Who we are

Mehmet Nazif Günal, the Founder and Chairman of Mapa Group, is one of Turkey’s and the world’s most successful self-made entrepreneurs and global business leaders.

Mehmet Nazif Günal was born in Artvin, Arhavi located on the Turkish Black Sea coast in 1948. His father, a shopkeeper, died when he was two-months old. He was raised with his two brothers and two sisters by his mother, who taught them the values of hard work, honesty and self-reliance.

A brilliant student, Mehmet Nazif Günal graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Master of Science (MSc)degrees in Civil Engineering from the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, the best Faculty of Engineering in Turkey, whose language of instruction is English. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the same university.

From the age of 14, under the guidance of his brother-in-law who was a civil engineer, Mehmet Nazif Günal worked as a part-time construction intern and sub-contractor to financially support his family. From early on, he stood out as a result of his hard work, leadership skills and talent in optimising construction processes. By the age of 23, when he received his engineering degree, he had already contracted and built 21 buildings.

In 1976, Mehmet Nazif Günal set up Mapa Group in Turkey and developed it into one of the most successful construction companies in Turkey, Middle East and Africa. His principle to deliver every project on time and on budget, his hard-working mindset and his entrepreneurial spirit are at the heart of his success.

As Turkey became an attractive tourist destination, Mehmet Nazif Günal developed a series of hotel resorts projects throughout Turkey until today, including Ankara Hilton and İzmir Hilton. With its construction projects carried out throughout the country, Mapa Group responded to the growing demand that resulted from Turkey’s booming economy in the 1980’s, 1990’s and 2000’s. Mapa Group’s completed constructions projects span from residential buildings to roads, hotels, dams, plants, pipelines, irrigation systems, railways, ports, airports, water treatment and storage facilities. From 1996, Mehmet Nazif Günal diversified his business activities in the sectors of banking, aviation, mining and renewable energy, with great success in these sectors as well.

From 2004, Mapa Group progressively expended its construction work outside of Turkey, with a focus in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, North Africa and South-East Europe. Today, 80% of Mapa Group revenues come from outside of Turkey.

Mapa Group’s success in delivering every project on time and on budget helped it become an esteemed partner of numerous international financial institutions, including the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Today, Mapa Group employs more than 20,000 people throughout the world, with annual revenue exceeding $1.3 billion. In 2020, Forbes Magazine estimated Mr. Mehmet Nazif Günal’s personal net worth at $1.6 billion.

Mr. Günal and his wife Mrs. Günal have three children, who all graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Civil Engineering from Columbia University in New York.  His children are strongly involved in Mapa Group’s operations. His eldest son, Murathan Doruk Günal has been serving as Mapa Group CEO since January 2020.

An active sportsman, Mehmet Nazif Günal enjoys boating, water skiing and walking. A committed philanthropist, he provides scholarships yearly to more than 150 students in need, to support their university studies at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara.

Mehmet Nazif Günal is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C.

Ayşegül Özkaplan serves as Chief Financial Officer for Mapa Group since 1987. She manages and supervises all financial affairs of Mapa Group, including financial strategy, planning, management and treasury. She provides financial advice and opinion on business and commercial issues involving Mapa Group.

Ayşegül Özkaplan is the Head of the Finance and Treasury Department of Mapa Group, which consists of a qualified finance team of twenty people. She is a member of the Board of Directors of many companies within Mapa Group.

Ayşegül Özkaplan has more than thirty-three years of extensive experience in all financial, commercial and business matters related to the activities of Mapa Group in Turkey and abroad. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from the Middle East Technical University (METU), which is one of Turkey’s best universities.

In her spare time, Ayşegül Özkaplan enjoys painting, spending time with her cats and cooking. She is involved in charitable activities to provide contributions to the education of students from low-income families.

Zeliha Yüzbaşıoğlu acts as Chief Compliance Officer for Mapa Group. She is responsible for managing and overseeing all compliance matters of Mapa Group, including regulatory compliance, compliance with business ethics and compliance with internal policies and procedures in all Mapa Group’s activities.

Before being assigned as Chief Compliance Officer, Zeliha Yüzbaşıoğlu served as a Legal Counsel in the Legal Department of Mapa Group for seven years. As in-house Legal Counsel, she gained extensive experience both in Turkey and abroad, in various legal, commercial and business areas in which Mapa Group is involved.

Zeliha Yüzbaşıoğlu is a qualified legal counsel and attorney at law registered to the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, having a license to practice law.

After obtaining the French Baccalaureate diploma in Sciences (Bac S) including education in French and English languages, she studied at law school in France and then in Turkey. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Ankara University Law School, one of Turkey’s best law schools. As well as her native Turkish language, she has a professional capability in both English and French.

She holds two certificates in the field of Corporate Ethics and Compliance Management awarded by Istanbul Technical University, as well as by the Ethics and Reputation Association.

Ayhan Yılmaz acts as Chief Legal Counsel for Mapa Group since 1998. He is responsible for managing and overseeing all legal affairs of Mapa Group, including lawsuits, dispute resolutions, contracts and agreements processes. He provides legal advice and opinion on legal, commercial and business issues involving Mapa Group. He is the Head of the Legal Department of Mapa Group, which consists of a qualified legal team of thirty-five people, of which seventeen are legal counsels. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Mapa Group.

Ayhan Yılmaz has over thirty years of legal counsel and attorney at law experience in a wide range of legal, commercial and business matters in Turkey as well as abroad. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Istanbul University Law School, one of Turkey’s best law schools.

Ayhan Yılmaz is a qualified legal counsel and attorney at law, registered to the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, having a license to practice law since 1990. Before joining Mapa Group, he served as Legal Counsel at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works for eight years.

In his spare time, Ayhan Yılmaz enjoys listening to music, reading, travelling and taking photographs. He supports charity activities and regularly attends social and professional events organised by the Istanbul Bar Association.

Emre Mazanoğlu is Head of Investor Relations and Financial Control for Mapa Group. Prior to taking on the additional role of Head of Investor Relations in January 2020, he was Head of Financial Control. Since joining Mapa Group in 2011, he has been serving as Head of Financial Control.

Emre Mazanoğlu has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA) conducted in the English language from Hacettepe University in Ankara which is one of Turkey’s best universities, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Finance completed in 2015. After graduating from the university in 2004, he started his career at Deloitte, promoted to the position of Audit Manager, and he was responsible for large-scale audit projects.

Since joining Mapa Group in 2011, as Head of Financial Control, Emre Mazanoğlu coordinates financial reporting, forecasts, audit, tax management, structured financing and mergers and acquisitions transactions of Mapa Group and its subsidiaries.

In his spare time, Emre Mazanoğlu enjoys bike riding, walking and tasting various culinary delights. He makes donations to foundations related to child health.