Board of Directors

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci EFE

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci Efe was born on January 10, 1972, in Ağrı, Turkey. After completing his primary, secondary, and high school education in Manisa, he began his professional career in 1990 in the Turkish Armed Forces as a member of the Underwater Offense (SAT) unit, serving until 1999. Since then, he has focused on academic studies and business endeavors.

He completed his Master's degree in the Faculty of Business Administration, Department of Management and Organization at Beykent University, and earned his PhD in Business Administration from both Preston University (USA) and Beykent University. He received the title of Associate Professor in Strategic Management and Organization in 2019, and in 2025, he was awarded the title of Full Professor in the Department of International Trade and Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Istanbul Beykent University. He has contributed to academia with over 20 articles and more than 10 books, supervised hundreds of PhD, Master's, and undergraduate students, and led numerous European Union projects.

In 2020, he established Turkey’s first private CEOTEKMER (Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Development) in collaboration with Istanbul University and with the approval of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Industry and Technology. Through CEOTEKMER, he provides management and investment support to hundreds of startups, contributing to a visionary and leading Turkey of the future.

In addition to his academic career, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci Efe has achieved significant success in the business world. Through Ekol Group Companies, which he founded in 1999, he currently employs 7,000 personnel across 11 companies operating in security, education, law, and technology sectors.

He is actively involved in national and international business platforms, serving on the Executive Boards of DEİK (Foreign Economic Relations Board) Business Councils for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Digital Technologies.

Passionate about Far Eastern martial arts, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci Efe holds a 5th Duan degree in Wushu and Aikido. He also possesses a 5th Level Technical Director coaching certificate in bodybuilding and fitness, and is a certified 2-star diving instructor.

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci Efe values lifelong learning and has always been a strong role model for professional development among his colleagues and the business community. He continues to teach courses at Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Maritime (Maritime Safety Officer Training), Istanbul Gedik University Faculty of Business, the National Defense University, and Istanbul Beykent University in areas such as Management and Organization, Leadership, Organizational Learning, Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Total Quality Management, Entrepreneurship, Project Culture, and Business Plan Preparation.

Adopting the principle of development and controlled growth, he has earned prestige and respect in the global arena by expanding his companies with reliable and strategic steps. He speaks fluent English and German, and has intermediate proficiency in Arabic and Persian.