Burak Kocer, PhD
Board Member | Cofounder
Burak works as Secretary General at Zorlu Holding, based in Istanbul, one of the leading conglomerates in Turkey with international operations, active in various industries, among others, textiles, energy, consumer electronics, white goods, telecoms, real property, mining and metallurgy.
Academic background & early career
Burak holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Istanbul University, earned in 1998. He furthered his education with an MBA from Ball State University’s Miller College of Business in 2000.
In 2005, he completed his PhD at Istanbul University, focusing on board structures and functions of companies listed on Borsa Istanbul.
Following his academic pursuits, Burak gained valuable experience in the legal and financial sectors, working for a prominent law firm and a financial investment group.
Personal life & education
Burak is a certified IFC Corporate Governance Trainer and has authored two books and numerous articles on corporate governance and family businesses.
He is fluent in Turkish, English, Greek, and German.
Leadership & advisory roles
In 2013, Burak joined the Aspen Family Business Group, a U.S.-based consortium specializing in family business expertise.
His career trajectory includes serving as a Local Corporate Governance Expert in an international consortium led by Nestor Advisors, where he contributed to developing Turkey’s Corporate Governance Reporting Framework for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Burak’s leadership experience extends to boardroom roles. He has held independent board positions at Bosch Fren Sistemleri A.Ş., Federal-Mogul Izmit Piston ve Pim Uretim Tesisleri A.Ş., and Alarko Holding A.Ş.
Additionally, he served as Head of the Chairperson’s Office and Deputy Chairperson at Özgörkey Holding A.Ş. before joining Zorlu Holding as Secretary General.