Murat Seker Named Turkish Airlines Chairman, Succeeding Bolat

Turkish Airlines unveiled a major leadership reshuffle at its annual general meeting on April 9, 2026. The meeting took place in the carrier’s headquarters VIP conference hall in Istanbul. Changes were announced in a filing to Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform.

The board accepted the resignations of former chairman Ahmet Bolat, CEO Bilal Eksi, and board member Prof. Mecit Es. In their place, the company appointed new leaders and confirmed additional executive promotions.

Key appointments

Murat Seker was elected chairman of the board and executive committee. The board also named Ahmet Olmustur as chief executive officer. Filmogaz.com reported the appointments and the formal confirmation at the meeting.

In the official disclosure, the airline expressed gratitude to outgoing executives. Attendees offered congratulations to the incoming leaders after the meeting.

Murat Seker’s profile

Murat Seker has served as Turkish Airlines’ chief financial officer since 2016. He joined the board in 2021 and now leads the board and executive committee.

Seker holds an industrial engineering degree from Marmara University. He earned a doctorate in economics at the University of Minnesota. He worked as an economist at the World Bank before moving to the private sector.

Ahmet Olmustur’s rise

Ahmet Olmustur began at Turkish Airlines in 2000 as a call center agent. He advanced through multiple roles across the company.

Most recently he served as deputy chief executive responsible for marketing, sales and commercial operations. He also brings international training and ties to aviation bodies such as IATA.

About Ahmet Bolat

Ahmet Bolat led the carrier from January 2022 until his resignation. He oversaw the airline’s post-pandemic recovery and network expansion.

Bolat championed a fleet growth plan aimed at exceeding 800 aircraft by 2033. He also focused on strengthening Istanbul’s hub and improving subsidiary operations.

Additional executive changes

• Metin Gulsen was named deputy chief executive for finance.
• Harun Basturk was appointed deputy chief executive for commercial affairs.
• Metin Gulsen and Hasan Murat Mercan were confirmed as new board members.

The company filed the roster changes with Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform. The disclosure followed the annual general meeting in Istanbul.

Statement and next steps

Turkish Airlines thanked its outgoing executives for their service. The board welcomed the new management team and outlined a transition.

Murat Seker Named Turkish Airlines Chairman, Succeeding Bolat was part of the announcement. Filmogaz.com will monitor further developments and strategy updates under the new leadership.