Istanbul, June 15 - The Advisory Board Meeting of the Istanbul International Center for Private Sector for Development (IICPSD) was held online on June 15, 2021. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Fatih Ünlü, the Director-General for COMCEC and the International Development Cooperation Department at the Presidency of Strategy and Budget of Turkey.

The Advisory Board was established as IICPSD’s consultative mechanism to provide guidance to management in formulating strategic objectives, in positioning IICPSD among other development actors and in building the Center’s financial sustainability by proposing resource mobilization policies and modalities. The Board is expected to complement the Center’s technical capacities by providing high-quality input into the work of the Center as well as support the Center’s engagement with relevant international public and private partners.

IICPSD’s Advisory Board consists of academic, business and public leaders nominated by the Government of Turkey, as well as internationally recognized experts, and representatives of donor countries, development organizations and academic institutions. The Board Members are the following: Prof. Dr. Refika Bakoğlu, Head of the Sustainable Growth and Quality Management Master’s Program at Marmara University; Mr. Nuri Birtek, Former Secretary-General of the Association of National Development Finance Institutions in Member Countries of the Islamic Development Bank (ADFIMI); Ms. Shiva Dustdar, Head of Division of the Innovation Finance Advisory (IFA) at the European Investment Bank (EIB); Mr. Orhan Kahraman, President and CEO of Gentaş Group; Mr. Haluk Kayabaşı, CEO of Kibar Holding; Mr. Hiro Nishiguchi, CEO of Japan Innovation Network; Ms. Hatice Zeynep Bodur Okyay, President and CEO of Kale Group; and Mr. Daniel F. Runde, William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

The meeting started with Mr. Fatih Ünlü delivering opening remarks. Mr. Ünlü recognized the value of both private sector and public sector perspectives on sustainable development, and the partnership between Turkey and IICPSD in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Mr. Ünlü also highlighted the importance of mobilizing private sector investments at both the national and international level in order to advance the SDGs, and congratulated IICPSD on behalf of the Presidency of Turkey for its significant successes despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting continued with a brief introduction of UNDP’s private sector strategy, the Finance Sector Hub and IICPSD by Mr. Sahba Sobhani. Ms. Gulcin Salingan then joined Mr. Sobhani in outlining IICPSD’s four thematic areas: private sector engagement through South-South cooperation for the SDGs; private sector engagement in skills development; impact investing; and resilience and crisis response. Following the presentation of IICPSD’s work, the Advisory Board Members delivered their remarks and put forward the thematic areas in which they could contribute to IICPSD’s work.

The meeting was concluded by Mr. Sobhani reiterating IICPSD’s commitment to supporting private sector development in the four thematic areas through research, advocacy, the facilitation of public-private dialogues and multi stakeholder-partnerships.

IICPSD highly appreciates the participation of Advisory Board Members and highly values their advice and recommendations for the work of the Center.

Prof. Dr. Refika Bakoğlu

Prof. Dr. Refika Bakoğlu is the Head of the Sustainable Growth and Quality Management Master’s Program and the Founder and Head of the International Centre of Sustainability Research and Application (ICS). She has previously held positions at Marmara University, including Supreme Board Member of the Scientific Research Committee and Rector Advisor.

Mr. Nuri Birtek

Mr. Nuri Birtek served as the Secretary-General of the Association of National Development Finance Institutions (ADFIMI). Prior to this, Mr. Birtek was Director of the Centre for European Union Education and Youth Programmes. Mr. Birtek also worked as the Head of Department of Bilateral Economic Relations and Technological Cooperation at the State Planning Organization of the Prime Ministry of the Republic of Turkey (recently transformed into the ‘Presidency of Strategy and Budget at the President’s Office’).

Ms. Shiva Dustdar

Ms. Shiva Dustdar is Head of the Innovation Finance Advisory (IFA) Division at the European Investment Bank (EIB). Prior to this, Ms. Dustdar worked as a Senior Loan Officer of Lending Directorate and Senior Risk Management Officer at the EIB. Ms. Dustdar was also nominated to ‘Top 50 Women in Credit’ by Credit Magazine in 2006.

Mr. Orhan Kahraman

Mr. Orhan Kahraman is the President and CEO of the Gentaş Group and the Vice President of the Turkey Forestry Products Assembly at TOBB. Mr. Kahraman also serves as a Member of the Turkey-Italy Business Council.

Mr. Haluk Kayabaşı

Mr. Haluk Kayabaşı is the CEO of Kibar Holding and is also a Member of the Executive Board. Furtermore, Mr. Kayabaşı leads group-wide transformation programs at Kibar Holding.

Mr. Hiro Nishiguchi

Mr. Hiro Nishiguchi is the CEO of Japan Innovation Network and Manager of the SDGs Holistic Innovation Platform (SHIP). Before this, Mr. Nishiguchi was Worldwide Partner and Region Head of Global M&A Consulting at Mercer.

Ms. Zeynep Bodur Okyay

Ms. Zeynep Bodur Okyay is the President and CEO of Kale Group but also holds the roles of President of the General Assembly of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) and Vice President of the Economic Development Foundation.

Mr. Daniel F. Runde

Mr. Daniel F. Runde is Senior Vice President and Director of the Project on Prosperity and Development at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS). Mr. Runde also holds the William A. Schreyer Chair in Global Analysis at the CSIS and is Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA).