We discussed the current business environment and recent developments with Özgür Burak Akkol, who is currently the Tourism, Food, and Retailing Group President at Koç Holding. Until recently, he served as the Human Resources and Industrial Relations President of Koç Holding, one of the largest employers in Turkey, with 105 thousand employees and consolidated earnings that account for 8% of the country’s GDP. He shares his experience leading the human resources management of a large conglomerate and overseeing important initiatives that received several significant accolades. He discusses navigating challenges engendered by the pandemic, generation Z joining the workforce, and the impact of digitalization on human resource management practices.

Özgür Burak Akkol started his career in 2002 in the USA, as a Manufacturing and Efficiency Specialist at Nautilus Foods. After that, he started working for Koç Holding A.Ş. as Human Resources Specialist in 2003. From 2005 to 2009, he worked as Auditor and Senior Auditor within the Audit Group. He was assigned for the audit of Durable Goods Group, Central Audit Group and Energy Group companies, respectively. Then, he was appointed as System Development and Human Resources Manager at Koç Holding A.Ş. in 2009. Mr. Akkol was appointed as System Development and Human Resources Coordinator of Koç Holding A.Ş. in 2010. He served as Human Resources Director of Koç Holding A.Ş. from 2014 to 2021. Since 2021, Mr. Akkol serves as Human Resources and Industrial Relations President of Koç Holding A.Ş. He has recently appointed as the Tourism, Food and Retailing Group President of Koç Holding A.Ş. in April 2022. Akkol holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. He earned his Executive MBA from Koç University. He graduated from Columbia Business School and London Business School with a Global Executive MBA. He finished the Leadership and Executive Development program at Harvard Business School.