Mehmet Gürkaynak Appointed as Emirates’ New Regional Manager for Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria
Emirates has appointed Mehmet Gürkaynak as the new Regional Manager for Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria. Gürkaynak will assume his new role on June 1, 2023, succeeding Bahar Ahmet Birinci, who retired after serving since 1993.
Gürkaynak joined Turkish Airlines in 2011, initially working as a Demand & Flight Analyst for three years before taking on the role of General Manager in Constantine, Algeria. In subsequent years, he served as Turkish Airlines’ General Manager in Bulgaria and, most recently, in Germany. With over 11 years of experience in revenue management, sales, and marketing, Gürkaynak brings extensive expertise and a strong professional network, which he will leverage to advance Emirates’ commercial initiatives and achieve strategic objectives in the local market.
In his new role, Gürkaynak will represent the Emirates brand across Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria, working closely with local partners, airports, and other aviation industry stakeholders to further develop each market’s travel and tourism sector. He will also identify new partnership opportunities to expand the airline’s customer base, maintain first-class air connectivity for passengers and cargo, and continue contributing to the local economy.
Gürkaynak holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Istanbul University and an MBA in Financial Management from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, USA.
Bahar Ahmet Birinci, who led Emirates’ operations in Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria for 30 years, played a pivotal role in establishing Emirates as a leading global airline in the region. During her tenure, she successfully built strategic partnerships that expanded the brand’s presence and contributed significantly to the local travel industry and bilateral relations between the UAE and Turkey.