Özgür was appointed Managing Director – Designate, Türkiye and Central Asia and incoming CEO of Ülker in September 2024

Özgür will assume leadership of the region in Q2 2025 and will work closely with Mete Buyurgan in the interim during the handover to ensure a smooth transition and business continuity.

With a multinational career spanning general management, marketing and sales, Özgür has worked across diverse geographies including Türkiye, the UK, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. His experience covers both emerging and developed markets, with roles encompassing local, regional and global scopes.

Prior to joining pladis, Özgür was General Manager of Hayat Kimya, a leading global player in hygiene, tissue and homecare and one of Türkiye’s largest FMCG companies. There he led the Türkiye business and export operations, overseeing all aspects of the business from sales to supply chain.

Before this, Özgür worked at Unilever for 23 years where he held a variety of commercial leadership roles. During his tenure with Unilever, his accomplishments include tripling growth rates by expanding into new territories, building a high-performing e-commerce business and future-proofing the portfolio. His last position was Vice President of Foods and Refreshment for North Africa, the Middle East, Türkiye, Central Asia and Russia.

Özgür has lived and worked in Türkiye, France, the UK, Iran and Russia. Özgür holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering and an MBA from the Middle East Technical University in Türkiye.