Board Members

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

One of Türkiye’s most prominent and strategic entrepreneurs, Ahmet Ahlatcı has spent over 40 years transforming a local business into a global powerhouse. As the founder and Chairman of Ahlatcı Holding, he oversees 80 companies across 10 sectors with a workforce of 7,000. He is widely recognized for his high-impact investments in energy, defense, and finance, significantly contributing to the nation’s industrial sovereignty.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Ahlatcı Holding A.S. | Chairman of the Board | 1984 – Present

Transformed a boutique jewelry business in Çorum into a multi-industry conglomerate operating in 10 core sectors, including precious metals, energy, finance, healthcare, defense, and aviation.

Precious Metals Leadership: Established Ahlatcı Foreign Exchange and Precious Metals in 1992, becoming a key member of the Borsa Istanbul Gold Market and driving Türkiye’s gold production and export to global excellence.

Financial Innovation: Leveraged the group’s expertise in currency markets and payment systems to expand into the broader financial ecosystem and banking.

Strategic Growth: Currently leads the group's entry into high-tech sectors, including aerospace, defense industries (notably global gunpowder production), and renewable energy distribution.

Dünya Katılım Bankası A.S. | Chairman of the Board | August 2023 – Present

Sets the strategic vision and corporate governance for the bank, focusing on innovative participation banking and financial inclusion.

EDUCATION

Hitit University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, B.S. in Physics (Graduation)

Bornova University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Physics Department (Initial Enrollment)

Born in 1989 in Çorum, Türkiye, Ahmet Emin Ahlatcı is a second-generation leader of one of the nation’s most prominent business families and the son of Ahmet Ahlatcı, the founder of Ahlatcı Holding.

EDUCATION AND GLOBAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Ahlatcı completed his higher education in the United States, graduating from the Department of Finance at Temple University's Fox School of Business in 2011. He gained extensive international exposure during the early stages of his career, working in treasury and private banking at Bank of America in New York and UBS in Switzerland. This period provided him with a sophisticated understanding of global financial markets and institutional systems.

Strategic Leadership and Industrial Contributions

Since 2012, as the Vice Chairman of Ahlatcı Holding, he has been instrumental in the group’s strategic growth, international expansion, and institutional transformation. His leadership encompasses several key achievements:

Industrial Infrastructure: He played a pivotal role in establishing major industrial facilities, including the Ahlatcı Metal Refinery (Türkiye’s largest refinery), a global-scale gunpowder factory, and advanced facilities for recovering precious metals from electronic waste.

Capital Markets and IPOs: He spearheaded the successful public offerings (IPOs) of Enerya Enerji A.Ş. and Ahlatcı Doğal Gaz A.Ş., reinforcing the group’s standing in capital markets.

Fintech and Finance: He led the establishment and growth of Ahlatcı Payment and Electronic Money Services Inc., driving innovation in the group's financial services division.

Export Excellence: Under his guidance, Ahlatcı Jewelry and Ahlatcı Metal Refinery have consistently achieved leadership status in Türkiye’s export rankings, particularly in the precious metals and gold sectors.

CURRENT APPOINTMENTS

Mr. Ahlatcı currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board for Ahlatcı Holding and its subsidiaries. Additionally, as of August 2023, he is a Member of the Board of Directors at Dünya Katılım Bankası A.Ş. Recognized as one of Türkiye's emerging new-generation business leaders, he continues to drive the transformation of Ahlatcı Holding into a globally integrated conglomerate operating across energy, finance, and industrial sectors.

Rıza Tuna Turagay graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Business Administration. He completed his master's degree in the Global Banking and Finance at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Turagay began his career as an Assistant Specialist at the Undersecretariat of Treasury and Foreign Trade. He later served as Deputy General Manager of Exports at the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, Chairman of the Housing Development Administration, Vice Chairman of the Board of Emlak Konut Real Estate Investment Company, Deputy Undersecretary of Customs, and Acting Undersecretary. In 2006, Turagay transitioned to the private sector, serving as a Director and Board Member at an international company. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Trade in January 2019. Between 2019 and 2023, he held the positions of Vice Chairman of the Board at Türk Eximbank A.Ş. and Chairman of the Board at IGE A.Ş. before retiring in 2023.

Turagay has been serving as a Member of the Board of Directors at Dünya Katılım Bankası since November 2023 and has continued his professional career as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors as of May 2026.

Kadri Samsunlu was born in 1968. He completed his undergraduate education at Boğaziçi University’s Department of Economics in 1991 and earned a master’s degree from the University of Missouri, USA.

Before assuming his role as CEO of İGA Istanbul Airport in September 2017, Kadri Samsunlu gained significant experience as a general manager and executive board member at various investment companies from 1995 to 2006. From 2006, he worked as an investment and corporate finance consultant in Romania and Turkey for three years. Between 2008 and 2017, he served as Deputy General Manager responsible for Financial Affairs at Akfen Holding and as a board member in the company’s subsidiaries, before joining İGA Istanbul Airport.

During his tenure as CEO, İGA Istanbul Airport consistently improved in passenger experience and operational excellence. Under his leadership, the airport became a global reference in resilience and a symbol of commitment to sustainability, digitalization, and accessibility under all conditions.

As of February 1, 2024, Kadri Samsunlu has been appointed CEO of Ahlatcı Holding. He continues to serve as a board member in many of the companies within the holding. As of March 2024, he also serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at Dünya Katılım Bankası A.Ş.

Abdül Latif Özkaynak graduated from Gazi University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Banking. He began his professional career in 1985 at Egebank AŞ, where he held various positions. Between 1998 and 2019, he served in senior management roles, including Senior Deputy General Manager, at Türkiye Finans Participation Bank AŞ. As of September 2023, he continues his role as a Member of the Board of Directors responsible for Audit at Dünya Katılım Bankası A.Ş.

Mustafa Er graduated from Anadolu University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of Statistics. He completed his master's degree in Quantitative Methods at Anadolu University, Institute of Social Sciences. Mustafa Er began his professional career in 1993 at Kuveyt Türk Participation Bank AŞ, where he held various managerial positions, including Regional Manager. Between 2019 and 2020, he served as the Director responsible for Sales at Türkiye Emlak Participation Bank AŞ. As of December 2023, he continues his professional career as a Member of the Board of Directors at Dünya Katılım Bankası A.Ş.

İkram Göktaş graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Business Administration. He began his career as an Assistant Auditor at Garanti Bank and held various positions there during his tenure. Between 2001 and 2005, Göktaş served in managerial roles at Anadolu Finans Institution, and from 2006 to 2015, he held several executive positions, including Deputy General Manager, at Türkiye Finans Participation Bank. From 2015 to 2023, he served as the founding General Manager and Board Member of Vakıf Katılım Bankası AŞ. As of November 2023, Göktaş continues his role as the founding General Manager and Board Member at Dünya Katılım Bankası.