Bülent Çankaya

As an experienced commercial leader, I have evolved in the last 10 years mostly on building new businesses, defining go to market strategies, and the right organization for growth. In line with the new market needs of digitalization, customer experience, and innovative products and solutions, I developed my skills in new tools of sales and marketing to be efficient commercially, such as Buyer journey, Lead generation, Marketing, and sales funnel management.
I have a good understanding of building and transforming traditional commercial assets with new digital sales and marketing tools to the organizations to make the most efficient commercial enablement

Experıence

Chief Digital Officer (CDO - Member of Executive Board)

Çetaş Otomotiv - İstanbul, Turkey

ÇETAŞ is an automotive group that houses the widest range of automotive brand franchises in the automotive retail industry in Turkey.

As a CDO, responsible for IT, Digital Marketing, and quality processes, I manage the following areas of responsibility.

• Lead and oversee the company's digital strategy and transformation efforts, including the development and implementation of digital technologies and platforms

• Collaborate with the leadership team to align digital initiatives with the overall business goals and objectives

• Manage and direct the digital marketing, IT, and quality processes departments

• Stay up to date on industry trends and emerging technologies, and identify opportunities for the company to leverage these for competitive advantage

• Develop and maintain relationships with key partners and stakeholders, including customers, vendors, and industry associations.

• Set performance metrics and targets for the digital team, and track progress towards achieving these goals.
• Ensure that the company's digital operations and infrastructure are secure and compliant with relevant laws and regulations.

• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop and execute effective digital campaigns that drive engagement, lead generation, and customer acquisition.

• Work closely with the IT team to design and implement digital solutions that support the business and enhance the customer experience.

• Develop and maintain a strong company culture that fosters innovation and encourages continuous improvement in the digital domain.

Sep 2021 - Present

BDM of Digital Platform (Member of Executive Board)

Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services - İstanbul, Turkey

Sodexo Plus is a “unique” platform that brings Sodexo member restaurants and Sodexo Restaurantpass users together. Within this platform, Sodexo card users can order food online, pay online with Sodexo cards, earn points from their purchases, and order food with these points. I joined Sodexo with the aim of activating this platform within the specified time;

• Working with all relevant stakeholders, I have prepared and implemented 3-year business plans, operational plans and income-expense budgets.

• Unlike the corporate structure of Sodexo, we managed the project with the start-up structure and aimed a rapid change.
• We established a squad consisting of commercial and technical teams and managed the project with the “Agile method”. Within a target period of 6 months, we ensured that both WEB and mobile applications were ready with MVP1.

• We established a different model for the go-to-market with the commercial team. For Sodexo Plus, restaurant member network, starting from target regions in Istanbul, we had meetings with 1000 Sodexo Plus member restaurants and 5 big chains (Tab Gıda, McDonald’s, Dominos, etc…) within the first 3 months and we signed the contracts

• For the launch of Sodexo Plus, we set up separate teams for marketing, membership, reaching customers and users, customer experience and launched the end-to-end service with a dedicated team for this product.

• I played an important role in launching Sodexoplus in a corporate and traditional structure with the cooperation of all stakeholders, with the Agile method, and presenting it to the customer and directing it to change in marketing and CX side.

Feb 2018 - Jan 2021

Sales Director

bulurum.com - İstanbul, Turkey

Bulurum.com is the official web site of 11880, the leader directory assistance service of Turkey.

• Consulting of starting a business (startup) ( bulurum.com ) and business development in Turkey

• Leading the company to execute business plan, achieve sales and financial targets

• Establishing, developing and management consulting of systems in fields such as marketing product management, sales channels management, sales team management, benchmarking

• Building up the sales & marketing organization

• Implementing HR procedures and disciplines like employees contracts, job descriptions, company handbook.

• Establishing of company organization according to company targets and defining all the roles and responsibilities and oversees all hiring, training of personnel involved in departments.

• Managing all sales and marketing functions and coordinating all departments;

• Creating business plans & budgets, determination and realization of marketing & sales strategies, and sales targets.

• Guiding the company's financial position, market share growth, profitability increase and operational efficiency.

• Responsible for developing and managing business partnerships

• Seeking out and targets new customers and new sales opportunities, initiates action plan to approach and secure new business for the Company.

September 2015 - April 2018

General Coordinator

Digicom Elektronik Pazarlama Anonim Sirketi - İstanbul, Turkey

Under Digicom Group umbrella, there are different brands running in different sectors. Group companies: Digicom Technology as the brand owner of Conti Electrical Household Appliances and Turkey distributor of Pioneer, Pioneer DJ, Roadstar and Sharp brands, Say Construction Technology as the constructor and developer of Starlife Silivri, Güzelce, Göktürk and yooistanbul inspired by Philippe Starck residence projects and also the restorator of Sandoz Manison, Yapaş Construction Materials Company, Çözüm Finance Factoring Company.

• In accordance with the interests of the group companies; directing coordination between all departments, branch offices and the executive board.

• Establishing group companies’ budgets together with the financial affairs and controlling the implementation of these budgets in accordance with the directors in the executive board.

• Forming out periodic and annual department based reports in the coordination with financial administrators and analysing the general status of the group companies with the executive board members.

• To ensure the precise workflow in the group of companies; controlling the entire operations, following all engagements made by the executive board, checking all conformities with the deadlines for the schedules.

• Identifying all problems, distress and their causes that affects the workflow in the group of companies and intervene in the functional obstacles to prevent crisis.

• Representing the group of companies in both domestic and worldwide fairs/organizations, meetings, conferences.

January 2013 - January 2015

Director / Doğan Online (member of Board of Executives)

hepsiburada.com - İstanbul, Turkey

• Works with all categories to improve the Supplier Relationship Management processes for identification of target suppliers and is responsible for the planning, engagement and execution of supplier strategy.

• Brings on board and manages the relationships and day to day business activities of the various 3rd party suppliers and partners with whom the business engages to deliver different components of its service & products.

• Works with suppliers to understand their businesses and identify any opportunities that can be leveraged in the overall business.

• Develops road maps for all categories to achieve main standards.

• Leads common promotions for all categories in hepsiburada.com ex. “shipment free campaigns” or “gift check”

• Manages alisverissaati.com, one of e-commerce sites of DOL

• Leads operations of the site

• Improves the processes

• Improves organization effectiveness

• Creates synergy among DOL e-commerce companies (altıncıcadde.com, Evmanya.com) and hepsiburada.com to develop common business platform with the suppliers

January 2012 - January 2013

General Manager (212 İstanbul Power Outlet Shopping Center)

Edip Gayrimenkul Yatırım Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S - İstanbul, Turkey

As General Manager of Edip Gayrimenkul Yatırım San ve Tic. A.Ş , my main responsibility is optimize the financial performance of 212 İstanbul Power Outlet shopping center. As such, I am responsible for:

• Managing and upgrading the shopping centre facilities (renovation, extension, etc.);

• The administration of the shopping centre facilities: relations with the service providers • Tenants management of the shopping centre: day-to-day relations with the shops in the centre

• Defining the implementation of marketing policy and supervising all promotional and marketing activities of the centre in order to enhance brand image and increase brand appeal;

• Representing the company in front of the local authorities

• Managing my team and the service providers.

June 2012 - January 2012

Sales & Marketing Director

Digicom Elektronik Pazarlama Anonim Sirketi - İstanbul, Turkey

• Oversee all marketing, advertising and promotional staff and activities of consumer electronics products of Pioneer , LG , Hitachi ,Sansui. Establish marketing strategies to meet organizational objectives. Evaluate customer research, market conditions, competitor data and implement marketing plan changes as needed

• Manage and coordinate all sales , marketing and accounting organization of 45 people

• Conduct market research to determine market requirements for existing and future products and achieved 100% growth of sales in volume per year since 2005 by doing so

• Analysis of customer research, current market conditions and competitor information, develop and implement marketing plans and projects for new and existing products

October 2005 - November 2009

National Sales Manager

Türk Philips Ticaret A.Ş. (Philips Turkey) - İstanbul, Turkey

National Sales Manager, Domestic Appliances and Personal Care Products 1996 – 2005

• After the economic cries in 2001 , set up and managed new distribution system ,achieved % 100 growth of sales targets in 2004.(This project is awarded the 3. place in the Philips World Quality Contest )

• Set up and managed from the beginning a new sales organization for Turkey with 6 regions.

• Achieved 100% growth of sales both in volume and value since 1996.

• Managed 28 people in national sales organization.

• Strengthened the division’s position in dealer network by 75 % penetration.

1991 - 2005

SkIlls

MaIn Knowledge

E-commerce
Business Development
Management

Tools & TechnologIes

Google Adwords
Google Analytics
Microsoft Office

Interpersonal SkIlls

Team Management
Leadership
Organizational Development
Sourcing
Negotiation

Other SkIlls

New Business Development
Home Appliances
Retail Management
Social Networking
Wholesale Sales
Start-ups Management
Startup Development
Internet

Industry Knowledge

Sales Management
Pricing
Marketing Strategy
Market Research
Consumer Electronics
Business Strategy
Market Planning
Marketing Management
Marketing
Business Planning
Product Management
Project Planning
Sales
Budgets
Brand Management
International Business
Electronics
Competitive Analysis
Wholesale
CRM
Key Account Management
Market Analysis
Sales Operations
Trade Marketing
Retail
Mobile Devices
Forecasting
Analysis
Start-ups
Pricing Strategy
Strategic Planning

ARTICLES

EduPlus 15. Satış Zirvesinde hem dinleyiciler hem de katılımcılar için oldukça yararlı ve keyifli bir oturum gerçekleştirdik

Bülent Çankaya - May 11, 2018

EduPlus 13. satış zirvesinde keyifli ve verimli bir oturum gerçekleştirdik

Bülent Çankaya - May 27, 2016

Rahmi M. Koç 'tan Hayat dersleri

Bülent Çankaya - May 24, 2015

Edplus 12. Satış Zirvesi

Bülent Çankaya - May 20, 2015

BLOG

Bülent Çankaya İle Teknoloji Sohbetleri

EducatIon & Volunteer ExperIence & AccomplIshments

EducatIon

İstanbul University
Bachelor of, Econometrics (1982-1987)

Volunteer ExperIence

Turkish Olimpic Committe
Member (1998)

LOSEV - Losemili Çocuklar Saglık ve Egitim Vakfı
Volunteer

Courses

Account management & Merchandising (Lapia , Prof.Colin Egan)
CRM (Lapia , Prof.Colin Egan)
Finance for non-finance managers (Prof.C.Lewy)
Human Relations and Behaviors in Sales (Baltas & Baltas)
International Key Account Management (MVI)
Key account Management (Fed Training)
Marketing 2 (Lapia , Prof.Colin Egan)
Product and Brand Management (Fed Training)
Sales Tactics, Customer Relations (Rota)
Time management (TMI)

RecommendatIons

June 9, 2016

Hatice Başaran

Human Resources Manager at GoldMaster

Mr. Cankaya has excellent communication skills, positive outlook and creative mind with good sense of humor. In my opinion he is hard-working who invariably understands exactly what a project is all about. I would like to say that it is pleasant to cooperate with him.

August 9, 2012

Onur Bayhan

Head of Category Management & BuyIng at JOKER TOYS

Bülent is one of the strongest supplier relations director I met in my career. His business acumen and wide experience make him a great contributor for any business teams. He is also an excellent team manager, widely appreciated by his people and collegues who value enormously his dedication to the Company and contribution to the Business.

June 21, 2010

Johan Focquet

Export Sales Manager - Europe, Central AsIa, Maghreb at OrfIt IndustrIes

Pioneer is one of the leading brands in the consumer electronics market in Turkey. Bülent has contributed a lot to that strong market position. His knowledge of the Turkish market and his vision for the Pioneer brand made this possible. I was able to widness Bülent's skills to inspire subordinates and customers alike. Bülent's leadership capabilities are a real asset to any company. He's a real high class professional

March 26, 2010

Kemal Pektas

Sales Manager at PhIlIps

I had chance to work with Mr. Cankaya for 2.5 years in my first job experience. He has always been a very motivating leader for me and I owe him to much about business and also life. My collegues who are managed by him were always up, motivated and happy to work with. While working him, you focus on targets and then enjoy reaching them. Actually I miss his leadership style and working with him.

February 22, 2010

Özlem FidancI

ChIef ExecutIve OffIcer at PhIlIps MIddle East & Turkey

Bülent is very good in mobilising people, he is an inspiring Sales leader and knows how to motivate people around company goals. He has a very extensive social network and makes himself popular in a natural way. Bülent is also very creative and out of box thinker and solves issues in a very practical way. Overall very nice expreience to work with him.

March 20, 2008

YalÇIn Kumeli

Producer / LIne Producer / Head Of ProductIon / DIrector

Bulent has a great blend of energy, vision, and business acumen that enables him to consistently deliver superior results. Talk about a tough situation . He managed to thrive in a very tough business climate by closing deals and leading with enthusiasm. A lot of people would have failed under those circumstances, but Bulent's hard work and tremendous attitude inspired success.

Contact

GET IN TOUCH

bulent.cankaya@gmail.com