) Member of the Board of Directors and YABİSAK (Software and IT Industrialists Cluster Association) Member of the Board of Directors.

Being the President of the International Competitiveness Commission (URK) since 2015, she is also conducting studies on the increase in Turkey’s exports of the HVAC industry. She also is an Advisory Board member of ISKAV (Heating, Cooling, Air Conditioning Research and Education Foundation). Besides sector activities, she is a member of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce (SCC) and the AKUT Sports Club Association Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Young Managers and Businessmen Association (GYİAD) and TÜRKONFED Board of Directors.

Canberk Mersin

Born in Denizli in 1991, Canberk Mersin completed his undergraduate education at Boğaziçi University and his graduate education at Bilgi University. After gaining experience at leading institutions such as Yapı Kredi and JP Morgan, he joined the family business, Sadık Group. After serving as a manager in various positions within the group, he founded Sadık Ventures, which invests in technology companies that are candidates for global leadership.

He served on the board of directors of

Pamukkale Interact Club as president and Istanbul Rotaract Club as treasurer. He has been on the board of directors of the Co-Opinion Network, which seeks solutions to problems faced by young people in the Middle East and North Africa region, specifically by gathering perspectives directly from young people themselves. The Co-Opinion Network is also a program partner of many international organizations, including the World Bank and UNDP.

He currently serves on the TÜRKONFED Youth, Education and Entrepreneurship Commission; TÜRKONFED International; Genç TÜRKONFED and the board of directors of TÜRKONFED. He also serves on the TÜSİAD Entrepreneurship and Youth Round Table. He has been a Young Scholar at the Global Relations Forum since 2014.

Canberk Mersin was included in Fortune Türkiye’s ‘Promising 20 Managers’ list and has also been included in Ekonomist magazine’s ’40 CEOs Under 40′ list for the past two years.

Monica Merino

Ms. Monica Merino Domínguez, (Honduras), has been appointed as UNDP Resident Representative for Türkiye.

Prior to this appointment, Monica served as Resident Representative for UNDP Albania since October 2021. She has also served as Deputy Resident Representative in UNDP El Salvador (2017-2021), as Special Advisor in the Regional Hub Panama (2016-2017), as well as successively Deputy Resident Representative Nicaragua (2014-2016), Ecuador (2011-2014), Argentina (2008-2011), and Mozambique (2006-2007). She started her career as Assistant Resident Representative in UNDP Honduras (1999-2006).

Monica holds a Master´s degree in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University, USA. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidad Nacional de Honduras.

She speaks Spanish and English.

Merve Tolan

Merve Tolan completed her bachelor’s degree from Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration in 1995 and her MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco in 1997.

She started her career at Başak Sigorta in 1995. Between 1998 and 2007, she held various positions at Marsh Insurance Brokerage.

Between 2007 and 2015, Merve Tolan worked as HSBC Corporate Banking Insurance Group Manager and joined the Allianz Assistance Türkiye family in November 2015.

After serving as Sales Director for two years, she has been the CEO of Allianz Partners Türkiye since May 1, 2018.

Merve Tolan, who is married and a mother of one child, is also a member of the 1907 Fenerbahçe Association, as well as the Association of Assistance Companies.

Semih Beken

Semih Beken was born in 1979. He graduated Antalya Akdeniz Collage high school at 1996. He played basketball for the Turkish National Team from 1993 to 1996. Semih studied International Business at Southern New Hampshire University from 1996 to 2000. He played basketball for Southern New Hampshire University at NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) until his graduation.

Upon his return to Turkey, he started working at the marketing department of Hilmi Beken Ltd. Sti. In 2004 he moved to Istanbul to work as the export manager of an international company. In 2006, he formed a company in Miami with his brother, and started importing mdf furniture components for distribution in North America. The Miami company also had a real estate division to serve international clients. In 2008 he moved back to Turkey and became the CEO of Hilmi Beken Ltd. Sti. The company’s operations include petrol stations, retail shops, bakeries, restaurants, and catering.

• He is the Honorary Consul of Romania in Antalya. http://ankara.mae.ro/node/1548

• He is a Member of the Board for TABGİS, (Turkish oil station owners, oil and gas companies union) www.tabgis.org

• He is the Chairman of Antalya City Council Economy Group and a member of the executive board. www.antalyakentkonseyi.org.tr

• He is a Vice President of Baksifed. www.baksifed.org.tr

• Semih is the founding President, served for three therms as a President and currently Chairman of the Advisor Board of YÖRSİAD (Nomads industrialists and businessmen association). www.yorsiad.org.tr

• He is a Member of the Board of TURKONFED (Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation). www.turkonfed.org

• He is a Member of the Board TURABDER (The Turkey European Union Association) www.turabder.org

• He is a member of Antalyaspor foundation and was member of the board of basketball team. www.antalyaspor.com.tr

• Founding board member of TEAMDER, (social economic research center), www.teamder.org

Semih is married and has two children.

Feyyaz Ünal

Feyyaz Ünal was born in İzmir in 1982. He graduated from Izmir American Collegiate Institute at 2000 and from Koç University with a BA in Business Administration at 2004. He started his career at ARGE Consulting as a management consultant. From 2006 till 2021 he worked as Planning and Business Development Manager, Deputy General Manager, Member of the Executive Committee and Board Member respectively, in Batı Anadolu Group, consisting of Batıçim, Batısöke, Batıenerji, Batıbeton, Batıliman and Ash Plus. Currently he is working as a Board Member at Batı Anadolu Yatırım and as Chairman at Mepsan Savunma Sanayi ve Otomotiv A.Ş.

In previous years Feyyaz Ünal served as a board member at Turkish Sailing Federation, Electricity Generation Association, Construction Products Producers Federation and Cement Industry Employers’ Association; as Vice Chairman of the Board at TAIDER Family Business Association, Cement, Glass, Ceramics Exporters’ Association and Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association; as a Member of the Assembly at Aegean Region Chamber of Industry and as a member of the Sectors Council in the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly.

Feyyaz Ünal, after serving as a Chairman during 2019-2021 is currently a Member Of The Board of Advisors at Corporate Governance Association of Turkey, Vice-Chairman at TÜRKONFED Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation; Board Member at TÜSİAD Turkish Industry and Business Association, ESİAD Aegean Industry and Business Association, Junior Achievement Turkey, The Aegean Forest Foundation and SEV Health and Education Foundation. He is the author of the book Cevaplar Şirketin İçinde. He is married and has two children.

Oana Maria Rebedea

Oana Maria Rebedea is the Regional Partnership Specialist, and the Team Leader of the Partnerships Team, based in the Istanbul Regional Hub. She works closely with all the UNDP Offices in Europe and the former CIS in partnership development and resource mobilization.

Before joining the Regional Hub, Oana worked in the Public Partnerships team in BERA NY, overseeing the corporate partnerships with Germany, the EU, Netherlands, Switzerland, France and Belgium. In this capacity, and with relevant Representation Offices, she led the corporate partnership development and the implementation of key donor engagement strategies and coordinated core and non-core resource mobilization through donor consultations, strategic missions of the senior leadership and support to country offices in their relevant engagements. Prior to this, Oana served as Coordination Specialist in the UN Systems Affairs team, focusing on the longer-term positioning of the UN development in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the preparations and negotiations of the QCPR. Before joining UNDP, she worked in the Permanent Mission of Romania to the UN where she was responsible for the sustainable development portfolio and the UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes. Oana served in different capacities, including as a member of the Open Working Group for the elaboration of the SDGs, the negotiations of the 2030 Agenda and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and as Vice-President of the Second Committee of the General Assembly and of the Commission on Population and Development of ECOSOC.

Khusrav Sharifov

Khusrav joined IRH back in November 2023, and has been supporting our CDT team with climate and disaster resilience program design and implementation. He joined us from Vietnam Country Office, where as part of the Climate Change and Environment Unit, he was supporting Government’s resilience-building initiatives, while leading CO’s climate and disaster risk reduction work, including the GCF-funded coastal resilience programme.

He joined UNDP in 2003, and prior to Vietnam was deployed in a number of Country Offices in ECA and Asia-Pacific regions. Following the severe 2022 floods in Pakistan, Khusrav supported Government and UNDP Country Office’s recovery programming. Khusrav was also temporarily deployed to UNDP’s Resilience Hub for Africa in Nairobi, leading the regional DRT Team’s disaster resilience work at the continental, regional and country levels. He has experience working with UNICEF’s Regional Office integrating risk reduction in formal curriculum of eight countries in Central Asia and South Caucasus.

Khusrav has a strong track record of supporting UNDP in building partnerships with multiple stakeholders, including the UN, Governments, development partners, IFIs, private sector and the civil society.

Arda Batu

TÜRKONFED

Arda Batu completed his high school education at The Browning High School, he then studied Political Science and International Relations at Bosphorus University. He completed his internship at the European Parliament and attained his MA degree from Marmara University European Studies Institute.

Arda Batu’s career began in 2004 at Yeditepe University’s Political Science & International Relations Department where he served as a research assistant. He transitioned to the corporate sector when he joined HB Consultancy Group in 2007 whilst continuing his affiliation with the university as a research assistant and lecturer. His keen interests in government relations and strategic communications led him to Istanbul-based regional corporate communications firm, StratejiCo. He joined Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation on June 2014 where he manages, promotes and advances the Confederation’s strategic interests.

Arda Batu serves as an independent board member at Federal Mogul Izmit Piston, on the executive board of Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), advisory board of Co-opinoin, and the editorial board of Turkish Policy Quarterly.

Tamer Şen

TÜSİAD

Tamer Şen is the Deputy Secretary General of TÜSİAD responsible for investment environment, entrepreneurship and youth affairs. Tamer Şen, who previously worked as the Director of Global Economic Relations at TÜSİAD, holds a BA degree on Economics from the University of Istanbul and MA degree on International Relations from the University of Galatasaray.

Hansın Doğan

UNDP

Hansın Dogan is specialized in advancing the role of the private sector in development. He advocates for inclusive and responsible business policies and developed over 50 public-private partnerships in achievement of social and environmental challenges and SDGs. He’s been a leader and a key contributor in enabling and managing several private sector platforms and policy centers for development, including Global Compact Turkey Network, UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development, Business Call to Action, Connecting Business initiative Turkey, Business for Goals Platform, csrblog.com. Before joining the UNDP, he has been an academic at Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences, and provided consultancy services to Turkish Prime Ministry, Under-secretariat of Treasury, Turkey and Middle-East Public Administration Institute, Fulbright Commission, Turkish Coal Mining Institute, GTZ and the US Embassy in Ankara. He holds a BA on Management from Ankara University/Turkey and an MA on European Studies from Exeter University/UK.

Simay Kardeş

Associate Director, Business for Goals

Working actively for several volunteering and civil society activities since 2005, Ms. Kardeş completed her academical education in the fields of business administration, non-governmental organizations management and international relations. Before joining UNDP, she engaged in professional work in the areas of international lobbying, volunteering, development, labour management, international exchange programme in several agencies such as UNV, Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV), General Secretariat of EXPO 2020 Izmir, and World Learning.