Mehmet Atıcı
Managing Partner, Bek Ventures (formerly Earlybird Digital East Fund)
Mehmet Atici is a Founding and Managing Partner at the Bek Ventures (ex- Earlybird Digital East Fund).
Bek Ventures is a global venture capital firm accompanying a select group of early-stage founders from their earliest days to global scale with relentless, hands-on support. Currently in its second decade, Bek has backed multi-billion-dollar successes such as UiPath and Payhawk and been recognized as the top-performing VC globally since 2010 by HEC / Dow Jones. Bek has offices in London, New York, Luxembourg and Istanbul.
Mehmet Atici joined Bek Ventures during its inception in 2013 as its first employee and rose to the Partner rank in 2020. Mehmet has served on the boards of 19 high-growth global tech companies and sits on Bek’s Investment Committee. Mehmet graduated from Bogazici University as the salutatorian of the Computer Science Class of 2013.
Tom Attenborough
Head of International Primary Markets, LSE
As the Head of International Business Development for Primary Markets at LSEG – London Stock Exchange Group, Tom Attenborough works with issuers and potential issuers seeking to list and raise capital on the London markets. Serving in this role since 2017, Tom joined LSEG in 2013 after a successful 15-year career in investment banking and equity capital markets at Citi and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson.
Tom's core competencies include developing and executing strategies to attract and retain international issuers, fostering relationships with key stakeholders, and promoting LSEG's products and services across various regions and sectors. With a Certificate of Investor Relations (CIR) and extensive knowledge of the capital markets landscape, particularly in emerging markets, Tom plays a pivotal role in driving the growth of LSEG's primary markets business. Passionate about supporting innovative companies, Tom contributes to the advancement of businesses that positively impact the global economy and society.
Yasemin Bedir
Eastern Europe Division President, Mastercard
Yasemin Bedir is the Eastern Europe Division President at Mastercard. In this role since January 2022, she has been overseeing the newly formed Eastern Europe Division within the Mastercard EEMEA region, across six offices in 12 countries.
Yasemin joined Mastercard in 2007. In 2011, she took on the role of the Head of Sales for South-East Europe and consequently in 2014 she became General Manager of Turkey and Azerbaijan at Mastercard.
In 2017 she was appointed as Executive Vice President for Mastercard’s North American Markets, and became the first female senior executive ever from Turkey to work in Mastercard USA. In this role, she was responsible for Community Institutions and Processors for North American Markets until 2022.
Before her career in Mastercard, she worked as a manager in retail banking services at HSBC, Garanti Bank, and Yapı Kredi in Turkey. She also served in several roles from marketing to product development through the years.
Yasemin is among the Founders of the Professional Women Network (PWN), and in that capacity is also co-sponsoring the Women Leadership Network globally within Mastercard, and leads many projects to help SMEs grow.
Ahmet Burak Dağlıoğlu
President , Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye Investment Office
Burak Dağlıoğlu is President of the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, a position he took up in February 2020. Prior to his appointment as President of the Investment Office, Mr. Dağlıoğlu held a number of posts within the Office; from 2010 to 2015, he worked as Project Director in charge of investment projects from the Gulf Countries, India, Japan, and USA. From 2015 to 2020, Mr. Dağlıoğlu served as the Vice President of the Investment Office in charge of overseas promotion and lead generation activities. In November 2020, he was appointed Member of the Board of Türkiye Wealth Funds.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Dağlıoğlu worked in the private sector in consulting industry at various positions. Mr. Dağlıoğlu holds a BA in Economics from Boğaziçi University and MA degree in “Global Master in Finance” from IE Business School.
Annemarie van Duijn
Head of Private Equity Funds, FMO
Annemarie (Andy) van Duijn heads the Private Equity funds & co-investment business (Global Funds team) for FMO. Her team invests and manages a portfolio of over EUR 1bn in Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. Before her current role, Annemarie led the PE funds & corporates team focusing on Asia / Eca and was part of the PE Financial Institutions team for five years. In that role she invested in, and managed FI investments in Eastern Europe/Balkans, Central Asia and India. Annemarie is part of the Private Equity management team, who are responsible for FMO’s equity strategy – for a total portfolio of EUR 3.3bn – within FMO’s 2030 strategy. In 2024 she was responsible for re-organizing FMO’s PE funds business into a Global Funds team and a Fund Solutions team, with the aim of increasing focus with regards to the private equity portfolio construction.
Since 2009, Annemarie has built a comprehensive track record around investing, having started in investment banking at ABN AMRO, advising on M&A transactions at a corporate finance boutique, and leading fundraising efforts at two start-up companies in the Netherlands. Prior to her career in finance, she worked in public affairs and public relations.
İhsan Elgin
Executive Board Member, Finberg
İhsan Elgin transitioned from corporate life at Koç Group to entrepreneurship as the co-founder of Climateminder, an agricultural technology startup, and exited in the USA.
Leveraging his insights from the American entrepreneurial ecosystem, Elgin identified key areas where Turkiye's startup scene could be enhanced and started to take actions. He created Girişim Fabrikası, Turkiye's first startup acceleration program.
Afterwards he established & sold Core Strateji, a consultancy dedicated to guiding large corporations through their entrepreneurial transformation. With his team he played a pivotal role in shaping the entrepreneurship strategies for Turkiye's leading companies.
Moreover, Elgin united these corporations by creating the Girişimci Kurumlar Platformu (Entrepreneurial Corporations Platform), fostering a collaborative network that bridges the gap between over 30 large corporations and emerging startups.
Believing in the power and impact of education, Elgin has been teaching "Building a Business" at Özyeğin University for 10 years, where he also serves as the advisor to the rector on entrepreneurship.
Elgin, who played a pivotal role in its founding, serves as an executive board member of Finberg. He led the transformation of Finberg from a CVC to a fund management company, and under his leadership, a total of 60 investments were made, bringing the AUM to $110m. In addition to this role, he serves as a board member in more than ten finance and technology companies including İş Girişim PE.
By being a true ecosystem builder, his vision, knowledge and action create a thriving environment for entrepreneurs. Elgin’s articles on fintech, innovation, and startups can be found in Fast Company Turkiye and Capital Magazine. Additionally, he is an active angel investor with over 35 personal investments. Recently he graduated from the Harvard Business School Owner/President Management program.
Murat Erkut
Co-Founder, Mediterra Capital
Murat Erkurt is a Co-Founder of Mediterra Capital Management Limited. Prior to founding Mediterra, Murat Erkurt was a Managing Director in the Private Equity Division of Lehman Brothers. Murat Erkurt brings 20 years of global private equity experience, having successfully invested in the US, UK, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Czech R., Israel and Turkey.
Murat Erkurt has an MBA from Columbia Business School, MSc in Mathematics from Imperial College, MSc in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University and BSc in Electrical Engineering from Middle East Technical University.
Murat serves on the Board of Directors of Söke Un, Ugurlu Balik, and Arkel.
Arda Ermut
CEO, Türkiye Wealth Fund
Mr. Ermut graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Political Science and International Relations in 2004. He took office in 2005 as an advisor at Prime Ministry Press and Public Relations Office. He held various management positions at Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, where he started as a Specialist.
In 2015, Mr. Ermut was appointed President of the Investment Office and held the position until 2020. During his tenure, he played a role in bringing various international direct investments to Türkiye. He also served as a Board Member of the Vienna Economic Forum and SunExpress from 2015 to 2020, as Vice President of the Turkish Basketball Federation from 2019 to 2021, and as Chairman of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) for four years.
Arda Ermut served as a Board Member of Turkish Airlines and was one of three members of the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines between 2019 and 2021. He also served as a Board Member of Türk Telekom between 2022 and 2024. At the Ordinary General Assembly Meeting for 2023, held on May 2, 2024, Mr. Ermut was elected as a Member of Turkcell Board of Directors.
Mr. Ermut is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Türkiye Katılım Sigorta (Türkiye Participation Insurance), established by Türkiye Wealth Fund, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Istanbul Financial Center Management Company.
In March 2021, he was appointed General Manager of Türkiye Wealth Fund, where he had been a Board Member between 2018-2020.
Osman Koray Ertaş
Turkish Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Ambassador O. Koray Ertaş serves as Turkish Ambassador to the UK since 14 March 2023. He previously served as the Turkish Ambassador to Romania (2014-2019), Special Advisor to the Foreign Minister (2019-2023), and Chief of Staff to the President (2011-2014). Prior to that he worked at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. (2008-2011), Turkish Permanent Mission to the UN Office in Geneva (2003-2005), Turkish Embassy in Sofia (2000-2003), and the Policy Planning Department at the Turkish Foreign Ministry (1997-2000). Mr. Ertaş also worked at the U.S. State Department as a Transatlantic Fellow (2008-2009).
O. Koray Ertaş has a PhD degree from George Mason University’s School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He has an M.A. in Contemporary European Studies from University of Sussex and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Ankara University.
Anne Fossemalle
Director, Funds Investment, EBRD
Anne Fossemalle has been the Director in charge of Equity Funds at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development since 2009.
Previously, she was the Director, Bank Equity, responsible for EBRD’s direct equity investments in banks. Prior to this appointment in 2007, she was a Senior Banker in the Financial Institutions group, where she led various debt and equity transactions with banks, and was responsible for EBRD’s relationship with international banking groups. She joined EBRD in 1993, as part of the Agribusiness Team, then the Hungary Team, from Natixis in Paris, where she was responsible for loans and equity transactions with large French food companies. Anne holds various Supervisory Board, Advisory Board and Investment Committee memberships.
Anne holds an M.A. in Economics from Stanford University (U.S.A), an M.Sc. from Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts (France), an M.Sc. from Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon (France).
Müge Gök Çakırtaş
Global Brand Management Executive Director, Beko
Müge Gök Çakırtaş is the Global Brand Management Executive Director at Beko, responsible for overseeing brand strategy and marketing activations across Türkiye, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, APAC, and the US. With 18 years of experience in marketing, she has held key roles in brand strategy, brand management, strategic marketing, international marketing, and product management.
Since starting her career in 2007 in Istanbul, Müge has played a pivotal role in shaping brand strategies and marketing communications. She currently leads the management of 22 global and local brands within Beko’s portfolio, working with a diverse marketing team across 58 countries to implement impactful marketing strategies.
Müge holds double bachelor’s degrees in Industrial Engineering and Management Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and has completed several programs at Harvard Business School and MIT. Known for her entrepreneurial mindset and expertise in building purpose-driven brands, she brings strong leadership in global brand and marketing management.
Neil Harper
Chariman, Turkven
Neil is Chairman of Turkven, the leading Turkey-dedicated growth and buyout group, a Senior Adviser and Non-Executive Director with Capitalworks, a multi-emerging markets alternatives firm, Chairman of Zamo Capital, an impact investment firm, a Senior Adviser to the Boston Consulting Group on Private Equity and investment topics, and sits on several other Boards and multi-asset class Investment Committees. He has 35 years of professional experience.
Previously he was Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Morgan Stanley AIP Private Markets, a ~$12bn global private markets fund, co-investment, and secondaries business. Prior to this, he was a Partner at McKinsey & Company providing consulting services to corporate and private equity clients on strategy, performance improvement, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.
Neil received an M.A. from the University of Edinburgh and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Bakhrom Ibragimov
Partner CEE Region, Molten Ventures
Bakhrom joined Molten in 2022 from EBRD where he headed up the Venture Capital Investment Programme and managed commitments of €500m over three VC funds, investing in companies such as Docplanner, PandaDoc, PicsArt, Trendyol, among others. Previously Bakhrom was leading investments with Virgin Green Fund as a Founding Principal and TLcom Capital as Investment Director. Bakhrom was also Internet Finance Director in Virgin Media and tech investment banker with Cowen & Co and Credit Suisse.
Bakhrom graduated on academic scholarships from Tashkent Technical University, Cambridge University and London School of Economics.
Afzal Khan
MP Trade Envoy to Türkiye, UK Minister
The MP for Manchester Rusholme Afzal Khan has been appointed as a trade envoy to Türkiye.
Khan is one of thirty two parliamentarians, drawn from across the political spectrum, have been assigned target markets across six continents and tasked with identifying trade and investment opportunities for businesses and championing the UK as a destination of choice for investment in those markets.
Each market has been identified as presenting significant potential for growing UK trade and Trade Envoys are appointed on their ability, relevant skills and experience. This can be based on their respective markets or UK sector knowledge, including previous government-to-government experience, as well as their commitment to the UK’s growth mission.
Elias Korosis
Global Investment Partner, Federated Hermes GPE & Chair-Elect, Invest Europe
Elias joined Federated Hermes Private Equity in 2011 and is responsible for directing growth investing, with oversight of the Portfolio Management team. Elias is a member of the Private Equity Senior Management Team and Investment Committees. Previously Elias worked at Bridgewater Associates, a global macro hedge fund, as a manager in the research function. He started his career with Schroder Salomon Smith Barney and Citigroup, holding a number of banking and corporate strategy roles in the UK and the US. He is a Greek national and speaks fluent English, French and conversational Italian. Elias is an alumnus of the University of Warwick (BSc), the London School of Economics (MSc), and Harvard Business School (PLD). He is also Chair-Elect of Invest Europe (former EVCA), the association representing European private equity across segments. Elias has been named by Financial News as one of Europe’s 50 Most Influential in Private Equity (FN50 2020).
Eren Kurşun
Managing Partner, Esin Attorney Partnership
Eren Kurşun heads the M&A and Private Equity practices of Esin Attorney Partnership (a member firm of Baker McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein). He graduated from İstanbul Bilgi University, Faculty of Law in 2004. Eren holds MBA degree from Bogazici University. He began his career in 2005 at a global law firm, specializing in M&A, private equity and capital markets and continues his career at Esin Attorney Partnership as 'Managing Partner' as of July 1, 2023.
Eren is one of the most sought-after M&A lawyers in Türkiye, ranked as "Leading Individual" in Legal 500 and "Band 1" in Chambers guides. He also sits on the İstanbul office's Executive Committee and acts as a board member of the Boğaziçi University Alumni Association (BÜMED) since 2019. Eren is also a guest lecturer at the Boğaziçi University Business School and İstanbul Bilgi University.
He has worked on some of the landmark M&A transactions in Türkiye including; Peak Games, Garanti Bank, Doğan Media, Trendyol, U.N. Ro-Ro, Acıbadem Hospitals and OYAK Cement transactions. He is married and has three kids.
Chris Laing
Managing Director, HSBC Equity Capital Markets - CEE-MENA Region
Yaser Moustafa
Head of Private Investments, Janus Henderson
Yaser Moustafa leads Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Private Investments, the successor entity to NBK Capital Partners. Formerly, he was CEO of NBK Capital Partners in Dubai. Yaser remains responsible for the investment activities of NBK Capital Partners predecessor funds, including the private equity, real estate and mezzanine investment vehicles.
Yaser has over 25 years of professional experience including transaction advisory, interim management, board roles and organizational change in both the U.S and Middle East. Previously, Yaser led Alvarez & Marsal’s Private Equity advisory practice for the Middle East as Managing Director. Yaser began his career at Lehman Brothers in Investment Banking in the U.S.
Barış Öney
Founder and Managing Partner, Globalturk Capital.
CEE Leadership Council Member and Türkiye Representative, GPCA
Barış Öney has over 30 years of worldwide and diverse experience in the areas of pre and post investment management, private equity, mergers & acquisitions and IPOs. He managed more than 300 cross-border M&A, private equity, IPO, project finance, privatization, due diligence and valuation projects on the sell and buy side for clients, both large conglomerates and small to mid-market companies. The volume of transactions he managed/advised to date has reached over $5 billion.
As the Founder and Managing Partner of Globalturk Capital for more than 14 years – offices in London and İstanbul, he has been acting as a hands-on mergers & acquisitions advisor on the sell and buy side for corporates and private equity and venture capital funds. He has been active primarily in Türkiye and Environs, in the UK, Europe, US, and in emerging markets including China.
Prior to establishing Globalturk Capital - for more than 15 years - his assignments covered setting up and/or managing investment banking/corporate finance advisory practices in three of the most renowned financial institutions in Türkiye: Deloitte (Partner), Yapi Kredi Yatirim (acting AGM) and TSKB (Director). He also managed the strategic/international business development – M&A Department of the Turkcell Group (Group Head). He ran landmark IPOs out of Türkiye as the project manager i.e., Turkcell, Sabancı Holding, Sasa, Vestel, Baticim, Celebi, Tekfen Holding as well as Tupras Refineries and Turkish Airlines privatization projects and the like in these institutions, where they were either the lead managers/advisors or global coordinators. He also acted as a project manager, project engineer and advisor in numerous projects in the oil and gas and chemicals sector for more than 10 years i.e., P&G, Fluor Daniel, Turkish Petroleum and Genel Energy.
Barış Öney holds a MSc. Degree from the U. of Texas at Austin as a Fulbright scholar; a BSc. Degree from the Middle East Technical University; and a Corporate Finance Diploma from The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales – ICAEW.
Barış Öney actively served as a board or an executive committee member in leading business organizations for many years such as DEİK/TAIK, TUSİAD, TUBİSAD, Endeavor and KİD and he continues to be in their advisory, working or ad hoc gathering groups. He serves from time to time, as the nominee director for EBRD in their portfolio companies as well as at the Executive/Advisory Boards and Investment Committees of numerous companies and private equity funds in Türkiye and abroad. He is also GPCA’s CEE Leadership Council Member and Türkiye Rep. He is also the founding and advisory board member of the Woman in Technology Association.
Çağatay Özdoğru
Member of the Board & Group CEO, Esas Holding
Çağatay Özdoğru is the Member of the Board & Group CEO of Esas Holding in charge of all business lines, including real estate, private equity, venture capital, social investment and wealth management, and is on the investment committees of all of them.
Previously, Çağatay was the president of IT & Telecommunications Group at Sabancı Holding. Prior to that, he held various positions at France Telecom Group, where he last served as the executive vice president of the MEA region at Orange Business Services. He was also a member of the Global Operating Committee.
In 2020, Çağatay was appointed as the chairman of Türkiye - France Business Council at DEIK (Foreign Economic Relations Council) and Independent Board Member of Fenerbahçe Football A.S in 2021. Previously, he served as the chairman of Türkiye - Sweden Business Council and Türkiye - Croatia Business Council, and board member of TBV (Türkiye IT Foundation) and TUBISAD (Türkiye IT Industry Association). He was also the president of Sigortamnet İTÜ Basket of Turkish Basketball League between 2018-2019.
Çağatay Özdoğru earned his M.S. degree in Telecommunications Engineering from George Washington University, where he received the Hall of Fame Award for Alumni in 2016, and B.S. degree in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from Istanbul Technical University.
Bernard-Louis Roques
Co-founder and General Partner, Truffle Capital
Launched Truffle Capital’s FinTech Incubator in 2015, Early Stage fund in 2018, and Scaleups fund in 2023. Truffle Capital has 1bn€ AUM, 100 investments & 14 IPOs, with 22 investments and 6 exits in fintechs and insurtech. Board Member of Finance Innovation (French governmental agency dedicated to Fintech), ACSEL (French digital economy agency).
Repeat entrepreneur, co-founded Truffle Capital after selling his robotics company. Started as bond trader @ HSBC. Author of the « Truffle 100 » (research on software) & the «Fintech 100 » (research on Fintech). MBA from ESSEC Business School and ACE from MIT
Barış Sivri
Partner, CEECAT Capital
Barış Sivri joined CEECAT Capital in 2007 and leads the team in İstanbul.
Prior to this, Sivri worked at various departments in World Bank and IFC in Washington DC. He started his career in 1995 as an equity research analyst at Global Securities, İstanbul, and later worked in corporate finance, where he concluded a number of IPOs, M&A transactions, and Privatization projects in Turkiye and Emerging Europe.
Barış Sivri has an MBA from the George Washington University and a BA from the Koc University, İstanbul.
He is fluent in English and Turkish.
Alex von Sponeck
Private Credit Portfolio Manager, Kirkoswald
Alex von Sponeck is a Private Credit Portfolio Manager at Kirkoswald. Prior to Kirkoswald, Alex worked with Argentem Creek, an EM focused illiquid and distressed credit fund that spun out of Cargill’s asset management business, Black River. There he focused on private credit and co-founded & managed Frontier Credit Partners, an EM focused private credit and special situations business, with Simon Watt, which included a joint venture with Golding Capital Partners (2018-2020). Alex started his career in 1996 as a capital markets lawyer at White & Case LLP in New York and Istanbul, before spending the next 15 years in EM credit origination, structuring, and principal finance at WestLB, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs. Alex has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of London (SOAS), and a Masters of Laws (LLM) degree from Harvard Law School. Alex speaks fluent German and Turkish, and grew up in Ghana, Botswana, Pakistan, India, and Turkey.
Onur Topaç
CEO & Chairperson of the Board, Gedik Yatırım
Born in 1990 in Istanbul, Onur Topaç graduated from the Austrian High School, received his bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Koç University in 2013 and his master's degree in Financial Engineering from Özyeğin University. In 2008, Onur Topaç started his finance career at Gedik Investment and took part in the establishment phase of the Banking Department in 2013. A pioneer of technological transformation, Mr. Topaç served as General Manager and Chairman of the Board of Directors at HUB Venture Capital Investment Trust AŞ between 2015 and 2020, and as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Marbaş Menkul Değerler AŞ between 2015 and 2019. Mr. Topaç is also the Vice Chairman and CEO of Gedik Yatırım Menkul Değerler AŞ, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Misyon Yatırım Bankası AŞ, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of hiVC Venture Capital Investment Trust AŞ, He continues to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Inveo Ventures Venture Capital Investment Trust, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ichain Yatırım Holding AŞ, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Inveo Araç Kiralama Hizmetleri AŞ, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GYT Bilişim ve Ticaret AŞ, and Board Member on behalf of the legal person of BV Teknoloji İş Geliştirme Danışmanlık ve Organizasyon Hizmetleri AŞ.
İlke Toptaş
Regional Director, Northern Europe (Turkey | Benelux | Nordics), Meta
İlke Toptaş is the Regional Director for Northern Europe at Meta, where she oversees strategic operations across key markets, including Turkey, Benelux, and the Nordics. Based in London, she leads Meta’s business growth and innovation across these dynamic and influential regions.
Prior to her current role, İlke held dual responsibilities as Turkey Country Director and Regional Gaming Director at Meta. In these roles, she spearheaded initiatives that significantly expanded Meta’s reach and drove transformative growth across the region.
With over two decades of leadership experience, she has held senior roles in leading global and local companies and later expanded her expertise by co-founding a consultancy business. Known for her
entrepreneurial mindset and ability to identify untapped opportunities, İlke has a proven track record of driving innovative strategies and business growth. İlke holds a degree in Economics from Istanbul University and furthered her education at UC Berkeley, specializing in Integrated Marketing Communications and Finance. A former professional athlete, she represented Turkey’s National Women’s Basketball Team, earning a gold medal and showcasing her resilience, discipline, and commitment to excellence.
Beyond her professional endeavors, İlke is passionate about empowering women in technology. She serves as a Board Member of the Women in Technology Association, championing diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities in the tech industry.
Mete Uluyurt
Managing Director, İş Bank London
A seasoned banking executive with over 25 years of experience, Mete Uluyurt has built a distinguished career across pivotal domains, including business development, audit, financial planning, strategy formulation and execution, change management, and digital transformation. Their extensive expertise also encompasses branch management and driving sales growth.
With more than seven years of service on the Boards of Directors of listed companies, Mete Uluyurt has consistently demonstrated excellence in shaping corporate strategy and ensuring effective governance. Renowned for leading cross-functional teams, fostering business development, and cultivating strong client relationships, they are adept at delivering innovative solutions and achieving measurable results.
Nicholas Vickery
Global Head of Private Equity Funds , IFC
Since June 2020, Nicholas Vickery is IFC’s Global Head of Private Equity Funds, based in Washington DC. Vickery focuses on IFC’s investments in Private Equity Funds with an annual investment program of around USD500m in 20-25 funds. and chairs the Funds Investment Committee (IC), which screens all of IFC’s investment proposals in private equity funds. He was previously the Global Portfolio Manager of Private Equity Funds, with a portfolio responsibility for IFC’s investments in 270 funds for a total exposure of around USD4 billion, across all regions. His portfolio included growth equity, venture capital, climate change and SME funds. Prior to this, Vickery was an investment officer in IFC’s Financial Institutions Group, and was based in İstanbul, Turkiye from 2010-2015. He also headed the IFC Mumbai office from 2003-2005, where he was responsible for business development for the financial sector in South Asia. He joined IFC in 1998 as part of the MBA Program. Nicholas Vickery holds a Masters from ESSEC Business School, France and a MBA from INSEAD.
Charlie Walker
Deputy CEO, London Stock Exchange
Charlie Walker is Deputy CEO of the London Stock Exchange plc having joined in 2018 to lead the Equity and Fixed Income Primary Markets businesses.
CharlieWalker is a capital markets specialist and previously worked within J.P. Morgan Cazenove’s Equity Capital Markets team responsible for originating and executing equity transactions. He has assisted in raising over £45bn of equity capital across five continents on behalf of clients.
During his time at JPMC, Charlie also worked in Sydney raising capital for companies on the Australian Stock Exchange as well as taking primary responsibility for the South African equity capital markets practice.
Dirk Werner
Managing Director, Equity, EBRD
Dirk Werner is the Managing Director for the Equity Business Group of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He took up his role in September 2023.
In this role, Mr. Werner oversees the Bank’s activities in the Direct Equity, Equity Funds, Venture Capital, and Equity Portfolio Monitoring groups.
Mr. Werner, a German national, joined the Bank in January 2015 as the Director for the Telecommunications, Media and Technology (TMT) sector (then known as ICT).
Prior to joining the EBRD, Mr. Werner held Managing Director roles in investment banking, including at Sberbank Corporate and Investment Banking in Moscow from 2012 to 2014 and at Bank of America Merrill Lynch based in London from 2007 to 2011. Earlier positions included investment banking roles at Lehman Brothers in New York and London, at Morgan Stanley in London, and Dresdner Bank in Frankfurt.
Mr. Werner graduated as Diplom-Volkswirt (M.A. Economics) from the Georg-August University of Göttingen and studied at Amherst College, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
İrem Çağrı Yılandil
Head of International Expansion, Trendyol Group
İrem Çağrı Yılandil is the Head of International Expansion at Trendyol Group, overseeing the company’s operations in Azerbaijan, the Gulf states and Central and Eastern Europe. İrem has been with Trendyol since 2017, where she initially led the company’s marketing, corporate communications and influencer activities. Prior to joining Trendyol, İrem worked in business development at Zomato, Yemeksepeti and Rocket Internet.
Selahattin Zoralioğlu
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Alkima Partners
Prior to forming Taxim Capital and Alkima Partners, Mr. Zoralioğlu was a partner at Pamplona Capital Management, a private equity fund based in London, where he worked for 9 years. During his tenure with Pamplona Capital Mr. Zoralioğlu successfully invested in Europe and also led the fund’s investment efforts in Turkiye. Prior to his experience with Pamplona Capital, Mr. Zoralioğlu worked at the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch in London, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, and at McKinsey & Company, focusing on strategy development and operational improvement for companies in Turkiye and the Gulf region. Mr. Zoralioğlu received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Bosphorus University in İstanbul and his MBA from Kellogg School of Management.