I am a New York University Certified Coach and a Birkman Certified Consultant specialized in career management and professional development. I bring eleven years of corporate experience from two leading financial institutions into the world of coaching. I leverage my working experience in diverse work environments to provide customized career guidance and solutions to a broad range of individuals from different cultures. I hold an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential awarded by the International Coach Federation.

My background is in finance and banking. I received a BA in Economics from Marmara University in 1999, and an MBA in International Business & Marketing from the George Washington University in 2001.

I began my career in the World Bank Group and worked as an Analyst at the Global Financial Markets and the Independent Evaluation Group of the International Financial Corporation in Washington D.C. between 2001 and 2005. I was the key analyst in several post-investment evaluation studies for various markets, sectors and countries.

I joined HSBC Corporate Banking in 2005, and through 2012, worked as a Senior Credit Analyst covering a large portfolio of Turkey’s top-tier local and multi-national corporate clients active in energy, telecom, automotive, steel, construction, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, manufacturing and retail industries. I analyzed financial and operational performance of the companies, provided comprehensive market and industry analysis, and identified the critical issues that affected credit decisions.

I decided to reinvent myself and left the corporate life to pursue a career path in coaching and consulting. I moved to New York City and completed the Coaching Certificate Program at New York University in 2012. In order to bring a more solid foundation and a broader range of skills to my coaching model, I got certified in the use of a sophisticated career and business management tool, the Birkman Method, in 2013. Also, I received mentor coaching from a Master Certified Coach in New York to fulfill the requirements of International Coach Federation (ICF) Certification and attained my ACC credential in 2014. I am a member of the ICF and the ICF New York City Chapter.

Art is a very important aspect of my life. I draw and paint realistic human figures and portraits with traditional techniques of graphite, pastel, acrylic and oil on canvas and paper. I am a life-long fan of Matisse and Picasso, and I regularly visit MoMa, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Istanbul Modern Art Museum.

A Client Success Story

Sometimes our strong interests get ignored and forgotten because of education and school systems, influences from family and friends, and other life demands. But, it is never too late to make the best use of our biggest interests and talents, and make work more rewarding for us.

A few months ago, I worked with a client who was a senior financial analyst in the finance department of a major multinational company. When she came to me, she was showing clear signs of burnout, stress, frustration and lack of motivation. Her job performance was slipping and she was facing interpersonal problems at work. When she took the Birkman assessment, I wasn’t surprised that her interests were not in the Yellow quadrant, but in the Green quadrant in close proximity to the Blue quadrant.

While her job involved mainly repetitive numerical and clerical tasks (Yellow job tasks), her interests lied in selling, promoting, motivating, persuading and teaching combined with creating new approaches. Seeing this information, we started exploring a fulfilling career path for her. She’s now teaching foreign languages to her private clients and her business is thriving. When I last talked to her, she sounded happy and satisfied and said that she was now doing what she always dreamed of doing as a little girl.