Fethi K. Sönmez
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Born in 1972, Fethi Kalıpçı Sönmez graduated from Bilkent University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Administration.
In 1993, he founded Armada Gıda and led the company's founding and growth. As a founder, he took significant steps in production, exports, investment planning, and expanding into international markets.
Sönmez is actively involved in the sector and international business world. He serves as a Board Member of the Global Pulses Confederation and maintains connections in the business world through his membership in TÜSİAD and DEİK.
In 1993, he founded Armada Gıda and led the company's founding and growth. As a founder, he took significant steps in production, exports, investment planning, and expanding into international markets.
Sönmez is actively involved in the sector and international business world. He serves as a Board Member of the Global Pulses Confederation and maintains connections in the business world through his membership in TÜSİAD and DEİK.
S. Saygın Sönmez
Deputy Chairman of the Board
Born in 1980, Sadettin Saygın Sönmez completed his undergraduate studies in International Finance at Istanbul Bilgi University.
He serves as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Armada Gıda and has played a key role in the establishment and growth of the company's organic business line.
Sönmez has also been involved in non-governmental organizations that contribute to the development of the sector. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Exporters' Association (AKİB) and a former Board Member of the Customs Warehouse Association.
He serves as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Armada Gıda and has played a key role in the establishment and growth of the company's organic business line.
Sönmez has also been involved in non-governmental organizations that contribute to the development of the sector. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Exporters' Association (AKİB) and a former Board Member of the Customs Warehouse Association.
Mehmet H. Sönmez
Board Member
Born in 1996, Mehmet Hayri Sönmez completed his high school education at The Hill School and his undergraduate degree in Business Administration at The American University.
He has been working at Armada Gıda since 2019, playing an active role in establishing the company's Kazakhstan branch.
He has been working at Armada Gıda since 2019, playing an active role in establishing the company's Kazakhstan branch.
Hamiyet Sönmez
Board Member
Born in 2000, Hamiyet Sönmez completed her undergraduate studies in Business Administration and Management at King's College London.
During her studies, she participated in short-term internships at Deloitte and PwC, gaining experience in finance, auditing, and management consulting. Following graduation, she worked in the Trading Department of Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) for approximately a year, focusing on international trade operations and commodity markets.
During her studies, she participated in short-term internships at Deloitte and PwC, gaining experience in finance, auditing, and management consulting. Following graduation, she worked in the Trading Department of Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) for approximately a year, focusing on international trade operations and commodity markets.
Arzu Aslan Kesimer
Independent Board Member
Kesimer began his career at Marmara Bank in 1992, working at a specialist level in the Corporate Loans department. He joined the Koç Group in 1995 and held various positions at Koçtaş Yapı Marketleri A.Ş., a joint venture with 50% foreign ownership, until November 2011.
While successfully serving as Deputy General Manager of Commerce at Koçtaş, in November 2011, he was appointed General Manager of Tat Gıda Sanayi A.Ş., another Koç Group company, encompassing the Tat, Maret, Sek, Pastavilla, Harranova, and Tedi business units. In 2017, in addition to his current role, Kesimer was also assigned to Arzu Aslan Kesimer's responsibility for Düzey Dağıtım ve Pazarlama A.Ş. After serving on the boards of both Tat Gıda A.Ş. and Düzey Dağıtım Pazarlama A.Ş. for 10 years, Kesimer left the Koç Group in April 2021 to serve as a board member and board advisor at various companies. She currently serves as a member of the Yıldız Ventures GSYF Investment Committee, a member of the Board of Directors of Akkim A.Ş., an independent member of the Board of Directors of Söktaş Tekstil A.Ş., and a member of the Board of Directors of KHAADI Corp., a Pakistan-based global fashion retailer representing IFC/WorldBank.
Arzu Aslan Kesimer graduated from the English-language Department of Economics at Marmara University and earned a Master's Degree in Economics from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Boğaziçi University. She has also participated in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Management, Fashion, Visual Design, Sales, and Store Planning programs at various institutions abroad. She also participated in "Young Leader" programs at Koç University, "Effective Board Membership" and "Disruptive Strategies" at Harvard Business School in Boston, and Leadership programs at Oxford Said Business School in the UK. Kesimer speaks English and German, and is a founding board member and vice president of the Women on Board Association. Kesimer, who served as an ISO Assembly Member and Sector Committee President and a TÜSİAD Member for many years, also volunteers as a mentor in many projects.
While successfully serving as Deputy General Manager of Commerce at Koçtaş, in November 2011, he was appointed General Manager of Tat Gıda Sanayi A.Ş., another Koç Group company, encompassing the Tat, Maret, Sek, Pastavilla, Harranova, and Tedi business units. In 2017, in addition to his current role, Kesimer was also assigned to Arzu Aslan Kesimer's responsibility for Düzey Dağıtım ve Pazarlama A.Ş. After serving on the boards of both Tat Gıda A.Ş. and Düzey Dağıtım Pazarlama A.Ş. for 10 years, Kesimer left the Koç Group in April 2021 to serve as a board member and board advisor at various companies. She currently serves as a member of the Yıldız Ventures GSYF Investment Committee, a member of the Board of Directors of Akkim A.Ş., an independent member of the Board of Directors of Söktaş Tekstil A.Ş., and a member of the Board of Directors of KHAADI Corp., a Pakistan-based global fashion retailer representing IFC/WorldBank.
Arzu Aslan Kesimer graduated from the English-language Department of Economics at Marmara University and earned a Master's Degree in Economics from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Boğaziçi University. She has also participated in Leadership, Strategic Planning and Management, Fashion, Visual Design, Sales, and Store Planning programs at various institutions abroad. She also participated in "Young Leader" programs at Koç University, "Effective Board Membership" and "Disruptive Strategies" at Harvard Business School in Boston, and Leadership programs at Oxford Said Business School in the UK. Kesimer speaks English and German, and is a founding board member and vice president of the Women on Board Association. Kesimer, who served as an ISO Assembly Member and Sector Committee President and a TÜSİAD Member for many years, also volunteers as a mentor in many projects.
Burçin Gözlüklü
Bağımsız Yönetim Kurulu Üyesi
Burçin Gözlüklü is the founder and managing partner of Centrum Denetim Yeminli Mali Müşavirlik A.Ş. and its Group Companies. Before founding Centrum Group, she served as an Accountant on the Board of Accountants at the Ministry of Finance for 10 years.
In 2008, she was appointed Secretary General of the Turkish Accounting Standards Board (now known as the Public Oversight, Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority) and led the efforts to incorporate international accounting standards into local legislation for nearly three years. During this period, she was a member of the Asia-Oceania Standard Setters Group (AOSG) and an observer member of the World Standard Setters Group (WSS). During her tenure as Secretary General, she actively participated in the preparation of the New Turkish Commercial Code (TCC) and represented Turkey regarding the accounting and auditing regulations of the new TCC during the negotiations with the EU Commission on the Company Law chapter of the European Union acquis. In 2010, she left her public sector positions and began working as the Audit Group Coordinator at Koç Holding A.Ş. (Note: This appears to be a mistranslation and should likely be a mistranslation or a mistranslation.) Following a one-year tenure as Audit Group Coordinator, she was appointed Tax Management Coordinator at Koç Holding A.Ş. and served as a senior tax executive for Koç Group Companies until mid-2014.
Burçin Gözlüklü graduated from the Department of Business Administration at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Middle East Technical University and holds a PhD in Accounting and Finance from Başkent University. She served as a member of the TÜSİAD Intellectual Property Sub-Working Group between 2011 and 2014, and as the TÜSİAD representative on the Public Oversight Agency Accounting Standards Review Commissions (two separate commissions) between 2011 and 2013. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the International Financial Management Institute since 2013. In 2020, she was elected as an executive board member of the Istanbul Economic Summit and as an independent board member of the publicly held Yeni Gimat GYO A.Ş. He holds the titles of certified public accountant and independent auditor.
In 2008, she was appointed Secretary General of the Turkish Accounting Standards Board (now known as the Public Oversight, Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority) and led the efforts to incorporate international accounting standards into local legislation for nearly three years. During this period, she was a member of the Asia-Oceania Standard Setters Group (AOSG) and an observer member of the World Standard Setters Group (WSS). During her tenure as Secretary General, she actively participated in the preparation of the New Turkish Commercial Code (TCC) and represented Turkey regarding the accounting and auditing regulations of the new TCC during the negotiations with the EU Commission on the Company Law chapter of the European Union acquis. In 2010, she left her public sector positions and began working as the Audit Group Coordinator at Koç Holding A.Ş. (Note: This appears to be a mistranslation and should likely be a mistranslation or a mistranslation.) Following a one-year tenure as Audit Group Coordinator, she was appointed Tax Management Coordinator at Koç Holding A.Ş. and served as a senior tax executive for Koç Group Companies until mid-2014.
Burçin Gözlüklü graduated from the Department of Business Administration at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Middle East Technical University and holds a PhD in Accounting and Finance from Başkent University. She served as a member of the TÜSİAD Intellectual Property Sub-Working Group between 2011 and 2014, and as the TÜSİAD representative on the Public Oversight Agency Accounting Standards Review Commissions (two separate commissions) between 2011 and 2013. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the International Financial Management Institute since 2013. In 2020, she was elected as an executive board member of the Istanbul Economic Summit and as an independent board member of the publicly held Yeni Gimat GYO A.Ş. He holds the titles of certified public accountant and independent auditor.
Cem Mengi
CEM MENGİ
(1965 - İzmir) In 1984, he obtained an "A Level" in Mathematics and Physics in England, and in 1988, he completed his education in Information Management Systems at the Faculty of Business and Management of International University. That same year, he began his banking career at Finansbank, and subsequently held various positions as Deputy General Manager and Senior Deputy General Manager at İnterbank, Körfezbank, Rabobank International NV, and ING Bank. Most recently, he served as the Chairman of the Credit Committee and Board Member responsible for Loans and Placements at Akbank TAŞ. He continues his work with civil society organizations at YKKD. Having previously served as a Committee Member in organizations such as TÜSİAD, DEİK, YASED, and GYİAD, Cem Mengi is currently the Founding Chairman of CM Capital Management.
(1965 - İzmir) In 1984, he obtained an "A Level" in Mathematics and Physics in England, and in 1988, he completed his education in Information Management Systems at the Faculty of Business and Management of International University. That same year, he began his banking career at Finansbank, and subsequently held various positions as Deputy General Manager and Senior Deputy General Manager at İnterbank, Körfezbank, Rabobank International NV, and ING Bank. Most recently, he served as the Chairman of the Credit Committee and Board Member responsible for Loans and Placements at Akbank TAŞ. He continues his work with civil society organizations at YKKD. Having previously served as a Committee Member in organizations such as TÜSİAD, DEİK, YASED, and GYİAD, Cem Mengi is currently the Founding Chairman of CM Capital Management.
