CEO Today Middle East Awards

www.ceotodaymagazine.com 48 CEO Today Middle East Awards 2019 turkey GONCA KARAKAŞ CEO of Effect Burson-Marsteller Turkey ABOUT GONCA KARAKAŞ Gonca Karakas is the founder of Effect Public Relations and has been the CEO Effect Burson-Marsteller since 2016. Gonca has a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations from Bosphorus University and an M.B.A. in International Finance and Banking from Marmara University, Turkey. She completed her thesis on privatisation and has worked as a researcher on Turkey’s membership to EU. Starting her career at West Deutche Landesbank as an an investment banker; and building upon this experience, she founded the first financial communications and investor relations (IR) company in Turkey, Karakas Financial Communications. She is the current President of Turkish Public Relations Association (TUHID), elected for the second term. Gonca is also a frequent keynote speaker at local and international PR, marketing, digital events; and she also pays regular visits to the universities all over Turkey under the program of “TuhidAnatolian Meetings”, which aims to raise the awareness of the sector. She has established strategic partnerships & collaborations with several local and international institutions such as Strategic PR partnership with the Global Economic Symposium (GES). She also leads several pro bono and community benefit works along with collaborations with NGOs such as Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG); Education Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV); the Sabanci Foundation- Turkey’s Changemakers Program (ÇABA), Contemporary Education Foundation (ÇEV). Karakas was selected as the finalist in ‘Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2002’ in information technologies by the United Nations European Economic Commission. She paid special attention and executed strong efforts in order to the develop the digital expertise of the Company. She also founded the Turkey’s first wellness portal: Ailem.com Gonca is a member of: - Burson Marsteller’s EMEA Leadership Team - International Public Relations Association (IPRA) - Corporate Governance Association of Turkey (TKYD) - Chain de Rotisseurs – Turkey - Bosphorus University Alumni Association (BUMED) FIRM PROFILE Effect Burson-Marsteller Turkey is one of the preeminent full service public relations/ strategic communications company with 24 years of experience with strong relationship with the business community, government, NGO’s and media, providing strategic communications consultancy services to local, multinational and global clients with 55 professional staff. The Company has specialized units and experts in: Corporate Crisis, Digital (Effect Digital), Content Marketing, Strategic Planning, Sponsorship & Influencer Relations (Effect Network), Event Management, and External Communications. Effect Burson-Marsteller Turkey is part of Burson Marsteller - a wholly-owned subsidiary of the WPP Group, which is a leading global public relations and communications firm, established in 1953. In 2016, Burson Marsteller has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Effect PR, which has been Burson-Marsteller’s exclusive affiliate partner in Turkey since 2012, being the biggest acquisiton in the PR sector so far in Turkey. Under Gonca’s leadership, the Company achieved 40 % growth in revenues and 80 % growth in profit in 2015-216. www.effect.com.tr