Dr. Baris Bekir Ciftci is the Director of Industry Analysis at the World Steel Association. He is currently responsible of leading the Association's market analysis activities on the steel value chain from raw materials and energy markets to steel and steel consuming industries such as automotive and construction. Having joined the organization in 2010, he specializes in the analysis of steel value chain, conducts daily analysis of steel industry statistics, economic data and events, and provides commentary on the implications these may have on the steel industry. He has extensive experience in building quantitative models to assess the drivers of the steelmaking materials markets and steel industry developments, making forecasts for the steel-using sectors and steel demand. Dr. Ciftci has presented analysis and forecasts at numerous worldsteel committee meetings and events, and has also frequently presented worldsteel’s outlook and communications at seminars and conferences. He holds a BSc in Industrial Engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Turkey and a PhD in Economics from Tilburg University in the Netherlands.
He was born in 1969 in Istanbul. He graduated from Saint-Michel French High School in Istanbul. B.A. from Istanbul University Faculty of Economics English Economics in 1991. Same year he was accepted as an research assistant to the Istanbul University Faculty of Economics. He recieved title of associate proffesor in theory of economics when he was doing his military services in 1997, as a project officer in F-16 Tactical Aircraft Systems. Prof.Dr. Emre Alkin wrote books about risk management and financial institutions and he was on board of management and worked as consultant for several invesment companies. He became a professor in 2002. He participated in business development of Cukurova Holding, Anadolu Industry Holding, Dogan Holding and Altınbaş Holding in various sectors. Emre Alkin worked as economy commentator for TV Channels such as TV8, FOX, CNNTURK and CNBC-E and wrote columns for newspapers. Between 2000-2014 he was on a duty in Secretary General of Turkish Exporters Assembly, Member of National Tax Council, Secretary General of Federation of Captive Finance Companies, Secretary General of Turkish Football Federation and member of UEFA Marketing Committee. Today he is non-executive board member of Galatasaray Inc. Prof. ALKİN give lectures and also there are books written by himself in Turkish and English. He held various positions in GSM and Telecommunication, International Financial İnstitutions, Payment Systems, Energy and Iron-Steel Industry. Furthermore, He gives economy classes at the Kemerburgaz University and continues its mission as Vice President. He still takes part in international projects about payment systems and financial management. Today, Prof. Alkin is Columnist in the business newspaper DUNYA and have 2 best seller novel in Turkish about socio-economics and writes about new dimensions in the business life in various magazine. He has two sons and speaks French and English.
Born in 1966, Gokhan Demiruz has been actively involved in the flat steel sector since 1983. He graduated from the finance department of the economics faculty of Istanbul University in 1987. He is one of the founder members of YISAD, which was established in 2003. He has served as board member and secretary general and chairman of the association between 2016 and May 2022 and he is still a board member.
Huseyin Ocakci, general manager of the Middle East region for CIEC, has 22 years of experience in foreign steel trade. Having worked as foreign trade manager at Turkish mills, Mr. Ocakci is now responsible for business development at Hangzhou CIEC International Co. for the Middle East region. Mr. Ocakci is also a board member of Turkey’s Foreign Steel Trade Association and Turkey's Association of Flat Steel Exporters and Manufacturers (YISAD).
Born in Istanbul in 1958, Kemal Saraç graduated in business administration at Marmara University. He has been working at Yücel Boru ve Profil Endüstrisi A.Ş. since 1997. As of 2002, he has assumed responsibilities as general manager at Yücel Boru A.Ş., while he also serves on the executive board of the group companies. At the same time, he is a board member at Kocaeli Chamber of Commerce and the Turkish Steel Pipe Manufacturers Association (CEBİD).
Born in Istanbul in 1971, Kerem Çakır is graduated from Istanbul (Erkek) High School, and then from Boğaziçi University Mechanical Engineering Faculty in 1994. After graduation, he started his business life and career in Borusan. In 2000, he completed his post-graduate study (Executive MBA) Koç University. Within Borusan Group of Companies, Kerem Çakır worked in Borusan Birleşik Boru Fabrikaları (currently named Borusan Mannesmann Boru), Borusan Elektronik, Borçelik and Kerim Çelik. After working as General Manager in Kerim Çelik between 2008 and 2015, Kerem Çakır is still working as Borçelik General Manager since January 2015.
After graduating from Industrial Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University, Mehmet Çakmur started his career in 1990. He took part in different roles in iron and steel trade until 2002. Between 2002 and 2011 he worked as the authorized representative for Turkey of Russian MMK Magnitogorsk. In 2011, he was appointed as export and sales director at MMK Metalurji plant, built by MMK Russia in Turkey. In 2017, he left MMK to found his own company M Steel Ltd., specializing in iron and steel trade, consultancy and agency. He is also an executive board member at Turkey’s Steel Foreign Trade Association and Association of Flat Steel Exporters and Manufacturers (YISAD).
Metin Tayfun was born in Istanbul in 1955. He completed his high school education in Virginia, US. In 1977, received his mechanical engineering degree, followed by a master’s degree in industrial engineering, both from Texas A&M University. His work experience covers 3.5 years at Amoco Production in Texas, two years at Colakoglu Metalurji, then 26 years at companies including Borusan Group, Monroe Shockabsorbers, Caterpillar and Mannesmann Pipe. In 2010, he joined Colakoglu Metalurji as the company switched its production from long products to mainly flat products. He is a founding member of both the Thrace Industrialists Association and of Turkey’s Construction Machinery Industry Association, and is a board member of the Automotive Suppliers Association of Turkey (TAYSAD). He is also the chairman of Turkey’s Association of Flat Steel Exporters and Manufacturers (YISAD).
Uğur Dalbeler has been working as the CEO of Colakoğlu Metalurji for many years now. Mr. Dalbeler is also a board member of the Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TCUD), deputy chairman of the Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association (CIB) and a board member of IREPAS, the International Rebar Exporters and Producers Association and a representative at worldsteel Executive Committee.
Mr. Yayan got B.A. degrees from Faculty of Political Sciences of Ankara University in 1977 and Faculty of Law of the Istanbul University in 1987. Then he got his PhD degree from the Istanbul University Faculty of Economics in 1997. Mr. Yayan has diplomas from University of Michigan on Economy of Development and Population; from the University of Sussex on Labor Market Information System and Japan Int. Coop. Agency on Development and improvement of Employment. Mr. Veysel Yayan started his career as Reporter at the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Trade in 1976. Then he worked at State Planning Organization, as Expert and Undersecretariat of Defense Industries, as Head of Department, Deputy Undersecretary and Acting Undersecretary until he retired in 1998. After serving 22 years for government from expert to Undersecretary levels between 1976-1998, he was appointed as Secretary General to the Turkish Steel Producers Association in 1998. On 25 September 2017, Dr. Yayan was appointed as Undersecretary to Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology. In August 2018, Yayan retired from government and returned to his position as Secretary General of Turkish Steel Producers Association. In addition to this position, Dr. Yayan has been the President of TOBB Ferrous and Nonferrous Metals Assembly since 2007.
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