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Our Governance

#Diversity #Transparency #Committee #Skill #Equality #Governance #Portfolio #Management Strong governance is the foundation of Sabancı’s century-long resilience. Transparency, accountability, and integrity guide our decision-making, ensuring sustainable growth across diverse markets and regulatory landscapes. Our governance model turns complexity into clarity, balances stakeholder expectations, and safeguards Sabancı’s continuity for the next century.

Şerafettin Karakış Secretary General

“Governance is our anchor that ensures clarity, transparency, and disciplined oversight across the entire Sabancı ecosystem. It is how we convert complexity into reliable, future-ready decision-making.”

Şebnem Önder President, Legal and Compliance

“Transparency and compliance ensure that Sabancı’s foundations remain strong and trusted. Our legal and regulatory discipline safeguards the Group’s continuity across all markets.”

Integrated Governance & Execution Architecture

To support its operating model, Sabancı Holding has established an integrated governance and execution architecture that clarifies accountability, strengthens alignment across the portfolio and connects Board oversight with Group-wide implementation.

In this integrated structure, the CEO serves as a member of the Board of Directors while holding the highest executive responsibility. The Board exercises its supervisory role through its specialized committees, including the Audit Committee, the Early Detection of Risk Committee, the Corporate Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and the Board Sustainability Committee.

At the executive level, the Investment Committee, the Sustainability Leadership Committee and the Executive Committee are mutually connected through alignment, communication, coordination and collaboration, and each is accountable to and reports to the CEO, ensuring that sustainability priorities and capital allocation decisions are evaluated within a single decision architecture. Sabancı Holding Senior Management supports this structure through disciplined implementation and structured alignment across the portfolio.

Group sustainability targets and performance are monitored at the executive level by the Sustainability Leadership Committee. Consolidated data and progress reports, primarily prepared by the Sustainability Directorate, are reviewed through the Committee and presented regularly to the Board Sustainability Committee, ensuring coordination between executive management and Board oversight.

In addition, certain members of the Executive Committee and Senior Management serve on the boards of Group companies in their capacity as duly elected board members, in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework. This reinforces alignment across the portfolio and strengthens the coherence of Sabancı Holding’s integrated governance model.

Board of Directors

Please click profile pictures for the detailed resumes of the Members of the Board of Directors.

Note: As of March 27, 2025, Hayri ÇULHACI has been appointed as the Chair of the Board of Directors and Tayfun BAYAZIT has been appointed as an Independent Member of the Board of Directors. Following the resignation of Mr. Cenk ALPER from his duties as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors, effective as of May 31, 2025; Mr. Kıvanç ZAİMLER has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors, effective as of June 1, 2025.

Skill Matrix

At Sabancı Holding, we believe that a Board of Directors enriched with a broad spectrum of skills, knowledge, and experience enhances its functionality and the quality of its decision-making processes. Studies indicate that companies with diverse executive teams see a 39% increase in profitability compared to their counterparts.

Our nomination process for the Board of Directors goes beyond merely ensuring gender equality in diversity and inclusion.

We thoroughly assess candidates’ competencies, considering a wide array of factors, including industry expertise, management experience, proficiency in ESG matters, crisis management skills, and a capacity for global and long-term strategic thinking.

We uphold a strict non-discrimination policy, ensuring that no candidate is discriminated against based on gender, age, ethnicity, religion, language, race, or any other characteristic.