In Istanbul a Community of Alumni Grows Strong
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In Istanbul a Community of Alumni Grows Strong

INTERVIEW WITH KERIM GURKAN, LEADER OF THE BOCCONI ALUMNI COMMUNITY CHAPTER

Working in risk management alumnus Kerim Gürkan is constantly challenged to stay updated with evolving global risks but still finds time to play music and take on the role of leader of the Istanbul Chapter of the Bocconi Alumni.

Very soon after graduating you enrolled in the MBA at SDA Bocconi. How did you career evolve after that?
I was lucky that an internship during my MBA at Ferrari turned into a full time job at Maranello. I worked in the marketing department and it was a great experience but my time at SDA Bocconi had made me fall in love with Milan and I wanted to return there. So I went into management consulting at Bain & Company in Milan. I loved that experience – travelling a lot and getting to know many interesting people, companies and business cases. Consulting is a great post MBA job and a great transition between academy and execution.

And then came a return to Turkey?
Yes, after 5 years in consulting I needed to decide the next chapter in my life. JLT Group, a risk management and insurance services advisory firm, offered my father and myself the opportunity to start up a new branch in Turkey. It was an exciting opportunity - starting up a company from scratch as an entrepreneurial adventure but yet being in partnership with a FTSE 250 company with a strong capital and know-how. It has been 4 years now and we work with our corporate clients in managing and transferring their risk exposures to international markets such as Lloyd’s.

What are the challenges in this sector?
Risk management is continuously evolving as the risks in the world are in constant change. Global warming, natural disasters, financial and political risks are in the agendas of CEOs. So you have to stay updated and be able to evolve to provide solutions. The most hot topic in this field currently is Cyber Risks which offer great opportunities for insurance and cyber security industry.

You also have a passion for music…
Yes, I am a semi-professional musician focusing on ethnic music playing various instruments such as baglama and kaval. Back in Italy I was in a band playing east Mediterranean folk music. Now back in Turkey, I manage to play regularly with my old musician friends as well as my new colleagues.

And now you also have a new commitment as leader of the Istanbul Chapter of the Bocconi Alumni…
Yes, I have just taken up this new role just a few weeks ago! The number of Turkish students at Bocconi is exponentially growing so this is a chapter which will serve to a growing alumni base. As the Istanbul Chapter Team, what we would like is to create is an organization with institutionalized traditions and a strong spirit of identity and belongingness for alumni in Turkey, with a stable and deep-rooted network. I invite my fellow Bocconii alumni to reach us during their visits to Istanbul to meet us and have a nice cup of Turkish coffee. 

by Tomaso Eridani

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