Senior Management

Galip Karagöz, who graduated with honors from the Computer Engineering department of Boğaziçi University in 1991, took on the role of co-founder responsible for technology operations at Bima-Escort Software, a technology start-up company established in the same year. Between 1999 and 2005, he managed a portfolio consisting of Investment Banking, Consumer Finance, Chamber of Commerce and Trade Registry Applications at Globis, a technology company owned by EGS Bank. Between 2005 and 2011, he took an active role as Application Development Director at Ziraat Technology, a subsidiary of Ziraat Finance Group, one of Turkey's most established public banks, and took on the leadership role in the first and largest agile transformation study in the finance sector in 2009. From 2012 to 2016, he held senior positions as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Central Registry Agency. During the same years, he also served as the CIO and Deputy General Manager of Takasbank. Between 2016 and 2017, he was the Group Director of IT at the e-commerce platform Hepsiburada. From 2017 to 2018, he served as the CEO of Ezgetech Technology, a London-based technology consultancy firm. Between 2018 and 2019, he worked as a BT Consultant and Solution Architect at Santander Corporate & Investment Banking's London office, which operates in more than 20 countries worldwide. He worked as an IT Consultancy and Solution Architect at Banking's London office, and as a Board Member and IT Consultant at Osmanlı Yatırım Menkul Değerler in September 2019.

Karagöz, who has been serving as the General Manager and Board Member of Hayat Finans Katılım Bankası since December 12 2023, speaks English fluently. He is married and has two children. 

Özer Baran, graduated from Bilkent University, Department of Industrial Engineering in 1999,  completed his Master's Degree in Financial Economics at Izmir University of Economics in 2007. Mr. Baran began his career in the Banking sector and worked as an inspector at T. İş Bankası A.Ş. between 1999 and 2007.  He worked as the Assistant Manager of Corporate Credits at HSBC Bank A.Ş. between 2007 and 2009, Risk Management Manager at Eurobank Tekfen A.Ş. between 2009 and 2010, Risk Management Head and Assistant General Manager of Credits in Risk Management and Credits Groups at Türkiye Finans Katılım Bankası A.Ş. between 2010 and 2020, and Assistant General Manager of Credits and Information Systems at Pasha Yatırım Bankası A.Ş. between 2021 and 2022. 

Since August 2022, he has been serving as the Deputy General Manager in charge of Credits and Operations at Hayat Finans Katılım Bankası A.Ş.

Çetin Yalçın Güleç, who graduated from the Department of Computer Engineering at Ege University in 2005, began his professional career as a software specialist at Ege University. From 2009 to 2022, he served as a Software Engineer, Solution Architect, Manager, and Director in the field of Data Analytics at Softtech Inc. Having been involved in the establishment operations of Hayat Finans Participation Bank, Çetin Yalçın Güleç is currently serving as the Executive Vice President in charge of Technology and Banking Services.

Mehmet Necati Özdeniz, born in Çanakkale in 1975, graduated from the Department of Sociology at Middle East Technical University in 1998. During his time as a student at Middle East Technical University, he served as a Statistics Assistant.

Since 1999, Özdeniz has been professionally engaged in his career, holding high-level positions at prominent institutions in Turkey, including Oyak Bank (ING), Dışbank (Fortis – TEB), Türk Ekonomi Bankası, Aktif Bank Investment Bank, Türkiye Finans Participation Bank, and CarrefourSA.

From 2017 to 2022, he assumed the role of Deputy General Manager overseeing Retail Banking at Türkiye Finans Participation Bank A.S. Between 2015 and 2017, he held the esteemed position of Executive Board Member responsible for Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Customer Loyalty Programs at CarrefourSA. His responsibilities at Türkiye Finans Participation Bank A.S. from 2013 to 2015 encompassed the role of Data Management and CRM Group Manager. Additionally, he served as the CRM & Campaign Manager at Türk Ekonomi Bankası (TEB) from 2012 to 2013, and from 2008 to 2012, he held the position of CRM & Segment Management Department Manager at Aktif Investment Bank.

In November 2022, Mehmet Necati Özdeniz began his role as the General Manager Consultant at Hayat Finans Participation Bank, and since September 2023, he has been serving as the Deputy General Manager of Retail Banking.

Mehmet Necati Özdeniz has been serving as Deputy General Manager of Retail Banking since September 2023. As of June 3, 2024, in addition to his duties and responsibilities as Deputy General Manager of Retail Banking, he has also been serving as Deputy General Manager of Corporate Banking. Mehmet Necati Özdeniz, who graduated from Özyeğin University Executive MBA department in 2023, is married and has three children.

In 2023, Mehmet Necati Özdeniz completed the Executive MBA program at Özyeğin University. He is married and has three children.

Özgür Bilgili, who graduated from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Management Engineering in 1999, started his banking career as a Financial Control Management Trainee at Dışbank A.Ş. in the same year, and completed his Master's degree in Economics at Yıldız Technical University in 2003.

He worked in the fields of Financial Control, Planning, Reporting, Human Resources and Asset-Liability Management at Dışbank between 1999 and 2005, at Denizbank and its subsidiaries between 2005 and 2007, and at Fortisbank between 2007 and 2009. He worked as Manager in Finansbank Financial Control and Planning Department between 2009-2012.

He served as Deputy General Manager responsible for Financial Control and Risk Management at Eko Faktoring between 2012 and 2014, as CFO at QNB Finans Faktoring between 2014 and 2017, and as Director of Budget and Performance Management at QNB Finansbank between 2017 and 2020. Between 2020 and 2021, he worked as Deputy General Manager of Financial Affairs and Operations at Burgan Finansal Kiralama A.Ş. Between 2021 and 2023, T.O.M. T.O.M., which also includes Participation Bank. He served as CFO of Financial Services Group companies.

Özgür Bilgili, who joined Hayat Finans Katılım Bankası Financial Affairs & Reporting department as Director in November 2023, has been serving as Deputy General Manager responsible for Treasury & Financial Affairs since June 2024.