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Professional Summary

Data & AI Systems Leader | Implementation Expert | Strategic Advisor

 

I help enterprises build data and AI systems that actually work together — because I've spent 15+ years implementing, scaling, and fixing these systems from the inside.

 

Before advising others, I led the technical delivery of critical data infrastructure serving millions of customers across banking, fintech, and telecommunications. My approach combines strategic thinking with operational reality, regulatory expertise with innovation enablement.

- Led data transformations at major Turkish banks (BASEL, IRB, GDPR compliance)

- Designed real-time ML inference pipelines for fintech (fraud detection, credit scoring)

- Implemented enterprise data platforms serving millions of customers

- Migrated critical financial systems while maintaining operational continuity

 

Industries: Banking, Fintech (BNPL, Payments, E-Money, Open Banking), Telecommunications

 

Expertise: Data Architecture, Governance, AI/ML Operations, Regulatory Compliance

Professional Journey

Current Role

Independent Advisory (2024 - Present)

Strategic Advisor for Data & AI Transformation

After 15+ years building data and AI systems within major enterprises, I now help organizations navigate the complex intersection of data governance, AI implementation, and regulatory compliance. My advisory work focuses on turning fragmented data initiatives into integrated, scalable systems.

 

Specializations:

- Data-to-AI architecture design and integration

- Organizational maturity assessment and capability building

- Regulatory compliance frameworks (GDPR, KVKK, BASEL)

- AI governance and risk management strategies

Enterprise Leadership Experience

Banking Sector (10+ Years)

Senior Data Architecture & Analytics Leader Led enterprise-wide data transformations at Turkey's major banking institutions, managing teams of 20-100+ engineers and data professionals.

Key Achievements:

- Designed and implemented BASEL-compliant data infrastructure serving regulatory reporting requirements

- Built risk management platforms processing millions of transactions daily

- Led GDPR compliance initiatives with international consulting partnerships

- Migrated critical business intelligence systems (10,000+ artifacts) without operational disruption

- Established data governance frameworks across 12+ business units

 

Technologies: IBM BDW, SAS, Oracle, Hadoop ecosystem, DataStage, Cognos

Regulations: BASEL III/IV, GDPR, KVKK, BDDK requirements

Fintech Innovation (1+ Years)

Head of Data & AI Engineering

 

Scaled data and AI capabilities for leading Buy-Now-Pay-Later platform, building systems that processed millions of credit decisions and fraud assessments in real-time.

 

Key Achievements:

- Built ML inference pipelines achieving 80% good customer acceptance, 95% fraud rejection rates

- Reduced ETL processing costs by 60% through architecture optimization (Glue to DBT migration)

- Implemented real-time customer engagement platform integrating with CleverTap

- Designed Kubernetes-based model deployment enabling multi-region compliance

- Established data enrichment frameworks improving risk model performance

 

Technologies: XGBoost, AWS Lambda, Kubernetes, DBT, Python, real-time inference

Business Impact: 30-minute latency reduction, 60% cost optimization, regulatory compliance across markets

Telecommunications (5+ Years)

Data Warehouse & Analytics Engineering

Lead Built enterprise data platforms and customer analytics systems for major telecom operator serving 10M+ subscribers.

 

Key Achievements:

- Implemented Oracle Telco data model optimizing customer data storage and retrieval

- Built complex event processing (CEP) systems for real-time customer engagement

- Developed dealer compensation platforms providing performance visibility

- Led churn prediction and propensity modeling initiatives

- Established self-service BI capabilities reducing IT dependency

 

Technologies: Oracle, OBIEE, GoldenGate, CEP platforms, data mining tools

Scale: 10M+ customer records, real-time event processing, enterprise-wide BI deployment

Expertise Areas

Technical Capabilities
Data Architecture & Engineering

- Enterprise data warehouse design and implementation

- Real-time data pipeline architecture

- Cloud migration and optimization strategies

- Master data management and data quality frameworks

AI/ML Operations

- Production ML model deployment and monitoring

- Real-time inference system architecture

- Model governance and risk management

- MLOps pipeline design and automation

Regulatory & Governance

- GDPR, KVKK, BASEL compliance framework design

- Data governance policy and process establishment

- Risk management system architecture

- Audit and regulatory reporting automation

Industry Knowledge

Financial Services Deep Expertise

- Banking regulatory requirements (BASEL III/IV, BDDK)

- Credit risk modeling and IRB reporting

- Anti-money laundering and fraud detection systems

- Financial data consolidation and reconciliation

Fintech & Digital Payments

- Real-time credit decision systems

- Buy-now-pay-later platform architecture

- Fraud prevention and risk assessment

- Customer engagement and personalization

Telecommunications

- Customer analytics and churn prediction

- Campaign management and personalization

- Dealer network management systems

- Complex event processing for customer engagement

Approach & Philosophy

Implementation-First Mindset

"I design systems I would be comfortable operating."

My advisory approach is grounded in operational reality. Having built, scaled, and maintained these systems in production, I understand where theoretical frameworks break down and what actually works under pressure.

 

Every recommendation comes with implementation considerations:

- What organizational capabilities are required?

- How will this scale with your growth?

- What are the operational maintenance requirements?

- How will this perform under regulatory scrutiny?

Systems Integration Focus

"Most data and AI failures happen at the connections, not the components."

Organizations rarely lack individual capabilities — they struggle to make their data governance, architecture, and AI systems work together effectively. My expertise lies in designing and implementing the integration points that most consultants theorize about but haven't actually built.

Regional Market Understanding

"Global best practices, local implementation reality."

Having implemented major transformations in Turkish and regional markets, I understand the unique challenges of balancing international standards with local regulatory requirements, cultural expectations, and market dynamics.

Education & Continuous Learning

Technical Background: Industrial Engineering, Business Information Management MBA
Certifications: Data Science, Design Thinking, PMP, Leadership
Languages: Turkish (Native), English (Fluent)
Continuous Learning Focus:
- Emerging AI governance frameworks and best practices
- Cloud-native architecture patterns and optimization
- Regulatory developments across EMEA markets
- Advanced analytics and ML operations methodologies

Why Work With Me

Proven Implementation Track Record
15+ years of hands-on experience building the systems I now advise on, across multiple industries and scales.

Regional Market Expertise
Deep understanding of Turkish and EMEA regulatory environments, cultural dynamics, and market-specific challenges.

End-to-End Perspective
Unlike specialists who focus on single components, I understand how data governance, architecture, and AI systems must work together.

Strategic + Operational Balance
I provide strategic direction grounded in operational reality — recommendations you can actually implement and maintain.

Cultural & Language Bridge
Ability to work effectively across Turkish, Arabic, and international business environments.

Personal Touch

Based in Istanbul, I work with organizations across EMEA and beyond. When not designing data systems, I spend time with my sons building awkward Lego creations, tend to my garden, and stay active with sports.

I believe the best data and AI solutions are those that people actually use and trust. My goal is to help organizations build systems that enhance human decision-making rather than replace human judgment.

Call 

+905308347085

Email 

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