Serdar Bilgili was born in İstanbul. He studied at Robert College, and graduated from Redlands University, California in the USA with a degree in Business Administration and Photography. He is the Chairman of Bilgili Holding. He has been the General Secretary and Board Member of Beşiktaş Sports Club (BJK) between the periods 1992-1998. He was the President of BJK between 2000-2004. Mr. Bilgili hosted two photography exhibitions in the States. He had his photography exhibition in İstanbul in 2007, called 'Despite the Barriers...'. He also published the photography book of this exhibition in 2008.
Şerife Ercantürk
Vice President
Şerife Ercantürk was born in Kahramanmaraş. She graduated from Marmara University, Business Admininistration Department. She worked in Martexpert Trading Co., Bağdat Mobilya and Bluson Tekstil in different executive positions. She is the Vice President of Bilgili Holding.
Sevil Temo was born in Kahramanmaraş. She studied highschool in Saint George; graduated from Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts, Architecture Department. She worked in the family group in different executive positions. She is the board member of Bilgili Holding.
Işın Karakaş was born in İstanbul. She graduated from Bosphorus University, Tourism and Hotel Management Department. She started her professional life at Ramada Hotel İstanbul at Finance Department in 1987.and continued her career at Çırağan Palace Hotel Kempinski Istanbul between 1990-1996 and hold various managerial positions at Front Office, Cost Control and Purchasing departments. She worked at Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza Hotels as Assistant Financial Controller between 1996-1998 and as Finance Director at Emperyal Otelcilik A.Ş. between the dates of 1998-2000. Ms. Karakas joined Bilgili Group as Financial Controller at Radisson SAS Conference & Airport Hotel İstanbul in 2000 and transferred to Radisson SAS Hotel Ankara as General Manager in 2004. Mrs. Karakaş is the Managing Director of Bilgili Group since January 2006.
Gülay Tahmaz
Managing Director
Gülay Tahmaz was born in Istanbul. She graduated from Anatolian University, Tourism and Hotel Management Department. She started her professional life at Holiday Inn Istanbul and Crown Plaza Istanbul at Finance Deparment in 1994. First she started to work in Bilgili Group, Radisson SAS Conference and Airport Hotel Istanbul as a Income Auditor in 2000 and than in 2004 she was appointed to the position of Finance Director. After capturing the prize of "Young Leader of the Year" because of her successful performance in Rezidor Hotel Group in 2005, she merged to the internal audit team of the chain and took part in internal audits of Radisson SAS Hotels abroad. In 2007, Mrs.Tahmaz was appointed to the position of Finance Director of W Istanbul and in 2008 she captured the prize of "President Award, Financial Controller" of EAME Starwood Hotels and Resorts. She has been working as a Managing Director in Bilgili Holding since March 2010.
Levent Abay
Project Manager
Levent Abay was born in Ankara. He graduated from İstanbul Technical University, Architecture Department. He started his professional life in Alarko as Field Engineer. Between 1997-1999, he worked at Gökyapı San. Tic. A.Ş. /Israel as Project Manager and Assistant General Manager. He worked at Akarnet Konaklama ve Yatırım A.Ş. as Project Manager between 2002-2005 and he has been promoted as Projects General Coordinator of Bilgili Group. He is in charge of coordination of feasibility studies, construction and project management of all projects within Bilgili Group.
Münire Ural
Financial Controller
Munire Ural was born in İstanbul. She graduated from Marmara University, Faculty of Economics. She started her professional life at DRT Denet Audit and Consultancy Company as Auditor in 1990. She hold various managerial positions in terms of audit, planning, budget and financial controlling at Degere International Trading, Cenajans Grey, Çalık Holding, Merkez Yayin Holding, VIP Turizm and Modül Promosyon ve Reklam companies. She is the Financial Controller of Bilgili Group since Mart 2009.
Claude Bulté
General Manager, Radisson BLU Conference & Airport Hotel, Istanbul
Mr.Bulté was born in Holland in 1974. He graduated from Maastrich Hotel Management School, Hotel Management Department. He started his professional life at Radisson SAS Hotel Beijing, China as a Meeting & Events Manager in 2000. Mr. Bulté worked as a Meeting & Events Manager and then Food & Beverage Manager at Radisson SAS Hamburg. He then transferred to Radisson SAS Hotel, Berlin as a Food & Beverage Manager. He continued his career as a General Manager at Radisson SAS Hotel 1919 Reykjavik, Iceland in 2007 and a General Manager at Radisson SAS Hotel, Kiev in 2008. He is the General Manager of Radisson BLU Conference & Airport Hotel, Istanbul since October 2009.
James Gancos
General Manager, W Istanbul
James Gancos was born in San Diego, California. He graduated with honors from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and from Harvard Business School with a Master in Business Administration. Mr. Gancos began his career at Ernst & Young's consulting practice in New York where he worked with Fortune 500 clients in various industries, including Travel, Financial Services, Advertising, and Insurance. Mr. Gancos joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2004 as Director of Operations for the North America Division. He performed strategic, financial, and operations analysis support for the division and reported directly to the divisional president. Subsequently, Mr. Gancos has held property leadership positions as Hotel Manager of the Sheraton Kauai Resort and Hotel Manager of the Sheraton Seattle. He was most recently the General Manager of the 2500 room Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino, A Sheraton Resort in Las Vegas. While at Starwood, Mr. Gancos has been actively involved in the compan's environmental stewardship initiatives. He invented the "Make a Green Choice" program which has been implemented in all Sheratons and Westins in North America. Mr. Gancos has been the General Manager of W Istanbul since February 2010.
