BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Born in Çankırı in 1968, Necdet Akyel holds an associate degree in Electronics from Boğaziçi University and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Anadolu University.

He began his career in 1992 as a System Administrator at Daimler Benz and later served as a System and Network Administrator at Philips between 1996 and 2003. He then joined Ziraat Teknoloji as Director of IT Planning and Investments.

From 2007 to 2010, Akyel served as Deputy General Manager at ETDB International Development Bank, followed by the role of Director of IT Governance and Planning at Vakıfbank between 2010 and 2015. He continued his career at Turkcell from 2016 to 2018 as IT Director (Executive Vice President) and at Medipol Group from 2018 to 2025 as Group Technology Director, leading the organization’s technology strategies.

As of 2025, Akyel serves as General Manager at İndisol and also as a Board Member at Moka United.

Mr. Yalçın Sezen, born in İzmir in 1965, graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Middle East Technical University. He began his professional career in 1987 as an Assistant Auditor at Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. After holding various managerial positions within the bank beginning in 1998, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive on April 13, 2011. He stepped down from his duties at İş Bankası as of January 31, 2023.

Mr. Sezen currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board at Topkapı Danışmanlık Elektronik Hizmetler Pazarlama ve Ticaret A.Ş. (Pazarama), and as the Vice Chairperson of the Board at both ImeceMobil Tarım Platformu Elektronik Hizmetler Ticaret A.Ş. and Moka United.

Murat Özgen graduated from Istanbul University with a degree in Business Administration (English) and holds an MBA from Mercer University in Atlanta, USA.

He began his career at Facility Group Inc. in Atlanta, where he worked in finance and accounting. He subsequently held roles in risk and portfolio management at Commerzbank New York, and later in project and investment finance at Koçbank. He joined İş Girişim Sermayesi Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş. in February 2002 and served as General Manager between January 2006 and August 2021, playing an active role in numerous investment and exit transactions during this period.

Between September 2021 and July 2023, Özgen served as General Manager at Maxis Girişim Sermayesi Portföy Yönetimi A.Ş., where he also acted as a Member of the Investment Committee for the funds established within the company, contributing to fund formation, investment processes, and strategic decision-making.

As of July 2023, he continues his role as Türkiye Office President of X12 Capital, an Abu Dhabi–based investment firm licensed by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

Özgen has held and continues to hold various board and investment committee memberships. He currently serves as a Member of the Investment Committee at the Jamaica Actus Small

Born in 1981 in İzmir, Erhan Yeşilkaya graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Business Administration and completed his Master’s degree in Financial Engineering at the same institution.

Yeşilkaya began his career in 2005 as an Auditor at Akbank and served as Budget Control Manager at the same company between 2010 and 2017. In 2017, he joined Turkish Airlines as Finance Control Manager; between 2019 and 2025, he worked at Turkish Fuel Services A.Ş. as Deputy General Manager responsible for Finance and Administrative Affairs.

As of July 2025, he serves as the Deputy General Manager (CFO) responsible for Finance and Administrative Affairs at Turkish OPET Aviation Fuels A.Ş.

With nearly 20 years of experience in financial management, risk analysis, budgeting, internal control, and corporate governance, Yeşilkaya holds a Certified Public Accountant (SMMM) license. He is a CFA Level III candidate and holds CMA, CMB Advanced Level, and Corporate Governance Rating licenses.

Mr. Sezgin Lüle, born in Trabzon in 1976, graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering at Boğaziçi University in 1998. He completed his Master’s degree in International Banking and Finance at the University of Birmingham in 2004.

Mr. Lüle began his professional career in 1998 as an Assistant Specialist in Organization and Methods at the Organization Department. In 1999, he joined the Inspection Board as an Assistant Inspector. Between 2008 and 2011, he served as Assistant Manager and Unit Manager in the Project and Change Management Department. In April 2017, he was appointed Corporate Architecture Manager.

In 2019, he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. On January 28, 2021, he was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive.

Mr. Lüle is fluent in English and has intermediate proficiency in German. He is married and has two children.

As of 2025, Mr. Sezgin Lüle serves as a Member of the Board at Moka United.

Mr. Hasan Cahit Çınar graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara University in 1988, majoring in International Relations. Between 1989 and 1990, he pursued academic studies at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

He began his professional career in 1991 as a Trainee Assistant Economist at the Economic Research Department of Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. In 1992, he joined the Inspection Board as a Trainee Assistant Inspector. From 2001 to 2013, he served in the Commercial Loan Allocation Department, holding various positions including Assistant Manager, Regional Manager, and Department Manager. In 2013, he was appointed Branch Manager of the Güneşli Corporate Branch in Istanbul. In 2016, he was assigned as General Manager of İşbank AG. On October 5, 2018, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive at Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş., a position he held until December 27, 2023.

On the same date, Mr. Çınar was appointed General Manager of Trakya Yatırım Holding A.Ş., and on April 30, 2025, he rejoined Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. as Deputy Chief Executive.

Mr. Çınar currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board at İş Enerji Yatırımları A.Ş., İş Gayrimenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş., Maxi Digital GmbH, and Jourma GmbH; as Vice Chairperson of the Board at Türkiye Şişe ve Cam Fabrikaları A.Ş. and Polat Enerji Yatırımları A.Ş.; and as a Member of the Board of Directors at Trakya Yatırım Holding A.Ş., Is Energy Investments B.V., Mimas Solarpark KFT, TİBAŞ 100th Year Foundation, and Moka United.

Oğulcan Toper graduated from Bilkent University with a degree in Business Administration and is currently pursuing his master's degree in business administration at Istanbul Bilgi University.

He began his career in 2014 at Deloitte Ankara in external audit, taking part in audit engagements across various industries. In 2017, he joined OYAK as Senior Auditor and went on to assume increasing responsibilities in audit and governance functions.

Between 2021 and 2023, Toper served as Internal Audit Manager at Hektaş Türk Ticaret Anonim Şirketi, contributing to the development of internal control and risk management processes.

In 2024, he was appointed Deputy Head of Audit at OYAK, followed by the role of Internal Control and Compliance Director in March 2025. As of January 2026, he serves as Sector Operations Director at OYAK, responsible for the automotive, energy, finance, agriculture, and food sectors.

As of 2026, he also serves as a Board Member at Moka United and at HEKTAŞ Türk Ticaret Anonim Şirketi and its subsidiaries.

Gizem Moral graduated from Marmara University with a degree in Econometrics. She has nearly 30 years of experience in strategic transformation, growth, product development, and customer-centric business models across technology companies and the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Throughout her career, she has led companies’ scaling, transformation, and sustainable growth journeys through CEO and senior executive roles across various industries.

Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions at leading organizations including Turkcell, Henkel, Emlakjet, and Revo Capital, focusing on strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, product development, customer insights, and growth strategies. Her experience spans scaling technology-driven businesses, strengthening product-market fit, enhancing customer experience, and driving sustainable growth.

As Chief Executive Officer of Emlakjet, one of Türkiye's leading online real estate platforms, Moral led the company's product, marketing, and commercial strategies while driving growth through a strong focus on user experience and performance-driven management. She later served for seven years as Growth Partner at Revo Capital, supporting technology startups in growth strategy, product positioning, value proposition development, and international expansion.

As of July 2026, Gizem Moral has joined Moka United as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, where she leads the company's strategic growth objectives, product vision, strengthening of its customer-centric approach, and corporate transformation initiatives.

Mr. İlker Sözdinler received his Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Management Information Systems and Business from Penn State University in 2005. He began his professional career the same year as a Founding Partner at NGN. After providing services to numerous financial institutions through NGN, he successfully exited the company by selling his shares to one of the largest international integrators in the region.

In 2010, Mr. Sözdinler founded United Payment with the aim of introducing the “Fintech as a Service” (FaaS) vision to Türkiye, marking a pioneering step in the financial sector. Under his leadership, United Payment achieved significant growth and was recognized in Ekonomist Magazine’s “Top 40 Most Powerful Young CEOs Under 40” list for four consecutive years.

Since its foundation, United Payment has become one of the first electronic money institutions in Türkiye. The company received investments from Finberg in 2020 and from Oyak Portfolio Venture Capital Funds in 2021. With a vision of becoming the largest fintech company in the region, United Payment has expanded operations to the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Romania, and Georgia.

In addition to his entrepreneurial achievements, Mr. Sözdinler actively contributes to the growth of the technology ecosystem by investing in startups. He also serves as Chair of the Fintech Committee within the Digital Business Council of DEİK, leading initiatives aimed at expanding Turkish fintech ventures globally.

Mr. Sözdinler served as CEO of United Payment until March 2025 and has been serving as a Member of the Board at Moka United since May 2025.

He is married with two children. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys comic books and science fiction literature, and is a fan of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars. He is also a devoted supporter of Beşiktaş.

Ms. Aslı Odabaşı began her studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of International Relations at Istanbul University in 1999 and graduated in 2003. She completed her Master’s degree in Public Administration at Mustafa Kemal University between 2004 and 2006.

She began her professional career at Turkcell in 2006 and served in various positions for nearly 15 years, working with both individual and corporate clients. During this period, she specialized in digital solutions, mobile media and advertising, and partnership management. She contributed to the expansion of Turkcell’s mobile marketing solutions and led initiatives to enhance customer satisfaction.

From 2018 to 2020, Ms. Odabaşı served as Chief Executive Officer of Smpl., a company offering integrated marketing solutions. While serving as CEO, she led a brand identity transformation, developed new products, and played a key role in generating international revenue.

Between 2020 and 2021, she worked at Hopi as Director of Strategy, Business Development, and Product, where she managed the product roadmap of the Hopi mobile application.

From 2021 to 2023, she served as General Manager of Moneybo, a subsidiary of United Payment. Since 2023, she has been serving as Deputy General Manager responsible for Strategy at Moka United, where she develops and executes the company’s strategic initiatives and drives its growth objectives.

She also currently serves as a Board Member of Up Enerji, a subsidiary of Moka United.

As of 2025, Ms. Odabaşı has been serving as Deputy General Manager at Moka United.

Yüzbaşıoğlu graduated from Sabancı University with a degree in Computer Science and Engineering. She began her career in 2006 as a software developer at BNP Paribas Fortis Bank. In 2010, she joined Turkcell, gaining hands-on experience in the telecommunications sector and contributing to the adoption of innovative technologies. Between 2011 and 2020, she held various consultancy and managerial roles at Yapı Kredi Bank, where she led numerous technology and business development initiatives within large-scale transformation programs.

From 2020 to 2023, she served as Group Director of Consulting at Linktera, leading a team that delivered services in technical architecture, software development, process excellence, and management consulting—primarily focused on the banking and finance industries. She also assumed ownership of the product during this time.

In June 2023, she joined MOKA as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Following the merger, she currently serves as Executive Vice President of Information Technologies (CIO) at Moka United.

Erender Çekim graduated from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University with a degree in Economics and completed his master’s degree in International Banking and Finance at İstanbul Ticaret University.

He began his career in 2011 at Provus, followed by roles at MasterCard in business development and project management. From 2016 to 2021, he held managerial positions at Aktif Bank, where he led product management and innovation initiatives, contributing to the bank’s digital growth strategies.

In 2021, he joined United Payment, where he served as Director of Business Development and later as Senior Director. As of 2025, he continues his role as Chief Product and Business Development Officer under the Moka United structure following the company merger.

Mr. Mustafa Ömer Okay, born in Ankara in 1961, graduated from the Department of Mathematics at Middle East Technical University in 1983. He began his professional career the same year as a Systems Analyst at the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM). In 1985, he joined the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) as a Systems Analyst. Over the years, he held several roles including Head of Payment Systems at the General Directorate of Information Technologies, Deputy General Manager of Payment Systems, and ultimately General Manager of Payment Systems. He retired from the Central Bank in February 2020 and transitioned to the private sector.

While at the Central Bank, Mr. Okay played a leading role in the implementation of Türkiye’s Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) System. He contributed significantly to several major national initiatives, including the second-generation EFT system, the Electronic Securities Transfer (EMKT) project, the redenomination of the Turkish Lira (YTL Project), the development of the New Generation EFT System using in-house resources, and the design of the Instant and Continuous Transfer of Funds system (FAST).

He held national and international responsibilities such as membership in the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Chairmanship of the SWIFT National Member Group, and Chair of the Financial Technologies Working Group, established in 2016 with participation from the Treasury, CBRT, BRSA, and CMB. He also served on the Central Executive Board of the Turkish Informatics Association and held various board and vice-chairmanship roles within the CBRT Social Assistance Foundation.

Between 2020 and 2021, Mr. Okay served as a member of the Advisory Board at PayCore Inc. and United Payment. Between 2021 and 2022, he served as Board Advisor to both United Payment and Token Financial Technologies, a fintech company owned by Koç Holding. He later served as Deputy General Manager responsible for Corporate Affairs and Board Advisor at United Payment.

As of 2025, Mr. Mustafa Ömer Okay serves as Deputy General Manager at Moka United.

Şafak Ergönül was born in Ankara in 1977 and graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Marmara University.

She began her career as an Assistant Auditor at Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. Board of Inspectors. After her active audit tenure, she specialized in payment systems by taking on managerial roles in various related departments.

On August 15, 2022, she was appointed Director of Operations and Fraud at Moka Payment and Electronic Money Institution, a wholly owned subsidiary of Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. In this role, she led the design and implementation of allocation, fraud monitoring, and operational processes, along with the setup and effective management of related systems.

As of March 2025, she has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Fraud and Operations at Moka United, where she continues to lead strategic efforts in these critical areas.

Erkut Gazioğulları holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Marmara University and has nearly 25 years of experience in senior finance and operations roles within multinational companies and joint venture structures.

He began his career at Arthur Andersen Türkiye in the Audit Division and later served as Financial Analysis and Planning Manager at Johnson & Johnson Türkiye, where he was responsible for budgeting, reporting, internal controls, and SOX compliance processes.

Between 2009 and 2012, he served as Finance and Commercial Excellence Manager at Novartis Oncology Türkiye, and subsequently as Finance Director at Novartis Vietnam, leading the financial transformation of the country organization. From 2014 to 2016, he worked as Finance and Operations Director at Lundbeck Türkiye, overseeing finance, commercial operations, and supply chain processes.

From 2016 to 2023, Gazioğulları held the role of Türkiye Finance Lead at Takeda (including Shire, Baxalta, and Eczacıbaşı Baxter Türkiye), where he played a critical role as Country Integration Lead during merger and integration processes. Between March 2023 and February 2025, he served as Area Finance Head within Takeda’s Multi-Country Organization covering Türkiye, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, leading the financial structuring and management of an organization generating approximately USD 700 million in revenue.

As of 2026, he serves as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Moka United.

Aziz Erdem graduated from the Business Administration Department of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Marmara University in 2003 and has nearly 20 years of experience in the banking and financial technology sectors.

He began his career in the private sector before moving into the financial services industry in 2006. Throughout his career, he has held key responsibilities in internal audit, risk management, internal control systems, the design of control frameworks based on the COSO framework, regulatory compliance, credit processes, and process improvement.

Erdem joined Moka United in 2016 and played an active role in establishing and developing the company's internal audit, risk management, and compliance functions.

He currently serves as Internal Audit Director at Moka United, where he continues to strengthen the organization's internal audit and governance framework. Erdem holds CRMA, CICP, and CICA certifications, as well as Capital Markets Board (CMB) Level 3, Credit Rating, Corporate Governance Rating, and Derivatives licenses.

Ms. Selma Sever began her professional career at Plasteks Plastik as Accounting Staff, following her graduation from the Department of Business Administration at Çukurova University, where she had also completed an internship. Between 2001 and 2003, she gained international experience in the United States as a Business Analyst at Universal Accounting Software Co.

Upon returning to Türkiye, she worked in the Retail Marketing Department at HSBC Bank’s Zeytinburnu Branch between 2004 and 2006, where she was responsible for the sales and marketing of all banking products. In 2006, she joined Finansbank and worked in the Alternative Delivery Channels Security Department until 2011. Between 2011 and 2014, she served as Assistant Manager on the Analysis Team within the Security, Fraud, and Risk Department at HSBC Bank.

From 2014 to 2020, Ms. Sever founded and led the Digital Security Unit at Fibabanka, where she played a leading role in digital security, fraud prevention, and risk management efforts.

Since 2020, she has been serving as Senior Director of Risk Management at United Payment, where she is responsible for preparing periodic risk reports, conducting comprehensive risk assessments, and developing strategic solutions. She has also been an active member of the Security Committee of the Interbank Card Center (BKM) for nearly a decade, contributing significantly to the development of industry-wide security standards.

In addition to her professional experience, Ms. Sever holds a certificate in Data Science from Özyeğin University and actively participates in national and international training programs and events. She closely follows industry trends and continuously works on developing innovative solutions.

As of 2025, Ms. Selma Sever serves as a Senior Director of Risk Management at Moka United.

Bahar Örücü Atay graduated from Middle East Technical University (METU) with a degree in Statistics and has nearly 27 years of experience in marketing, corporate communications, customer experience, and brand management within the banking and financial services industry.

She began her career at Türkiye İş Bankası in 1998 as a Capital Markets Specialist and later held various managerial roles across customer relations, digital channel marketing, segment management, marketing communications, and corporate communications.

Between 2013 and 2021, Örücü Atay held managerial positions in marketing communications, digital channel marketing, and segment management at Türkiye İş Bankası. During this period, she took part in marketing communication strategies for mobile banking, payment systems, and digital banking services, while contributing to the development of data-driven initiatives aimed at increasing customer acquisition and loyalty. She also played an active role in the brand positioning processes of the Workup entrepreneurship platform.

From 2021 to 2025, she served as Marketing Communications Director and later Corporate Communications Director at Türkiye İş Bankası, undertaking significant responsibilities in the institution’s brand reputation, sustainability communications, and strategic marketing communication initiatives.

As of 2025, Örücü Atay serves as Senior Marketing Director at Moka United, where she continues her responsibilities in brand positioning, growth-focused marketing strategies, corporate communications, and integrated communication initiatives.

Başak Sakarya Gül completed her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Public Administration at Middle East Technical University in 2001. She holds master’s degrees in Science and Technology Policy from Middle East Technical University (2007) and in Organizational Psychology from Istanbul Bilgi University (2017).

With nearly 20 years of experience in Human Resources, Sakarya Gül has held key responsibilities at Türkiye İş Bankası across project management, talent acquisition, learning and development, and employer branding. Most recently, she served as Competency Line Lead for Employee Experience and Employer Branding, where she led strategic initiatives to enhance employee engagement, design young talent programs, and strengthen the institution’s employer brand.

As of 2026, she serves as Human Resources Director at Moka United, where she is responsible for shaping HR strategy, driving organizational development, designing performance and reward systems, and strengthening corporate culture within a rapidly growing fintech environment.

Sakarya Gül holds international HR certifications, including Agility in HR and SPHRi, awarded by the HR Certification Institute, and continues to focus on employee experience, organizational transformation, and employer branding.