CENGİZ SOLAKOĞLU
Chairman of the Board
Cengiz Solakoğlu graduated from the Istanbul Academy of Economics and Business Studies (now Marmara University) in 1964 and started his professional career in sales at Beko Ticaret A.Ş. in 1967. In 1977, he was appointed as General Manager at the same company. In 1983, Solakoğlu was appointed as General Manager of Atılım Company under the Koç Group. During his eight-year tenure, he pioneered efforts to restructure and strengthen Arçelik’s “Authorized Dealer System.” Solakoğlu took office as Vice Chairman of Koç Holding Consumer Goods Group in 1991, and then as Chairman of the same group in 1994. Also serving as a member of the Executive Committee of Koç Group between 1996 and 1998, he was appointed as Chairman of Koç Holding Consumer Durables Group in 2002. After 38 years of continuous service, Solakoğlu retired from the Group in 2004, due to the Group policy of mandatory retirement at the age of 60. Cengiz Solakoğlu is Member of the Board of Directors and chairs the Board of Şok Marketler A.Ş., a retail company of Yıldız Holding, as well as Bizim Toptan. Cengiz Solakoğlu is among the founders of the Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV) and the 1907 Fenerbahçe Association. He was named a Leader of Civil Society by the Ekonomist magazine in 2003.
MEHMET TÜTÜNCÜ
Vice Chairman of the Board
Mehmet Tütüncü holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Gazi University and a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Maltepe University. He received training in Italy for six months under an IRI scholarship. Additionally, he participated in various management programs at Harvard Business School (Strategic Marketing), IMD (Switzerland), and INSEAD (Singapore), and completed the “Leading from the Chair” program at INSEAD in France in 2025. Between 1983 and 1987, he worked as a Specialist at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. From 1987 to 1996, he held various positions at Best Rothmans Entegre Sigara ve Tütün Sanayi A.Ş., including Production Manager, Plant Manager, and General Manager.
Tütüncü began his career at Yıldız Holding in 1996 as Operations Coordinator at Ülker Gıda A.Ş. He subsequently served as General Manager of Ülker’s biscuit and chocolate factories, Vice President of Ülker Group, President of the Food and Beverage Group, President of the Food Group, and President of Ülker International Group. In 2016, he was appointed Regional CEO responsible for Türkiye, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia within the pladis organization established under Yıldız Holding. In 2017, his responsibilities were expanded to include South Asia and Latin America, as well as pladis Global Information Systems and Business Models Transformation, and he continued his role as Deputy CEO. As of October 2018, he assumed the roles of Vice Chair of the Board and CEO of Yıldız Holding. Since May 2025, Tütüncü has continued to serve as Chair of the Board and CEO of Yıldız Holding. He also holds various responsibilities as Chair of the Board, Deputy Chair, and Board Member at Group companies. Tütüncü is a Board Member of TÜGİS and a member of several national and international sectoral organizations.
MURAT ÜLKER
Board Member
Born in 1959, Murat Ülker graduated from the Management Department of the School of Administrative Sciences at Boğaziçi University, Istanbul.
Mr. Ülker studied sector-specific subjects at international schools such as the American Institute of Baking (AIB) and Zentralfachschule der Deutschen Süßwarenwirtschaft (ZDS), serving an internship at American company Continental Baking. In three years, Murat Ülker visited nearly 60 biscuit, chocolate and food factories in the United States and Europe. He also worked on various projects for the International Executive Service Corps (IESC).
Mr. Ülker joined the Group in 1984 as a Control Coordinator. Over the following years, he assumed the roles of Assistant General Manager, and then General Manager. As a member of the Executive Committee and a Board Member of various companies in the Group, he led a series of cornerstone investments based on the “Vertical Integration” model.
In 2000, Mr. Ülker became Chairman of the Executive Committee, serving as Chairman for eight years. In 2008 he became Chairman of the Board of Directors. As of January 29, 2020, Mr. Ülker continues to take an active role in companies affiliated to the Holding as a Member of the Board, and his role as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Pladis and Godiva.
Murat Ülker enjoys sailing and traveling with his wife and three children. He is also known for his interest in modern art and Islamic calligraphy.
YAHYA ÜLKER
Board Member
Yahya Ülker graduated from Koç University with a degree in Business Administration in 2016. Following his university education, he worked at various organizations in London and Switzerland, gaining experience in banking and biscuit manufacturing.
Ülker began his career at Yıldız Holding in 2018, joining Northstar Innovation, the Holding’s innovation company. During this period, he played an active role in implementing innovation projects designed as investments in the Holding’s future, with a particular focus on university-industry collaborations.
Since 2019, as the founder of Yıldız Ventures, he has led the establishment of the Holding’s business unit focused on venture incubation and venture capital investments. Through investments primarily in external startups, he leads teams that support the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Having previously held leadership roles in sales operations and e-commerce at Şok Marketler and successfully fulfilled his responsibilities, Yahya Ülker currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board and the Transformation & Technology Leader at Yıldız Holding. He also serves as Executive Board Member at Continental Confectionery Company, Yıldız Holding’s global gum and confectionery company.
In 2026, Yahya Ülker was appointed Managing Director, Europe at pladis, Yıldız Holding’s global snacking company. In this role, he leads pladis’ European business, working closely with country leaders and regional functions to prioritize growth opportunities and drive initiatives aimed at strengthening efficiency and performance.
Yahya Ülker is also a member of TÜSİAD, DEİK Digital Technologies, Yeni Bir Lider Derneği and Q Angels. He contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a startup mentor at Endeavor Türkiye and supports science- and society-focused initiatives as Chair of the Sabri Ülker Food Research Institute Foundation.
Dr. UĞUR DEMİREL
Board Member
Dr. Uğur Demirel graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his PhD in the Department of Veterinary Food Hygiene and Technology at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa.
Starting his career at Maret, Demirel took part in the establishment of Aytaç Integrated Meat Facility as the Production Manager, and stepped into the retail sector in 1997, working as the Deputy General Manager of Purchasing at Gima. Subsequently, he assumed the role of Commercial Director at CarrefourSA. Joining Yıldız Holding in 2010, Demirel served as the General Manager at the sales company Pasifik Tüketim Ürünleri until 2015. He has been serving as the CEO of ŞOK Marketler since 2015.
Following the consolidation of all retail companies within Yıldız Holding under a single umbrella in 2024, the Retail Group was established, and Uğur Demirel was appointed as the President of the Yıldız Holding Retail Group, overseeing ŞOK Marketler, Bizim Toptan, Seç Market, and g2m. Having completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program and INSEAD Leadership Programs, Demirel continues to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of ŞOK Marketler Ticaret A.Ş., Bizim Toptan Satış Mağazaları A.Ş., g2mEKSPER Satış ve Dağıtım Hizmetleri A.Ş., Seç Marketçilik A.Ş., Mevsim Taze Sebze Meyve Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., UCZ Mağazacılık Ticaret A.Ş., Yıldız Uluslararası Gıda Yatırımları A.Ş. and Northstar Araştırma Geliştirme Marka Yönetimi ve Danışmanlık A.Ş. in addition to his board membership at Yıldız Holding. He is also a member of the Yıldız Holding Sustainability Steering Committee and the Artificial Intelligence Steering Committee.
MEHMET TAYFUN ÖKTEM
Independent Board Member
Tayfun Öktem, who graduated from Darüşşafaka High School with honors in 1982, studied in the USA for one academic year with AFS cultural exchange programs in 1980-81.
He graduated from Boğaziçi University, Department of Business Administration as an honor student in 1986. In 1988, he received his master's degree from the University of Minnesota (UMD), where he studied with a full scholarship.
Öktem, who also has a Strategic Marketing Management certificate from Harvard Business School, has worked as a senior professional manager, CEO and Board Member with global responsibility in international and multinational companies such as Unilever, ReckittBenckiser, Ülker International, Alliance Healthcare, both at home and abroad (London, Prague, Riyadh, Copenhagen).
After serving as an Independent Board Member within Nokia Turkey (Alcatel-Lucent Teletaş A.Ş.) for 2 terms between 2012-18, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Darüşşafaka Society for a period between 2019-22. During his membership on the Board of Directors, Öktem took an active role, especially in the Corporate Governance, Risk, Donation/Fundraising & Communication commissions. He is a member of the Darüşşafaka Society High Advisory Board.
He graduated from Anadolu University, Department of Cookery, within the scope of the "2nd University Program" in 2020. Öktem is married with one child and speaks English and German.
FATMA FÜSUN AKKAL BOZOK
Independent Board Member
Fatma Füsun Akkal Bozok completed her academic education with a master's degree from Boğaziçi University, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and a PhD degree from Istanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration. After graduation, she started her professional career at Arthur Andersen Audit Company in 1980. Joining Koç Group in 1983, she first worked as an Audit Specialist and Assistant Coordinator in the Audit and Financial Group within the Holding. In 1992, she was appointed as Audit and Financial Group Coordinator, a position she held for 11 years. Akkal served as Director of the Finance Group between 2003 and 2006 and as a Board Member at Yapı Kredi Bank between 2004 and 2019. She is currently an independent board member at Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş., Gözde Girişim Sermayesi Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş., Kocaer Çelik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. and Lila Kâğıt Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.
Akkal, who taught Auditing and International Accounting courses as a faculty member at Sabancı University between 2008-2020, is a member of TKYD, TİDE, T. Accounting Professionals Association and Boğaziçi Alumni Association.
ADİLE ESRA TÖZGE
Independent Board Member
Born in İzmir in 1966, Adile Esra Tözge graduated from İzmir American College and Boğaziçi University, Department of Economics.
Adile Esra Tözge has 12 years of Strategic Planning, Reporting, Logistics, Sales and Marketing experience in Germany-based Henkel Turyağ and France-based Saint Gobain Weber companies. In addition to these experiences, Adile Esra Tözge has been working at Kale Group for 20 years, first as a consultant on Sales, Marketing, Strategy, Reporting, Planning, Corporate Communication and Institutionalization, and later as Vice President and Executive Board Member reporting to Kale Group Chairperson and CEO Zeynep Bodur Okyay.
During this period, Tözge managed joint projects with many international consultancy companies such as BCG, Deloitte, AD Little, Landor, Simon Kucher, such as transferring Kale Holding Management from İbrahim Bodur to Zeynep Bodur Okyay, institutionalizing the group, organizing, selecting and hiring a professional management team in the Holding, adapting it to the culture, establishing and operating the Boards of Directors, making processes, authority tables, reporting and targeting, adopting the Corporate Communications department as a strategic management style and brand positioning.
Tözge has served on the Boards of Directors of Kale Seramik, Kalekim, Kale Nakliyat and Bodur Gayrimenkul Companies. Currently she is working as a Board Member at Kaleseramik, Kalekim and Bodur Gayrimenkul.
Adile Esra Tözge also works as a Member of the Board of Trustees at SEV Health and Education Foundation, BUVAK Boğaziçi University Foundation and KSV İbrahim Bodur Kaleseramik Foundation voluntarily.