Speakers 2025

BETON 2025 Summit

12 NOVEMBER

THE ECONOMY AND THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY

“Economic Trends and Outlook in Türkiye and the World”

Prof. Dr. Özgür Demirtaş

Sabancı University Chair Professor of Finance

Prof. Dr. Özgür Demirtaş

Sabancı University Chair Professor of Finance

Özgür Demirtaş was born in Ankara. He graduated from İzmir Atatürk High School as the top student. Ranking among the top 50 students in Turkey in the national university entrance examinations, he completed his undergraduate studies in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Boğaziçi University in 1998. He earned his Ph.D. in Finance from Boston College in 2003, at the age of 27. In the same year, he began his academic career as an Assistant Professor at Baruch College, City University of New York.

In the field of teaching, he was selected as the best faculty member within the Finance Department in 2003, and within the entire School of Business in 2004. In 2005, he was awarded the "Distinguished Teaching Medal" as the best faculty member among all departments and schools. At the same time, he received the highest teaching evaluations at New York University (NYU) Stern School of Business. In 2007, he earned tenure and the title of Associate Professor at the City University of New York.

In 2010, based on evaluations of over 10 million students across the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Scotland, he was ranked among the top 20 professors out of 1 million.

His research has been published in leading academic journals such as Management Science, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Monetary Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Review of Finance, and Journal of Business & Economic Statistics. He has authored more than 35 academic publications. In addition, his book on private investment funds was published by Academic Press. Beginning in 2004, his research was recognized and awarded by the City University of New York for six consecutive years.

In September 2012, he left his tenured position in the United States to join Sabancı University as the Chair of Finance. Through his work at Sabancı University, he received the Marie Curie European Research Grant.

Prof. Dr. Özgür Demirtaş is the Founding Chairman of the Center of Excellence in Finance established under Sabancı University, a Board Member of Akbank, one of Turkey’s leading banks, and a Founding Board Member of FODER, Turkey’s first financial literacy association. He also serves as a consultant for many major companies and holdings. He participates as an honorary speaker at events and as a panelist at think tank activities in Turkey, the United States, and Europe. In addition, he is an angel investor in several sectors, primarily biotechnology and fintech.

Panel: Dynamics of Change in the Construction and Ready Mixed Concrete Sector

Alper Karakurt

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Consultant

Alper Karakurt

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Consultant

Studied at Columbia and Harvard Universities. He worked as a consultant at the World Bank (DC) and served as an Advisor to the Minister at the Ministry of Industry, Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, and Ministry of Economy. Since 2000, he has been conducting studies on Competition Law. For the past nine years, he has been providing consultancy services to sectoral associations, unions, and companies.

Yavuz Işık

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) President

Yavuz Işık

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) President

He completed his primary, secondary, and high school education in Ankara. He graduated from the University of Siegen in Germany and Gazi University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering. Since 1985, he has been managing his own companies operating in the ready mixed concrete, aggregate, machinery manufacturing, mining, and transportation sectors.

He served as an assembly member of the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) for 10 years, and also held the positions of Chairman of the Building Elements Committee and Chairman of the Economic Commission.

Between 2016 and 2020, he served as President of the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organization (ERMCO). He currently continues to represent the sector effectively in international platforms as a member of the ERMCO Board of Directors.

Since 2013, he has been serving as the Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association, continuing his efforts for the development of the sector.

Yavuz Işık is married and has two children and speaks German and English fluently.

Nazmi Şahin

Building Inspection & Earthquake Engineering Association (YDDMD) President

Nazmi Şahin

Building Inspection & Earthquake Engineering Association (YDDMD) President

Nazmi Şahin is a Civil Engineer, President of the Association of Structural Inspection and Earthquake Engineers, a member of the Consortium of European Building Control, and a Board Member of the Ankara City Council. In 1998, he went abroad with Lukoil and completed the KOGALIM HEATLINE and NEFTBANK projects, receiving a Work Completion Certificate. In 1999, he established H.N.E. Project Engineering Construction Company, headquartered in Ankara, and began providing services in the project and contracting sector. In 2010, he founded Tunam Construction Inspection Company and engaged in activities in the field of building inspection. He has contributed to numerous projects both domestically and internationally.

He has also written books and articles on building inspection. Nazmi Şahin speaks English and Russian, is married, and has two children.

Ferdi Erdoğan

Association of Turkish Construction Material Producers (Türkiye İMSAD) Vice President

Ferdi Erdoğan

Association of Turkish Construction Material Producers (Türkiye İMSAD) Vice President

Ferdi Erdoğan graduated in 1979 from Istanbul University, Faculty of Science, Department of Geological Engineering. In 1980, he started his professional career at Kale Group as an M.Sc. geological engineer. Between 1980 and 1990, he held managerial positions in the Raw Materials Department at Çanakkale Seramik; after 1990, following the establishment of Kalemaden, he served as Marmara Regional Manager between 1990 and 1998; between 1998 and 2013, he served as General Manager of Kalekim. Most recently, between 2013 and 2017, as Group President of Building Products, he managed domestic and international operations of Kaleseramik, KaleItalia, Kalenakliyat, Kalemaden, and Kalefrit companies.

Until July 31, 2024, Ferdi Erdoğan served as a Board Member in Kale Group companies Kaleholding, Kalemaden, Kalenakliyat, and Kalefrit; as of October 1, 2024, he assumed the role of Executive Committee Member at Eryap Group.

He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Türkiye İMSAD during the 2017–2020 term and has been serving as Vice President since 2020. Between 2018 and 2022, he served as a Board Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) and the Çanakkale Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ÇTSO). He resigned from the ÇTSO Board Membership on July 31, 2024, for the 2022–2026 term.

Between 2011 and 2015, he served as Chairman of the Board of IZODER and currently continues as a Member of the Presidents’ Board of IZODER, Board Member of SEDEFED, Member of the TOBB Contractors’ Assembly, and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Turkish Earthquake Foundation.

13 NOVEMBER

SUSTAINABILITY

Panel: The Future of the Global Ready Mixed Concrete Industry and Sustainability

İlker Koç

Akçansa, Vice General Manager; Ready Mixed Concrete Aggregate Sales & Marketing, Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Board Member

İlker Koç

Akçansa, Vice General Manager; Ready Mixed Concrete Aggregate Sales & Marketing, Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Board Member

İlker Koç completed his undergraduate studies in Civil Engineering at Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) and earned his Executive MBA degree from Sabancı University. He began his professional career in 1994 at Rizzani de Eccher as a Site Engineer and later worked as a Site Manager at Astaldi and Sinta between 1995 and 1998. In September 1998, he joined Akçansa, where he served as a Specialist in the Marketing Planning and Sales departments. Between 2008 and 2012, he worked at the Heidelberg Cement Technology Center in Germany as a Senior Engineer. Upon returning, he continued his career at Akçansa as Quality and R&D Manager, Marketing and Special Products Manager, and Technical Sales Support and Special Products Manager. From December 2020 to November 2021, he served as the Company Manager at Karçimsa. As of December 1, 2021, he has been appointed Vice General Manager of Akçansa, responsible for Ready Mixed Concrete, Aggregate Sales, and Marketing.

Can Otuzbir

Çimbeton, Ready Mixed Concrete Quality and R&D Manager

Can Otuzbir

Çimbeton, Ready Mixed Concrete Quality and R&D Manager

Can Otuzbir has over 15 years of experience in the field of civil engineering, specializing in concrete technologies, quality control, and R&D. Throughout his career, he has managed numerous projects focused on concrete production, process optimization, and new product development. He is currently serving as the Quality and R&D Manager at Çimbeton, where he works on ensuring compliance with industry standards, improving production efficiency, and developing innovative concrete solutions.

He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering at Dokuz Eylül University, as well as a Master’s degree in Engineering Management at Celal Bayar University.

He is fluent in English and Greek.

Cynthia Imesch

Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), Sustainability Manager and Coordinator

Cynthia Imesch

Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), Sustainability Manager and Coordinator

Cynthia is a Swiss-Venezuelan Sustainability Manager and Coordinator at the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC), where she represents CSC internationally and coordinates its initiatives. She engages with green building labels, policy makers, and international institutions, promoting sustainable practices and decarbonization in the concrete sector.

Fluent in five languages and holding Master’s degrees in International Relations and International Trading, Cynthia is a frequent speaker at global conferences, sharing insights on circular economy solutions and advancing sustainable construction worldwide.

Nedim Mazilyah

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Principal Banker & Development Finance Professional

Nedim Mazilyah

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Principal Banker & Development Finance Professional

Nedim Mazilyah is a development finance professional working for EBRD with 15 years of experience in large scale global investment projects, specializing in emerging markets. Regional expertise spans into Türkiye, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East, with a focus on manufacturing, agriculture, and services sectors. He holds a MSc in Financial Engineering degree from the Paris XII University and BSc in Computer Science degree from Galatasaray University.

Panel: Low Carbon Targets in Ready Mixed Concrete

Dr. Aslı Özbora

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) General Coordinator

Dr. Aslı Özbora

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) General Coordinator

Dr. Aslı Özbora received her bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Yıldız Technical University in 2004, her master’s degree from INSA de Lyon in France in 2005, and her Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 2025.

She began her career in the construction chemicals industry and later worked as a researcher at Istanbul Technical University and Delft University of Technology. She also served as a Quality Control – Quality Assurance Engineer in the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge Project and as a Project Leader at Kordsa R&D.

Having served as Technical Director at the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organization (ERMCO) for nine years, Dr. Özbora currently holds the position of General Coordinator at the Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB). She is also involved in management and representation roles in national and international projects within the Concrete Europe and Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC) committees.

Arda Moltay

Turkish Green Building Council (ÇEDBİK) Vice President and Treasurer

Arda Moltay

Turkish Green Building Council (ÇEDBİK) Vice President and Treasurer

Arda Moltay was born on January 22, 1976, in Istanbul. Following his graduation from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Industrial Engineering in 1997, he began his professional career at Mimta Architecture Ltd.

In parallel with his work in commercial kitchen planning and equipment manufacturing, as well as technical furniture production for hospitals, he has also developed expertise in sustainable building design and certification, focusing on sustainability under the Mimta Eco Yapı brand.

Currently, he represents Mimta Ltd. at the Board of Directors of the Turkish Green Building Council (ÇEDBİK) as Vice President and Treasurer, and works as a sustainability consultant on various local and international projects.

Arda Moltay is married and has one child.

Jean-Marc Potier

European Ready Mixed Concrete Organization (ERMCO) Technical Advisor

Jean-Marc Potier

European Ready Mixed Concrete Organization (ERMCO) Technical Advisor

Jean-Marc POTIER is a civil engineer (ENPC Paris 1978). He is working as technical advisor of ERMCO, the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation. He is member of various CEN (European Committee for Standardisation) working groups and he represents concrete sector in CEN TC 350, Sustainability in construction. He is also chairman of ISO TC 59 SC17 (Sustainability in building and civil engineering works).

Richard Kershaw

Cemex UK Head of Technical Services

Richard Kershaw

Cemex UK Head of Technical Services

Richard has been employed in Technical and Quality Management for over 35 years in the heavy building materials industry.

A specialist in ready mixed concrete, Richard is Head of Technical Services for Cemex UK responsible for a team of specialist Technical Managers who focus on product conformance, technical guidance and product innovation for concrete, mortar, screed, aggregates and asphalt

Richard sits on a number of British and European Standard committees and is the current chair of BRMCA Concrete Technical Panel.

Dr. Selin Yoncacı

Limak Cement, Group R&D and Innovation Manager

Dr. Selin Yoncacı

Limak Cement, Group R&D and Innovation Manager

Dr. Selin Yoncacı received her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Mining Engineering at Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) in 2006 and her master’s degree from the same department in 2009. In 2019, she completed her Ph.D. in the same department, focusing on the fracture mechanics of shotcrete. Between 2008 and 2013, she worked as a research assistant at Middle East Technical University’s Department of Mining Engineering, participating in numerous projects and gaining experience in geotechnical studies. She has expertise in rock mechanics, underground and surface numerical modeling, and her current research areas include fracture mechanics, cement and concrete production processes, physical testing of construction materials, and grinding. From 2014 to 2021, she worked at the TÜRKÇİMENTO R&D Institute as the head of the Physical and Mechanical Testing Laboratory and took an active role in projects supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Grant Program. Since 2021, she has been serving as the Group R&D and Innovation Manager at Limak Cement, where she has been responsible for leading national and international projects, establishing the R&D structure, and developing the innovation ecosystem.

Circular Economy in the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry

Yasin Engin

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Technical Consultant and MSc Civil Engineer

Yasin Engin

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Technical Consultant and MSc Civil Engineer

Yasin Engin graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering at Boğaziçi University in 2003 and completed his master’s degree at the same university. He began his professional career at the Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) as a Technical Office Supervisor. Later, he held managerial positions in the cement industry in the fields of technical sales, marketing, and R&D.

Since 2020, he has been providing consultancy services in the cement and ready mixed concrete sectors. He is a member of the Technical and Sustainability Committees of the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organization (ERMCO). He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) Mirror Committee MTC 12 and as a member of the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) Construction Materials Committee.

Prof. Dr. Erdem Görgün

ITU, Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty Member io Environmental Solutions Research & Development Company Founder & CEO

Prof. Dr. Erdem Görgün

ITU, Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty Member io Environmental Solutions Research & Development Company Founder & CEO

Prof. Dr. Erdem Görgün graduated from ITU (Istanbul Technical University) with a B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering (1987), M.Sc. (1991), and Ph.D. (1996), and received additional training in water resources management in Italy. He has been serving at ITU since 1990; appointed as Assistant Professor in 1996, Associate Professor in 1998, and Professor in 2007. His areas of expertise include water and wastewater management, industrial pollution, recycling, circular economy, and sustainability. He has led numerous national and international projects, developed public-university-industry collaborations, and provided consultancy to municipalities and industries. In 2004, he founded io Environmental Solutions R&D Ltd. at ITU Arı Technopark. Through his scientific publications, field applications, and awareness initiatives, he has made a significant impact and continues his 35-year journey focused on educating students and creating societal value. He builds policy-practice bridges in industrial symbiosis, waste minimization, and climate policies.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahmaran

Hacettepe University, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty Member

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahmaran

Hacettepe University, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty Member

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahmaran serves as a faculty member at Hacettepe University, Department of Civil Engineering. His research areas include circular economy applications in the built environment, high-performance cement-based composites, the valorization of industrial and natural wastes into high-value construction materials, and additive manufacturing in the construction sector. As a result of his research, Dr. Şahmaran has published numerous scientific articles in internationally indexed journals, received multiple awards, and serves on various national and international scientific committees. Between 2015 and 2023, he was an Associate Member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences and was elected as a Full Member in 2023.

Neslihan Ergüven

Çimsa Çimento Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. Director of Sustainability Occupational Health & Safety, and Environment

Neslihan Ergüven

Çimsa Çimento Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. Director of Sustainability Occupational Health & Safety, and Environment

After graduating from Istanbul University with a degree in Environmental Engineering in 2001, Neslihan Ergüven completed her Master’s in Engineering Management at Marmara University. She has extensive experience in management audits across the auditing, pharmaceutical, cement-concrete, and building materials sectors, and currently serves as the Director of Sustainability, Occupational Health & Safety, and Environment at Çimsa.

Münüre Türkmen

Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Directorate General of Waste Management, Department of Municipal Waste Management, Environmental and Urbanisation Specialist

Münüre Türkmen

Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Directorate General of Waste Management, Department of Municipal Waste Management, Environmental and Urbanisation Specialist

Münüre Türkmen graduated from the Department of Environmental Engineering in 2001. Between 2001 and 2006, she worked in the private sector as an Environmental Engineer. Since 2007, she has been serving at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change as an Environmental and Urbanization Specialist, focusing on municipal waste management, construction and demolition waste, and the circular economy.

She has contributed to projects focusing both on innovative waste processing technologies and on comprehensive waste management strategies at national and international levels. Within this scope, she has participated in studies such as the national waste management plans of Turkey, sludge action plans, and disaster waste management strategies. She has also worked on waste processing technologies including incineration, composting, biomethanization, and sanitary landfilling.

14 NOVEMBER

ACADEMY DAY

The Evolution of Concrete - Present-Day Concrete Technology

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Taşdemir

Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Civil Engineering Faculty Professor (Emeritus)

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Taşdemir

Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Civil Engineering Faculty Professor (Emeritus)

He graduated as a Civil Engineer from ITU, Civil Engineering Faculty in 1973. In 1974, he was appointed as a research assistant at the same faculty and completed his Ph.D. in 1982. Between 1986 and 1988, he served as a Visiting Researcher at Northwestern University, USA, and in 1990, he conducted short-term research there with a NATO scholarship. In 1989 and 2002, he received scholarships from The British Council to develop scientific collaborations with universities in the United Kingdom. He was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 1990. In 1993, he conducted research at Cardiff University with the ESEP Royal Society – TÜBİTAK scholarship and in 1994 at Darmstadt Technical University, Germany, with a DAAD scholarship. He became a full Professor at ITU in 1996.

Concrete Design for Long-Lasting Structures

Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Akkaya

Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Civil Engineering Faculty Faculty Member

Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Akkaya

Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Civil Engineering Faculty Faculty Member

He graduated from ITU, Civil Engineering Faculty in 1991. After working for a period as a Site Manager on infrastructure projects, he completed his master’s degree in 1994. He earned his PhD at Northwestern University, USA, in 2000, and worked as a Research Associate at the Center for Advanced Cement-Based Materials until 2003. Since 2012, he has been serving as a Professor at ITU, Faculty of Civil Engineering. He has held roles including Coordinator of the joint undergraduate program between ITU and the University at Buffalo, Dean of International Education at ITU, and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Tashkent University of Architecture and Civil Engineering in Uzbekistan. He is the founder and head of the ITU Infrastructure Projects Material Laboratory, which has served Türkiye’s mega projects. He is also a Board Member at ITU Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic.

Inspection of Ready Mixed Concrete on the 30th Anniversary of KGS

Prof. Dr. M. Hulusi Özkul

Beykent University, Faculty Member

Prof. Dr. M. Hulusi Özkul

Beykent University, Faculty Member

Prof. Dr. M. Hulusi Özkul graduated from Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Department of Civil Engineering, and completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. at the same university. Prof. Özkul started his academic career at ITU as a research assistant in 1979. Between 1988 and 1991, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Cincinnati, USA. He was appointed Associate Professor at ITU in 1991 and became a full Professor in 1996. After retiring in 2020, Prof. Özkul continues his academic work as a faculty member at Istanbul Beykent University. During his tenure at ITU, Prof. Özkul served in several key positions, including Faculty Board Member of the Civil Engineering Faculty, Board Member of the Department of Polymer Science and Technology, Member of the Structural Engineering Program Committee, Board Member of the Institute of Structural Laboratories, Board Member of the UYGAR Materials Center, Board Member of the Central Laboratory, President of the General Assembly of THBB KGS, Advisory Board Member of İNTES, and Board Member of ICPIC.

Innovative Developments in Building Materials

Assoc. Prof. Zeynep Başaran Bundur

Özyeğin University, Faculty Member

Assoc. Prof. Zeynep Başaran Bundur

Özyeğin University, Faculty Member

Doç. Dr. Zeynep Başaran Bundur, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü’nde lisans eğitimini 2009 yılında tamamlamıştır. Yüksek lisans (2011) ve doktora (2013) derecelerini The University of Texas at Austin İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü’nden almıştır. Hâlihazırda Özyeğin Üniversitesi İnşaat Mühendisliği Bölümü’nde bölüm başkanı olarak akademik kariyerini sürdüren Dr. Bundur, son yıllarda dijital beton üretimi, karbon yakalama teknikleri, biyolojik katkılar, kendiliğinden iyileşen malzemeler ve doğal yapı malzemelerinin geliştirilmesi gibi yenilikçi alanlarda çalışmalarını sürdürmektedir.

15 NOVEMBER

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

YÜF 20th Anniversary Special Panel: International Regulatory Compliance in Building Materials

Reşat Sönmez

Building Materials Manufacturers’ Federation (YÜF) General Assembly Member Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Secretary General

Reşat Sönmez

Building Materials Manufacturers’ Federation (YÜF) General Assembly Member Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Secretary General

Reşat Sönmez is a graduate of Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering. Throughout his 30-year professional career, he has been involved in construction chemicals, building production, industrial flooring, construction materials, and particularly in concrete production, inspection, operations, quality, and R&D. He has been serving as the Secretary General of the Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) for the past five years.

Elif Berrak Taşyürek

Department of EU Single Market and Green Deal, The General Directorate of International Agreements and the European Union, Ministry of Trade, Head of Department

Elif Berrak Taşyürek

Department of EU Single Market and Green Deal, The General Directorate of International Agreements and the European Union, Ministry of Trade, Head of Department

Elif Berrak Taşyürek graduated in 2005 from Middle East Technical University (METU), Department of International Relations. Between 2005 and 2006, she completed a Master’s Program in European Studies at Leiden University, Netherlands as a Jean Monnet scholar.

In 2007, she started her public service career as an Assistant Foreign Trade Expert at the former Prime Ministry/Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, Directorate General for European Union Affairs, continuing her career from 2010 as a Foreign Trade Expert.

Between 2018 and 2022, she served as Trade Attaché at the Consulate General in Barcelona. She is currently the Head of Department at the Department of EU Single Market and Green Deal, The General Directorate of International Agreements and the European Union, Ministry of Trade, carrying out work on Turkey’s Green Deal policies and green transformation process.

Nuran Kaya Danışman

Department of Building Materials, Directorate General of Vocational Services, Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Head of Department

Nuran Kaya Danışman

Department of Building Materials, Directorate General of Vocational Services, Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Head of Department

Nuran Kaya Danışman was born in Mersin. After completing her pre-university education in Mersin, she enrolled in the Department of Civil Engineering at Çukurova University in 1988 and graduated in 1992. After a short period in the private sector, she began her Master’s studies at the same university in 1995 and joined the academic staff as a Research Assistant. She completed most of her doctoral courses at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture and Department of Civil Engineering, and earned her PhD in Construction Project Management in 2003. In the same year, she transitioned from Çukurova University to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Since 2009, she has served in various positions within the Department of Building Materials, and she has been serving as the Head of Department since 2021.

Yasin Engin

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Technical Consultant and MSc Civil Engineer

Yasin Engin

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) Technical Consultant and MSc Civil Engineer

Panel: Digital Transformation in the Construction and Ready Mixed Concrete Sector

İrfan Kadiroğlu

Beton-taş Ready Mixed Concrete, General Manager

İrfan Kadiroğlu

Beton-taş Ready Mixed Concrete, General Manager

Born in Erzurum in 1968, he graduated in 1989 with a degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he worked in Istanbul for approximately one year as a site engineer and another year as a control engineer. Between 1993 and 2018, for about 25 years, he worked in İzmir within the Batı Anadolu Group companies Batıçim Cement Co. and Batıbeton Co. Initially, he served as Quality Control Chief and later as Ready Mixed Concrete Operations Manager for nine years. After leaving this position, he worked for one year as General Manager at Lyksor Construction Chemicals Co., then returned to the ready-mixed concrete sector. Since February 2019, he has been serving as General Manager at BETONTAŞ Ready Mixed Concrete Ltd., operating in İzmir and Aydın.

Throughout his career in the concrete sector, he has published papers in various concrete congresses and symposiums. He is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of THBB and also a Member of the Technical Committee Executive Board.

Prof.Dr. Abdussamet Arslan

Gazi University, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty Member

Prof.Dr. Abdussamet Arslan

Gazi University, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty Member

Born in 1963 in Kahramanmaraş, Prof. Dr. Abdussamet Arslan completed his undergraduate and master’s education, followed by a short experience in the private sector, and then earned his PhD from the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK. He began his academic career in 1991, became an associate professor in 1995, and joined Gazi University, Faculty of Engineering as an Associate Professor in 1998. He was promoted to full professor at Gazi University in 2000. Since 1991, he has served as a faculty member and/or researcher at various universities worldwide, including Cardiff University, UK; Northwestern University, Chicago, USA; and Delft University of Technology, Netherlands. He has over 100 scientific publications and 5 national and international patents related to his academic research areas. In addition to teaching in Türkiye and abroad, he held the position of Group President at the Turkish Standards Institute for 3 years. From 2003 to 2012, he served as Deputy Undersecretary at the Ministry of National Education. Since 2012, he has been a full-time faculty member at Gazi University, Faculty of Engineering, and continues as Director of the Disaster Management and Earthquake Engineering Application and Research Center (AYDEM) at Gazi University. He served for 5 years as Vice Chairman of the Paris-based OECD-CELE Group. He has also held positions as a Board Member and Vice Chairman at TeknoHAB under the Presidency of Defense Industries, and has chaired commissions for various official institutions, including the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the Higher Education Council. He has approximately 30 years of experience in defense industry and medical device software, and 20 years of experience in the manufacturing of defense industry products.

Aydın Şener

Akçansa Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 Manager

Aydın Şener

Akçansa Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 Manager

Aydın Şener, after completing his undergraduate studies in Electrical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University, earned an MBA in Business Administration from Philadelphia University and a Master's degree in Data Analytics from Sabancı University. During his education, he combined his engineering knowledge with a management and data-driven perspective, shaping his professional career.

He began his professional career as an electrical engineer in 2008 and, from 2011 onward, served as Electrical Maintenance Supervisor and then Electrical Maintenance Manager. During this period, he gained experience in electrical and automation management in manufacturing facilities.

Since 2018, Aydın Şener has been serving as Director of Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0, taking on a wide range of responsibilities, from developing digital strategies and roadmaps to managing project portfolios. He works on Industry 4.0 initiatives, artificial intelligence, data-driven solutions, and innovation management.

Today, with a versatile career spanning engineering to management, he stands out for his work integrating technology and business processes to drive digital transformation and productivity improvements in the industry.

Koray Saçlıtüre

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB), Technical and Sustainability Director

Koray Saçlıtüre

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (THBB), Technical and Sustainability Director

Koray Saçlıtüre was born on April 15, 1966, in Istanbul. He graduated from Istanbul University, Department of Geological Engineering, in 1988. He then completed his Master's degree at the same university, Department of Applied Geology. He also completed a Management Program in Industrial and Business Administration at Istanbul Technical University. He started his professional career in 1988 at Eska Ready-Mixed Concrete and has continuously worked in various positions at Set Beton and Limak Beton. He is currently serving as the Technical and Sustainability Director at THBB. With the pride of having participated in various projects and roles in the ready-mixed concrete sector throughout his 37-year professional career, he continues his work.

Koray Saçlıtüre is married and has one child.

Osman Tezel

Saint-Gobain CC – CHRYSO Technical and Marketing Director

Osman Tezel

Saint-Gobain CC – CHRYSO Technical and Marketing Director

Osman Tezel serves as the Technical and Marketing Director at Saint-Gobain CC – CHRYSO. He was born in Trabzon, where he also completed his primary and secondary education. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and his Master’s degree in Building Materials from Istanbul Technical University. In addition, he completed the Executive MBA program at Sabancı University and the Leadership and Entrepreneurship program at MIT Sloan School of Management during his career.

With over twenty years of experience in the construction chemicals sector, particularly in concrete admixtures, he has worked in product management, customer management, and business development. He has supported various concrete applications in numerous major projects and continues to develop innovative, sustainable, and high-performance solutions.