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The Candidates Experience(Global Executive Search: Case Study)

HumanGroup (IRC Turkey)Aksa Energy, Turkey

IRC Global Executive Search Partners

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The Client CompanyAksa Energy is one of Turkeys leading energy companies, with head ofce in Istanbul.With more than 2,000 MW installed capacity, Aksa Energy is the leader among independent powerproducers in Turkey, with 5% market share in overall energy production in the country. The parentcompany, Kazanc Holding, represents a vertical integrated business model with all ingredients of theenergy value chain in Turkey, namely, power production, electricity distribution and natural gasdistribution. Additionally, the Group owns leading gensets production company, Aksa Power Generation,with 45% market share in Turkey, and productions facilities in Turkey and China.The company is among Turkeys largest 200 industrial companies and exporters.

The Executive Search Company

Gaye zcan and Mehves Demir, both former HR Managers, founded HumanGroupin 2006, focused on search, selection and assessment, and customizedtraining programs.Other expertise includes the development and delivery of training programs.

The companys key sectoral areas are nancial services, pharmaceuticals,telecom, FMCG, and energy, with clients being primarily large Turkish andinternational rms, operating across multiple sectors, and expanding regionallyand internationally.

As Gaye explains: Many companies want to establish a foothold in Turkey, whilemany large Turkish companies are developing operations in Europe, the Balkans,

Russia, the Middle East, and the US and looking at China, and South America.She says Turkey is also a uniquely specic market. Challenges include language,the legal structure, the business approach all of which needs extensive localexpertise, she adds.

She explains that Turkey is a developing market of 75 million people, and clients increasingly needcandidates with extremely specic and unique skills.

The CandidateCuneyt Uygun is Group Chief Financial Ofcer (CFO) at Kazanc Holding Aksa Group Companies,promoted from CFO in Aksa Energy in July 2012.

His previous positions include: CFO at Astelit Turkcell Ukraine operation; Business Development

Executive Turkcell; IBD & IR Specialist with Efes Beverage Group; and Research Analyst with TSKB.

The ChallengesIt wasnt an easy time, and there were difcult challenges and Gayes support was essential, saysCuneyt of his rst few months as Aksas CFO.

He explains how his business background was in a completely different sector: I was in different positionsin the leading GSM operator in Turkey and the region, namely Turkcell. Id been there almost 10 years,involved in nancial activities and business development. My last position was CFO of the Ukrainiansubsidiary of Turkcell, where I took the position from the beginning until EBITDA breakeven.

Cuneyt met Gaye when he relocated to Turkey. She offered the opportunity, and I took it because the

The Candidates Experience Case StudyUnderstanding, motivation and invaluable, ongoing support ensured a successful t for the

Group CFO in one of Turkeys largest energy sector companies.

Gaye OzcanFounding PartnerHuman Group, IRC Turkey

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energy sector is booming, especially in Turkey. Its an interesting, challenging and satisfying business.

As Cuneyt explains, Gaye carefully evaluated the positions desired competencies and perfectly matched

his and Aksas needs.

However, having accepted the new position as CFO, Cuneytfaced challenging work issues during the following months.I had to adjust to working with little knowledge of Turkishbusiness, he explains. Through doing business developmentfor international companies, my knowledge of Ukrainian andRussian tax legislation and accounting systems was great.Especially in terms of the tax code, Turkey is completely dif-ferent from the Russian countries. That was a big challenge forme.

In addition, Aksa was very different company to Turkcell.

Previously, I worked at the highest level of corporategovernance whereas Aksa is a family company. I wanted toimplement a professional management team, while keeping theentrepreneurial culture as much aspossible without hurting the business, he says.

All in all, there were many big adjustments, he continues. It wasnt an easy time. Thats where Gayescontinuing guidance was invaluable.

Following the successful CFO search completion, Gaye worked closely with Cuneyt, supporting him in hisnew role.

For the next three to four months, she was almost coaching me, he says. She eased my way, talked tothe shareholders, and to the managers to let them know what I was trying to do.

ConclusionWithin 12 months of being hired by Aksa as CFO, Cuneyt was promoted to Group CFO.

I wouldnt have found this position without Gaye, he asserts. The position was condential, so it wasntpublished. Now, I continue to build my team with Gayes assistance, of course!

Cuneyt has recruited six people so far, and continues to work with HumanGroup to nd additional teammembers for the reporting and budgeting departments, and project nance support.Every time I need talent, Gaye is the right person to nd the right people, because she reallyunderstands my needs, says Cuneyt. She always brings two or three good candidates, who are all quite

suitable. We understand each other very well. She has great timing, is reliable and consistently providesquality candidates.

I appreciate her help and will continue to do so, especially on the nancial side. She is the best!

Cuneyts next challenge is to build Aksa Groups HR department develop a genuine resource, recruit adepartment head, and build the team.

And, as he concludes:Of course, I know that Gaye, and HumanGroup, will always nd the right person for us!

Cuneyt Uygun

Group Chief Financial Ofcer

Kazanc Holding Aksa Group Companies

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ABOUT HumanGroup, IRC Global Executive Search Partners Turkey

Human Group offers consultancy services in human resources management and training, excel-ling in a broad range of areas including search & selection, recruitment, training & development,and assessment & evaluation. Our team of experts offers integrated solutions to our corporateclients to increase their competitive advantage. We support and continuously improve all our ser-vices and products by measuring their contribution to the rms overall business results throughscientically proven assessment & evaluation tools.

ABOUT IRC Global Executive Search PartnersIRC Global Executive Search Partners is a market leader in the global executive search industrywith a track record of more than 25,000 completed assignments for 1,000+ clients in almostevery conceivable industry segment and function. Our clients range from large multinationals tomiddle market companies that enjoy the advantage of working with leading local rms around

the globe, providing them access to expert local market knowledge, the agility and commit-ment of owner operated rms and the global reach of a strong alliance. With a growing rosterof leading executive search rms across Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia, IRCGlobal Executive Search Partners has more than 280 accomplished executive search profession-als in 6 continents, 35+ countries, 70+ ofces and 40 member rms. Ranked among the worldsten largest executive search alliances, IRC Global Executive Search Partners has been providingconsistent and high-performance executive search solutions to its clients for the past nineteenyears; globally connected and locally committed.

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