Gülsüm Azeri

Gülsüm Azeri holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Boğaziçi University and a master's degree in Industrial Engineering from the same university. Having been educated at Austrian and American-run schools, Austrian High School and Robert College, Azeri speaks German and English at an advanced level.

For a significant part of her career, Gülsüm Azeri worked in the senior management of Turkey's major industrial company Şişecam that produces glass and chemicals; having served as Chemicals Group President between 1994-1998, Glassware Group President between 1999-2007, and Flatglass Group President between 2007-2011. Simultaneously, Azeri also served as a member of the Executive Committee at Şişecam between 1994-2011. During her career at Şişecam, Azeri managed the export operations to 160 countries; while initiating and concluding 15 large-scale production facilities in Turkey, Bulgaria, Russia and Egypt. Futhermore, Azeri established business partnerships with leading companies in France, Italy, Belgium and the USA. Between 2011-2017, Gülsüm Azeri worked as the CEO and Board Member of OMV Petrol Ofisi A.Ş. and OMV Gaz ve Enerji Holding A.Ş., while also serving as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of OMV Petrol Ofisi Holding A.Ş. and a member of the Senior Board of VIP Turkey Holding B.V.

Azeri held office as the Chair of the Glassware Committee of the European Container Glass Federation from 2004 to 2008, and a member of the Board of Directors of "Glass for Europe”, the trade association of European flat glass manufacturers, between 2009-2011. She also served as a member of the Board of Directors at THY (Turkish Airlines) between 2011 and 2013.

Gülsüm Azeri was a board member at Istanbul Chamber of Industry, executive board member at Turkish Exporters Assembly, board member and executive board member at The Foreign Economic Relations of Turkey; while also representing the private sector at the Prime Ministry Ethics Committee between 2005-2011. Additionally, Gülsüm Azeri was selected as the most powerful woman CEO by Ekonomist Magazine for three consecutive years in 2015, 2016 and 2017.