The doyen of Turkish Banking, Bülent Şenver, founding honorary chairman of the Turkey Ethics Values Center Foundation (TEDMER), and world-traveling economist and interdisciplinary artist educator Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu will hold a discussion on the topic of ETHICAL VALUES AND WOMEN in the CHI CI TALKS ECONOMISTS Speak Program within the framework of the International Working Women’s Day at KOMPOZE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS.
Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu and Bülent Şenver have previously participated in various “Chi Ci Talks” programs on Economy for Everyone Book Foundation Activities and Ethical Leadership on satellite television channels. Yorgancıoğlu also coordinated a strategy summit organized by Education Companies, and both participated in the D&R Everyone Book Foundation discussion. Their paths first crossed in 1985 at Boğaziçi University. There wasn’t even an EFT system in banking back then.
H. Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu, who started her career at Arthur Andersen and Company’s London office after graduating from the Accounting and Finance Department of Boğaziçi University Faculty of Administrative Sciences, first crossed paths with Şenver in the year she stepped into Boğaziçi University as a student of the Business and Economics Department. In 1985, when he became Deputy General Manager of the International Industry and Trade Bank (Interbank) while also being accepted as a part-time lecturer at Boğaziçi University Faculty of Administrative Sciences, their paths crossed again during the innovative, creative, and modern banking initiatives and practices in individual banking and electronic banking fields in the 90s. Subsequently, in the following years, when they intersected for the third time on TV broadcast programs, they had already participated in Chi Ci Talks interviews and events organized by Bülent Şenver’s Everyone Book Foundation. Last year, during the third week of April, they participated in book-giving events on Bağdat Avenue and supported each other’s civil society solidarity activities aimed at healing wounds during times of earthquakes.
Bülent Şenver and Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu met last year at the “International Bosphorus Strategic Planning and Management” Summit organized by Bsp Group Wes in coordination with Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu, leaders of the business world. The summit, which was hosted by BSP Group, one of the leading companies in corporate education, development, and consultancy in Turkey, brought together entrepreneurs, industrialists, senior executives of international companies, strategists, opinion leaders, academics, scientists, experts in various engineering fields, corporate activists, media experts, and business leaders from Turkey as well as countries such as Austria, England, and India. Throughout the day, strategic management issues were discussed with the participation of international and Turkish business communities. After the opening speech by Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu, a trainer economist, strategist, world traveler, and designer artist, Bülent Şenver, the guru of Turkish banking, delivered the keynote speech as the guest of honor at the summit.
Details about the friendship and projects spanning years between Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu and Bülent Şenver from the year 1985 have been quoted from sections written by C. Yorgancıoğlu.
The year we met, 1985, was significant in Turkish banking history due to the enactment of Law No. 3182 on “Banks,” which came into force in April. This law aimed to regulate the establishment, management, operational principles, transfer, merger, and liquidation of banks to protect savings and ensure their utilization according to the requirements of economic development. It also subjected banks established or to be established in Turkey, as well as foreign banks operating in Turkey or planning to operate by opening branches after that date, to the provisions of this law. The law was important for introducing the international banking supervision and control system and international banking standards to the system, subjecting financial statements to external audit, and transitioning to a uniform chart of accounts, as well as granting permission to Turkish residents to hold foreign currency and open foreign currency deposits.
Bülent Şenver, a guru of Turkish banking who also served as a board member in companies such as Alman Kreiss Bank, Türkiye Genel Sigorta, Baytur İnşaat ve Taahhüt, Türk Henkel, Aksan, Pamuk Factoring, and Pamukbank Emekli Sandığı, brought many innovations to the Turkish banking system. As the Founding President of Türklider Center, Şenver taught courses on “Electronic Banking,” “Asset/Liability Management in Banks,” “Investment Banking,” “Commercial Banking,” and “Management Ethics” at Boğaziçi and Bilgi Universities. From 1994 to 2000, he served as the President of the Turkish-American Business Association (TABA-AmCham) and also held the treasurer position of the European Council of American Chambers of Commerce (ECACC) during the same period when he was a member of the executive board and the executive committee of the council.
In 1990, the Central Bank introduced and implemented a monetary program aimed at increasing predictability and minimizing uncertainties in financial markets. As a result, Bülent Şenver was awarded the “Banker of the Year” by the monthly economics magazine “Kapital,” and he was also named “Man of the Year 1990” by “Cosmopolitan” magazine, receiving recognition for his contributions.
It’s truly inspiring to see someone who didn’t initially envision a career in banking become the banker of the year through the winds of change in the economy over the years, serving as a beacon of inspiration for future generations.
Bülent Şenver, a guru of Turkish banking who also served as a board member in companies such as Alman Kreiss Bank, Türkiye Genel Sigorta, Baytur İnşaat ve Taahhüt, Türk Henkel, Aksan, Pamuk Factoring, and Pamukbank Emekli Sandığı, brought many innovations to the Turkish banking system. As the Founding President of Türklider Center, Şenver taught courses on “Electronic Banking,” “Asset/Liability Management in Banks,” “Investment Banking,” “Commercial Banking,” and “Management Ethics” at Boğaziçi and Bilgi Universities. From 1994 to 2000, he served as the President of the Turkish-American Business Association (TABA-AmCham) and also held the treasurer position of the European Council of American Chambers of Commerce (ECACC) during the same period when he was a member of the executive board and the executive committee of the council.
How did the Ethical Leadership Academy come into being?
The Ethical Leadership Academy (ELA) was established with the mission to contribute to the development of high ethical standards and practices to create a better Turkey, as well as to foster the growth of young ethical leaders in all fields. It aims to promote the formation and enhancement of ethical awareness in Turkey and increase the vision of young people in ethical and business ethics topics. Bülent Şenver, the founding honorary chairman of the Turkey Ethics Values Center Foundation (TEDMER), established Türklider Center to engage in activities aimed at cultivating young leaders. He authored books such as “Succeed – A bedside book that opens the doors of success,” “Letter to Youth, Let it be in Your Ear,” and “Bank Balance Sheet Analysis.” Şenver is married and has two children.
Çiğdem Yorgancıoğlu and Bülent Şenver have previously participated in various Chi Ci Talks programs on Economy for Everyone Book Foundation Ethical Leadership topics on satellite television channels. They have also been part of recent interviews, including strategy summits organized by Education Companies and discussions hosted by the D&R Everyone Book Foundation.
