M.Cengiz Göğebakan
Partner - Capital and Debt Advisory
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Executive summary
M. Cengiz Göğebakan joined BDO Türkiye in 2026.
Göğebakan began his banking career in 1987 as an Assistant Inspector at Pamukbank T.A.Ş. Over the course of his career at the Bank, he held a number of senior positions, including Inspector, Deputy Head of the Inspection Board, Head of Corporate Assessment and Credit Monitoring, Head of Credit Restructuring, and Head of Credit Allocation.
He subsequently assumed key responsibilities in the Bank’s “Banking of the Future Project,” carried out in collaboration with McKinsey, and continued his career as Head of Credit Policies. In 2004, Göğebakan played an active role in the merger of Pamukbank and Halkbank. From 2004 to 2010, he served as Executive Vice President at T. Halk Bankası A.Ş., with responsibility for Credit Risk Resolution and Credit Policies.
In 2010, he joined Anadolubank A.Ş. as Executive Vice President responsible for Credits. In 2011, he joined T.C. Ziraat Bankası A.Ş. as Executive Vice President responsible for Credit Policies. During his tenure at Ziraat Bankası, his responsibilities included restructuring the Bank’s branch and customer segmentation framework; developing credit policies and processes; establishing rating modules aligned with the new structure; ensuring the integration of system infrastructure with business processes; enhancing credit repayment security; overseeing the collection and resolution of non-performing loans; and managing the Bank’s Legal Counsel function.
At various times, he also managed and coordinated departments responsible for the allocation and management of retail loans and the development of credit policies for the agricultural sector. Throughout his career, Göğebakan held numerous board and senior governance positions across financial institutions and affiliated companies.
He served as:
-Member of the Board of Directors at the Credit Bureau of Türkiye (KKB), Ziraat Bank Germany, T.C. Ziraat Sigorta, and Ziraat Gayrimenkul İşletme A.Ş.;
-Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at T. Halk Emeklilik A.Ş., FİNTEK Finansal Teknolojileri A.Ş., Azer Türk Bank, Ziraat Bank Azerbaijan, and Ziraat Girişim Sermayesi A.Ş.;
-Chairman of the Board of Directors at Ziraat Bank Moscow, Ziraat Finansal Kiralama A.Ş., Ziraat Uzbekistan, and Ziraat Bosnia;
-Chairman of the Risk Center of the Banks Association of Türkiye.
From 2012 to 2021, Göğebakan served as a Member of the Audit Board at OYAK, where he was involved in coordinating the financial and managerial audit processes of domestic and international group companies. In addition, between 2003 and 2020, he served as Chairman of the Boards of pension and assistance fund foundations established for employees of Pamukbank & Halkbank and Ziraat Bankası & Halkbank. Göğebakan spent 26 years of his 33-year career in private and state-owned banks in senior management positions and retired from the banking profession in November 2020.
He continued to share his extensive professional experience as a Solution Partner in Corporate Finance at EY Türkiye from February 2021 to June 2026. In parallel, he has been serving as a Financial Advisor at OPTİMUM Mali ve Operasyonel Yön. A.Ş.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
CERTIFICATION
EDUCATION
Göğebakan began his banking career in 1987 as an Assistant Inspector at Pamukbank T.A.Ş. Over the course of his career at the Bank, he held a number of senior positions, including Inspector, Deputy Head of the Inspection Board, Head of Corporate Assessment and Credit Monitoring, Head of Credit Restructuring, and Head of Credit Allocation.
He subsequently assumed key responsibilities in the Bank’s “Banking of the Future Project,” carried out in collaboration with McKinsey, and continued his career as Head of Credit Policies. In 2004, Göğebakan played an active role in the merger of Pamukbank and Halkbank. From 2004 to 2010, he served as Executive Vice President at T. Halk Bankası A.Ş., with responsibility for Credit Risk Resolution and Credit Policies.
In 2010, he joined Anadolubank A.Ş. as Executive Vice President responsible for Credits. In 2011, he joined T.C. Ziraat Bankası A.Ş. as Executive Vice President responsible for Credit Policies. During his tenure at Ziraat Bankası, his responsibilities included restructuring the Bank’s branch and customer segmentation framework; developing credit policies and processes; establishing rating modules aligned with the new structure; ensuring the integration of system infrastructure with business processes; enhancing credit repayment security; overseeing the collection and resolution of non-performing loans; and managing the Bank’s Legal Counsel function.
At various times, he also managed and coordinated departments responsible for the allocation and management of retail loans and the development of credit policies for the agricultural sector. Throughout his career, Göğebakan held numerous board and senior governance positions across financial institutions and affiliated companies.
He served as:
-Member of the Board of Directors at the Credit Bureau of Türkiye (KKB), Ziraat Bank Germany, T.C. Ziraat Sigorta, and Ziraat Gayrimenkul İşletme A.Ş.;
-Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at T. Halk Emeklilik A.Ş., FİNTEK Finansal Teknolojileri A.Ş., Azer Türk Bank, Ziraat Bank Azerbaijan, and Ziraat Girişim Sermayesi A.Ş.;
-Chairman of the Board of Directors at Ziraat Bank Moscow, Ziraat Finansal Kiralama A.Ş., Ziraat Uzbekistan, and Ziraat Bosnia;
-Chairman of the Risk Center of the Banks Association of Türkiye.
From 2012 to 2021, Göğebakan served as a Member of the Audit Board at OYAK, where he was involved in coordinating the financial and managerial audit processes of domestic and international group companies. In addition, between 2003 and 2020, he served as Chairman of the Boards of pension and assistance fund foundations established for employees of Pamukbank & Halkbank and Ziraat Bankası & Halkbank. Göğebakan spent 26 years of his 33-year career in private and state-owned banks in senior management positions and retired from the banking profession in November 2020.
He continued to share his extensive professional experience as a Solution Partner in Corporate Finance at EY Türkiye from February 2021 to June 2026. In parallel, he has been serving as a Financial Advisor at OPTİMUM Mali ve Operasyonel Yön. A.Ş.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Founder and Member of the Board of Directors, Financial and Operational Restructuring Professionals Association (FOYDER)
CERTIFICATION
- Basic Expert Witness Training Certificate, Istanbul Technical University Continuing Education Center
EDUCATION
- B.S in Economics, Faculty of Political Sciences, Ankara University, 1983–1987