Historic change at Sabancı Holding! The name replacing Güler Sabancı has been announced

According to the statement made by the company, with the decision taken at the General Assembly held for the 100th anniversary of the Sabancı Group, a professional manager has become the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the first time in the holding's history.

As a result of the Board of Directors election held at the General Assembly, Güler Sabancı, who had held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Holding for 21 years, stepped down from the management, while Tayfun Bayazıt, an experienced name in the finance and business world, was elected to the Board of Directors as an independent member.

HAYRİ ÇULHACI APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Within the scope of the new term task distribution at the Board of Directors meeting held after the General Assembly, Hayri Çulhacı, who has served as a Board Member in the Sabancı Group for approximately 35 years, was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Çulhacı, who still serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and Vice Chairman of the Sabancı Foundation, took over the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sabancı Holding from Güler Sabancı, becoming the first person in the history of the Sabancı Group to hold this position with the identity of a professional manager.

Çulhacı previously served as a member of the Executive Committee of Sabancı Holding, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Akbank, and as a board member in various Sabancı Holding companies and subsidiaries.

"GÜLER SABANCI WILL BE MY REFERENCE SOURCE"

In the statement, Sabancı Holding Chairman of the Board Hayri Çulhacı stated that he feels the pride and happiness of assuming the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sabancı Holding with the Sabancı Holding General Assembly and the subsequent Board of Directors meeting.

Çulhacı stated, "Now, the election of a professional who is not a member of the main shareholder family as Chairman of the Board of Directors marks a new era in Sabancı's institutionalization journey. Taking part in this important turning point of our corporate history also carries a heavy responsibility with it."

Çulhacı said the following:

"As always, we will continue to feel the pride and privilege of working in the Sabancı Group in the best way possible. On the other hand, it is the duty of all of us to protect this legacy left to Turkey by our founder, the late Hacı Ömer Sabancı, who laid the foundations of our Group 100 years ago and brought it to this day, and the Sabancı brothers who successfully carried his torch.

I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of all stakeholders to Ms. Güler Sabancı, who chose to dedicate her energy to education and social development within the Foundation, Museum, and University by handing over the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors, which she successfully managed for 21 years, to me. I wish for the social contribution she will create from now on to continue to multiply. She will always be my number one reference source with her knowledge and wisdom."

WHO IS HAYRİ ÇULHACI?

Hayri Çulhacı graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences in 1978.

Çulhacı, who received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Northeastern University in the USA in 1986, served as an Account Specialist and Department Head at the Ministry of Finance between 1979 and 1990.

Çulhacı joined Akbank as Executive Vice President in 1990.

Çulhacı assumed the roles of Executive Board Member of Akbank starting in 2009 and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors starting in 2010, while also chairing the Audit Committee, Corporate Governance Committee, and Senior Risk Committee.

Çulhacı retired from Akbank in 2020. Having served as a board member for Aksigorta AŞ and Avivasa Emeklilik ve Hayat AŞ, Çulhacı also held the positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors for Ak Yatırım Menkul Değerler AŞ and Ak Portföy Yönetimi AŞ.