Abbas Ibrahimov holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from Ankara University (2003) and an MBA from Istanbul Technical University (2005). From 2005 to 2015, he held various leadership roles at Bank of Baku, eventually becoming Chairman of the Management Board in 2015-2016. In 2017, he joined ABB Bank as First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board and has served as Chairman since December 2018.

Mr. Rashad Khaligov, the Deputy Chairman of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency of Azerbaijan, has played a significant role in shaping and advancing digital skills strategies at the national level. Through key initiatives such as the Digital Leadership program and the Digital Academy, he has contributed to developing frameworks that promote digital transformation across Azerbaijan. These programs, which brought together representatives from over 60 state institutions, focused on fostering a data-driven approach to government services, building digital competencies, and creating roadmaps for digital transformation.

Nihat Şenyuva has been the Chief Information Officer at ABB Bank since 2020, driving the bank’s IT strategy and innovation. Previously, he served as CIO at Yapi Kredi Bank Azerbaijan (2013–2020) and led their IT Department (2011–2013). His other notable roles at Yapi Kredi include Vice President of Subsidiaries Application Development (2016–2020), Consumer Credits Development Manager (2011), and Head of Credit Cards and Merchant Development (2002–2011). Nihat began his career as a Software Developer at Iş Bank and Elit Software Company. He holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Ege University (1995–2000) and an MBA from Yeditepe University (2006–2009).

Yetunde Dada is the Senior Director of Product Management at QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey (June 2023 - Present), where she drives product strategy and vision. With over nine years of experience in product management, human-centered design, and engineering, she collaborates with teams to develop innovative solutions for data-driven decision-making. She contributed to Kedro, McKinsey’s first open-source Python library for building production-ready data pipelines, widely recognized in the data community. Passionate about creating impactful products, Yetunde shares her insights through speaking engagements. Yetunde earned her MBA from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford (2017-2018), receiving the Chevening Foundation Scholarship. She also holds a BEng (Hons) in Technology Management (2015) and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (2013) from the University of Pretoria, where she was active in student governance and sports.

Cengiz Üçbenli is the Group Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Centrica, the largest energy provider in the UK. With over 15 years of experience across finance, telecommunications, and energy, he excels in leading data and AI-driven strategies that enhance digital transformation and support net-zero initiatives. His leadership has built high-performing analytics teams globally, delivering innovative data solutions for complex business challenges. Previously, as the Global Head of Big Data & AI at Vodafone, Cengiz founded and managed the Big Data & AI Strategy and Innovation department, driving significant improvements in customer experience and business performance. He has also held key roles at BBVA and American Express, focusing on marketing analytics and machine learning. Cengiz holds a Ph.D. in Project Finance from Columbia University and an MBA in Finance from Boğaziçi University.

Reyzi Pamir is the Director in Technology Consulting at EY, specializing in AI and technology. With over 20 years of experience, he has driven innovation through data-driven strategies and technology transformations, including founding Organon Analytics, where he led impactful AI projects across various industries. Currently, as the AI Leader at EY Turkey, Reyzi is at the forefront of transforming business landscapes through generative AI solutions. His team focuses on turning data into valuable assets, enabling clients to gain a competitive edge via ML, LLM’s and Agentic AI technologies. Reyzi holds a Bachelor's Degree in Statistics and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Middle East Technical University. His commitment to harnessing technology for transformative change positions him as a leader in shaping the future of AI and technology.

Okan Çimen is currently the Executive Advisor to the CEO at Azercell Telecom LLC. A highly motivated ICT Executive, he has extensive multinational experience in diverse roles, including founder, board member, and CIO/CTO positions. Okan's core competencies include strategic planning, budget control (overseeing budgets over $100 million), vendor management, and innovation in service development. Known for his strong leadership, he has managed teams of over 300 subordinates and excels in effective communication across functions. He holds a Master's in Design and Management of Information Technologies from Istanbul Technical University and a Bachelor's in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from Yıldız Technical University, along with Business Acumen training from Hanken School of Economics and foundational education from KAL.

Umit Bilik serves as Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Türkiye İş Bankası in Istanbul, leading a 350+ person division encompassing data governance, business intelligence, data analytics, risk analytics, and software testing. With over 30 years of experience and 10+ years in C-level roles, he has been instrumental in the bank’s digital and data transformation, fostering a data-driven culture and advancing AI adoption. Previously, he was Deputy CEO at Softtech, where he directed 100+ transformation initiatives and led the agile restructuring of core banking teams. Umit holds a BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Middle East Technical University and an MBA from Gazi University.

Serdar Turan is the Chief Editor of Harvard Business Review Türkiye, with a career rooted in content creation and journalism. His passion for storytelling began early, leading him to co-found Infomag Publishing in 2000, where he pioneered content bridging technology and business in Turkey. Since then, Serdar has overseen diverse projects, from Skylife to thought leadership at Harvard Business Review Türkiye. With a background in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and an MBA from Yıldız Technical University, he has also completed executive education programs in Disruptive Innovation and Sustainable Business Strategy at Harvard Business School.

Wook Han is Vice President, Region Head of EEMEA Business & Market Insights at Mastercard. Mastercard Business & Market Insights develops services and platforms that help customers use data, analytics and insights to make smarter decisions with better outcomes, like marketing more accurately, testing and measuring initiatives, managing risk, forecasting spend and enhancing customer experience.Prior to this role, Wook held multiple positions at Mastercard, including leading Services Business Development for MENA division.Before Mastercard, Wook worked at the Boston Consulting Group advising financial services companies in the Brussels and Tokyo offices. Wook also co-founded and managed his own company providing online streaming services prior to joining Mastercard. Wook holds a Master of Science in Management from the Solvay Brussels School, Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

Mayya Dursunova currently serves as the Data Tribe Lead at ABB, the largest bank in Azerbaijan, where she oversees data transformation initiatives across advanced data analytics, data engineering, and data governance, managing a team of over 50 data professionals. She is a strategic transformational leader with over 20 years of experience in banking and more than 15 years in management across various functions, including data, strategy, marketing, customer experience, and product management. Prior to her current role, Mayya held various leadership positions within the International Bank of Azerbaijan, leading significant transformation programs and strategic initiatives. She holds an MBA from AGSM @ UNSW Business School in Sydney, Australia, and completed specialized courses in data strategy at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. Mayya is passionate about driving innovation and efficiency in banking through data-driven decision-making.

Guven Gul is the Data Tribe Tech Lead at ABB, with over 15 years of experience in Data/Analytics and Technology across banking and telecommunications. He leads strategic data and AI initiatives at ABB and is the Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist at otoendeks.com, focusing on end-to-end product development. His previous roles include Director of Advanced Analytics at Fibabanka and Director of Data & AI at Yıldız Holding. Guven holds a BS in Computer Engineering from Boğaziçi University. He also founded the first BI portal in Turkish and served as a founding board member of the Data Management Chapter in Turkey.

Kübra is the Director of Growth at the AI Startup Factory (Yapay Zekâ Fabrikası), a Corporate Venture Capital and Acceleration Program supported by Türkiye İş Bankası, the largest commercial bank in Turkey. Dedicated to empowering AI startups, she facilitates their growth by identifying unmet needs within enterprises and fostering collaboration across different parties of AI ecosystem. With a background in healthtech, corporate innovation, and startup collaborations, Kübra is passionate about creating value through sustainable and impactful AI applications. Her work emphasizes the importance of sustainable AI collaborations and academic partnerships to drive innovation and ensure long-term progress. In her talk, she will blend data-driven insights on the AI ecosystem with actionable strategies to scale AI innovations through startup collaborations.