Board of Directors

Cemil KAZANCI - Chairman and CEO

Cemil Kazancı began his professional career working in Kazancı Group companies (family owned company). His first managerial position was in generator manufacturing and sales. He subsequently played an active role in the formation of Aksa Energy, which was set up to expand the Group’s operations in the energy industry and to generate electricity starting from 1997. In addition to his duties as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Aksa Energy, he is the Vice Chairman and CEO of Kazancı Holding and a Member of the Board of Directors in Group companies.

Naci AĞBAL - Vice Chairman

Naci Ağbal was born on January 1, 1968 in Bayburt. He graduated from Istanbul University, Department of Public Administration of the Faculty of Political Sciences and completed the Business Administration Program (MBA) at the University of Exeter in the UK. Naci Ağbal worked at the Ministry of Finance as an inspector, as the Vice-Chairman of the Inspection Board, as the Head of the Department of the General Directorate of Revenues and Advisor to the Minister. Mr. Ağbal served as the General Director of Budget and Fiscal Control between 2006-2009 and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance between 2009-2015. Mr. Ağbal served as a Member of the Board of Directors at TÜPRAŞ between 2004-2006. Between 2006-2015, Naci Ağbal worked as a Member of the Board of Directors at Turkish Airlines (THY). Naci Ağbal was the Board Member at Vakıf Participation Bank between 2018-2021. Naci Ağbal also worked as a Member of the Council of Higher Education between 2008-2015 and 2018-2020. Mr. Ağbal was a Member of the Board of Trustees at International Ahmed Yesevi University between 2008-2015 and was member of the Turkish-Japanese Science and Technology University Council between 2019-2020. Mr. Ağbal served as a Member of Parliament during the 25th and 26th terms at The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye as well as undertook the Minister of Finance role at the 64th and 65th Governments. Naci Ağbal was the Head of the Strategy and Budget Department of the Presidency between 2018-2020 and Mr. Ağbal was appointed as the Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey between November 2020 and March 2021. Naci Ağbal has been serving as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Kazancı Holding and its subsidiary Aksa Energy since July 2022.

Serdar NİŞLİ - Vice Chairman

Serdar Nişli graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Subsequently, he began his professional career at TEK Çayırhan Thermal Power Plant and worked in various private sector positions for 18 years prior to joining Kazancı Holding in 1996. Nişli, who previously served as the Company’s General Manager, holds the Vice Chairman position on the Board of Directors at Aksa Energy.

Tülay KAZANCI - BoD Member

Tülay Kazancı is a member of the Board of Directors of Kazancı Holding and also serves as a member of the Board of Partners of ATK Insurance Brokerage Services and Aksa Anadolu Yakası Makine Satış ve Servis. Ms. Kazancı also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Aksa Energy.

Ömer Muzaffer BAKTIR - BoD Member

Ömer Muzaffer Baktır graduated from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Mining Engineering in 1986. He started his professional career at Pamukbank. Mr. Baktır went on to serve in various management roles in the banking sector, including Assistant General Manager in charge of Credits and Marketing at Halkbank; CFO and Executive Board Member of Electricity Distribution Companies at Cengiz Holding; and Assistant General Manager in charge of Marketing and Transformation at Ziraat Bank. He took part in the supervisory and management boards of various foreign companies of the same institution. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Erdemir Group between 2017- 2018. Mr. Baktır, who has been serving as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kazancı Holding since February 5, 2018, also serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Aksa Energy.

İlhan HELVACI - Independent BoD Member

İlhan Helvacı graduated from Galatasaray High School in 1983 and from Istanbul University, Faculty of Law in 1987. Helvacı received his Master’s degree from Istanbul University, Social Sciences Institute, Department of Private Law in 1989; he started work as a Research Assistant at Istanbul University, Faculty of Law, Department of Civil Law in the same year. Prof. Dr. İlhan Helvacı served as Lecturer at various universities between 2004 and 2010. He currently works as Arbitrator both at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and independently regarding disputes in his area of expertise. Serving as Attorney-at-Law since 1991 under Istanbul Bar Association, Helvacı is also Founder and Manager of Att. Prof. Dr. İlhan Helvacı Law Office. Prof. Dr. Helvacı has been serving as Independent Board Member at Aksa Energy since July 2019.

Halit Haydar YILDIZ - Independent BoD Member

Halit Haydar Yıldız graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Business Administration in 1984 and completed his master's degree in Business Finance and Business Management at Istanbul University. Mr. Yıldız began his career at İktisat Bank as dealer and assumed various positions at Pamukbank between 1987 and 2003 and served as Head of Retail Loans and Operations. Yıldız worked as Retail Loans Assistant General Manager at Akbank between 2003 and 2008, then he worked as Assistant General Manager responsible for Retail Banking at Şekerbank between 2009-2020 where he was promoted as CEO. He has been a Board Member at Şekerbank between March 2016 and May 2020. Currently, he is a Board Member at Turkey’s Finance Executives Association and Executive Committee Member ar RD Global A.Ş. Mr. Yıldız has been appointed as Independent Board Member at Aksa Energy in June 2021.

İlkay DEMİRDAĞ - Independent BoD Member

İlkay Demirdağ has a bachelor and master degree from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Architecture, whereas she has master degree in Economics from University College London. İlkay Demirdağ, who started her career at Ove Arup in 1998, between 2000 and 2010, worked at Ove Arup, Deloitte and Hypo Real Estate Bank in London. Between 2010 and 2011, she took part in the establishment of Turkey's first clean energy venture capital fund at Crescent Capital. She served as Fund Coordinator at Akfen Holding between 2011 and 2013, and then in 2014, she was responsible for Turkey investments at the Islamic Development Bank Infrastructure Fund in Bahrain,. She served as Çalık Holding Financial Relations Director between 2014 and 2017, and Enerjisa Enerji Investor Relations Manager between 2018 and 2022. She currently works as a Board Member of Avanea Asset Management and a Venture Partner of Sente Venture. As of September 2023, Demirdağ has been appointed as an Independent Member of the Board of Directors of Aksa Enerji Üretim A.Ş.