Board of Directors

Yılmaz Yılmaz

Born in 1962 in Adapazarı, Yılmaz Yılmaz graduated from the Naval Academy in 1984 with the rank of Naval Lieutenant. He served as a Naval EOD Team Commander with the rank of First Lieutenant in the Turkish Naval Forces Command until 1991.

He then joined the management of Koton, a brand founded by his wife Gülden Yılmaz, which at that time had two stores.

Yılmaz Yılmaz currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Koton, a leading Turkish fast-fashion brand, which was founded in 1988 and has evolved into an international chain.

Yılmaz is actively involved in sectoral associations such as the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters Association (İTKİB), the Federation of All Shopping Centers and Retailers (TAMPF), the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association (TGSD), and the Union of Brands Association (BMD), as well as in the Yanındayız Association. Between 2010 and 2013, he served as the President of the Union of Brands Association (BMD).

In 2024, Yılmaz Yılmaz was elected as a Member of the Board of Directors of TÜSİAD and continues to serve as the Chairman of the TÜSİAD Social Development Round Table.

A former volleyball player and diver, Yılmaz is also interested in photography, philosophy, and gastronomy. He is married to Gülden Yılmaz, a member of the Board of Directors, and is the father of two children. Yılmaz speaks English and German.

Eleonora Barbara van Geloven

Eleonora Barbara Van Geloven holds a bachelor's degree in Spanish and European History from the University of Amsterdam. Since 2003, she has worked as a producer on various projects. She has taken on consultancy roles in advertising campaigns for some of the world’s leading companies, including airlines and global telecommunications firms. Since 2017, she has been working independently, managing and producing global advertising campaigns for major brands across various platforms such as print media, television, and social media. Her portfolio includes brands like Adidas, Tesla, Twitter, Nikon, Ikea, Google, KLM, Samsung, Emirates, and T-Mobile.

Şükriye Gülden Yılmaz

Gülden Yılmaz, born in 1966 in Adapazarı, completed her primary and secondary education in Adapazarı. She graduated in 1987 from the Guidance and Psychological Counseling undergraduate program at Marmara University.

In 1988, Yılmaz stepped into the ready-to-wear industry with the store she opened in Kuzguncuk. She led the design of the store concept for Koton, the development of customer service principles, and the advancement of modern retail understanding.

With her entrepreneurial identity, Yılmaz is among the active figures in the retail sector. In 2009, she and her husband Yılmaz Yılmaz were awarded "Entrepreneur of the Year" in Türkiye at the "Entrepreneur of the Year" competition organized by Ernst & Young, where the most successful, dynamic, and impactful entrepreneurs were honored. In 2008, Yılmaz was named "Female Entrepreneur of the Year" in the "Business People of the Year" survey by Ekonomist Magazine, while Koton received the grand prize in the "Retail Success Story" category at MAPIC 2008, one of the world’s most significant retail platforms, often referred to as the retail Oscars.

Since 2009, Gülden Yılmaz has served as the Vice President of the TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Board and has been the President of the G3 Forum Platform since 2011. A founding member of the Turkish Businesswomen’s Association (TİKAD), she served on the Board of Directors of the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association (TGSD) between 2009 and 2015. She is currently a board member of GEN Turkey and a founding member of the Turkish Endometriosis Association.

In 2020, Yılmaz was awarded the Special Branding Award for "Strong Women in Exports" by the Turkish Exporters Assembly. She is listed annually in Fortune Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Businesswomen in Turkey.” Yılmaz, who chairs the Sustainability Committee and the Gender Equality Committee at Koton, has been recognized as one of the Sustainability Leaders by Fast Company Magazine in 2022, 2023 and 2024 due to her pioneering activities in the sector.

In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Yılmaz also leads social responsibility initiatives, focusing on projects aimed at increasing the participation of youth and women in the workforce, continuing to contribute to society.

A mother of one daughter and one son, Yılmaz has an interest in basketball and psychology.

Deniz Yılmaz

Deniz Yılmaz graduated from Istanbul American Robert College and completed her university education at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. In 2016, she designed and launched Koton’s Handcrafted Project in collaboration with ÇATOMs (Multi-Purpose Community Centers), a joint initiative of UNDP and the GAP Administration.

Deniz Yılmaz began her career as an analyst at the investment bank Moelis & Company, where she worked in mergers & acquisitions and restructuring. In 2023, she joined Apollo Global Management, Inc., one of the leading asset management firms, as a private equity specialist, where she continues to work.

Ömer Faruk Işık

Ömer Faruk Işık graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Business Administration in 1987 and later earned a degree in History from Istanbul University in 2017.

He began his professional career in 1987 at Arthur Andersen & Co, where he held auditing and consulting roles in both Turkey and international offices. Throughout his career, he has held senior executive positions in various banks and companies. He served as CEO for many years at organizations such as Ata Holding, Galatasaray Sports Club, and Unit International.

In 2006, Faruk Işık established Merrill Lynch (Bank of America) Investment Bank in Turkey and served as Chairman of the Board until 2010. Later, he co-founded Fokus Holding, where he made investments in various sectors as a Managing Partner.

With extensive experience in banking and capital markets, Faruk Işık has attended various training programs in Turkey and abroad and has also organized seminars as an educator.

Ayşe Ufuk Ağar

Dr. Ayşe Ufuk Ağar graduated from Boğaziçi University in 1992 with degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Mathematics. She then moved to the United States with a Fulbright Scholarship, earning her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University in 1995 and 1999, respectively. In 2002, she obtained a graduate certificate in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, followed by an Executive MBA from Koç University in 2003.

Dr. Ağar began her career in 1999 as a research and development engineer at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Silicon Valley, where she developed innovative technologies and became the holder of three patents. After returning to Turkey, she worked as an assistant professor in the Electrical and Electronics Engineering department at Işık University. She then took on senior strategic roles at Garanti Teknoloji as a senior strategy specialist and at Oger Telecom, the majority shareholder of Türk Telekom, as technology strategy director, where she played a critical role in digital transformation projects.

In 2007, Dr. Ağar played an active role in the structuring of TTNet as it was separated from Türk Telekom. Until 2009, she served first as Deputy General Manager of Product Development & Strategy and later as Deputy General Manager of Marketing, leading TTNet’s strategic direction, product roadmap, and the launch and marketing of new products. From 2009 to 2012, she worked at Vodafone Turkey as a director in broadband, online services, and fixed communications, managing the commercial integration of KoçNet and Borusan Telekom and leading the establishment of VodafoneNet.