When I joined the Turkish Red Crescent, known as Türk Kızılay in Türkiye, in 2019, I was looking to grow professionally while having a deeper impact on society. Türk Kızılay was the answer to my prayers. It is part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and its history of benevolence and service combined with modern governance greatly motivated me. I am currently its chief risk and control officer.
Türk Kızılay has been at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the Syrian civil war and Ukrainian crisis. In Syria, we have been providing humanitarian aid, medical assistance and essential supplies to those affected by the conflict, and established various programmes for refugees, including setting up camps. In Ukraine, we have been providing medical aid, psychosocial support and emergency relief. Our volunteers and staff work diligently to ensure those impacted by these conflicts get the help they need.
My work with an NGO helps the most underprivileged. I love this spiritual satisfaction
I cannot think of any significant drawbacks in working for Türk Kızılay. However, in the non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector, the maturity of management, accountability and governance is not the same across all organisations. This can lead to some negative perceptions about the quality of NGO staff, who may lack exposure to progressive methodologies and culture. Furthermore, key stakeholders such as donors and government regulators demand high levels of integrity, ethics and transparency. This means a lot of pressure and scrutiny, which is not always appreciated by the corporate sector or the public.
What I enjoy most about my job is providing recommendations that help my organisation achieve its objectives in the most efficient way. My work with an NGO helps to improve the quality of services delivered to the most underprivileged in the society. I love this spiritual satisfaction.
My father is in finance, and he guided me towards the accounting profession. My degree and ACCA qualification allowed me to launch my career at Grant Thornton’s business risk services in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which was the initial break I was looking for. I had a wide portfolio of clients from multiple industries including investment banks, oil businesses, manufacturers, restaurants and hotels.
After Grant Thornton, I joined Toyota’s internal audit team. I was part of a proactive group that challenged me to achieve my potential. After Toyota, I moved to Türk Kızılay.
I left a very comfortable position for an NGO in a country where I had to learn a new language
I have continually stepped out of my comfort zone throughout my life. I went abroad to pursue my degree and deliver business consultancy assignments before even joining Grant Thornton. Recently, I left a very comfortable position to try the NGO sector – in a completely new country, where I had to learn the language from scratch. When I feel the pain of regret would outweigh the pain of discipline, I choose the latter.
If I had law-making powers, I would enhance the regulations around corporate governance. I would make it mandatory for corporations and NGOs to have internal audit and risk management reports, which they would have to submit, along with audited financial statements, to the regulators.
My biggest professional achievement is helping my organisation establish a risk management and internal audit function. In my personal life my biggest achievement is running a family and raising my children to become valuable and productive citizens.
If I was not in finance, I think I would be journalist or a marketing professional. In my spare time I love playing football, and travelling and exploring different cultures.
