Full Name
Mr. Yılmaz Yıldız
Job Title
CEO
Company
Zurich Insurance Group Türkiye
Speaker Bio
Yılmaz Yıldız is a graduate of TED Ankara College and holds honors degrees in Economics and Business Administration from Boston University. He furthered his academic studies at Heidelberg University in Germany, focusing on EU enlargement policies, and earned his MBA from Harvard University and Harvard Business School. He is currently pursuing his PhD.
Yıldız began his professional career at the Undersecretariat of Treasury and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Turkey, working in the General Directorate of Incentive Implementation on Export and Investment Incentives, as well as in the General Directorate of Foreign Economic Relations on World Bank projects in the fields of health, education, and technology. He later joined Bain & Co. as a Strategy Consultant, leading growth, innovation, and restructuring projects across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Subsequently, he held roles as Division Manager and Deputy General Manager at Garanti Bank and Garanti Insurance. In 2007, Yıldız became the Founding CEO of CARDIF Turkey, BNP Paribas Group’s international insurance subsidiary, overseeing its life and general insurance operations. He later served as CEO of Groupama Insurance and Groupama Life and Pension. Since 2012, he has been the CEO of Zurich Insurance Group Turkey.
Yıldız is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Z Zurich Foundation, a Board Member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) Turkey-Switzerland Business Council and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce, and a Member of the Board of Trustees of TED University. He is also an active member of the Harvard
Business School Alumni Association, Co-Chair of the YenidenBiz Association, and a member of both the Yanındayız Association and the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD). A former lecturer on entrepreneurship and innovation at Koç University and Bilgi University, he is also a member of Galata Business Angels (GBA), one of Turkey’s leading angel investor networks.
Throughout his career, Yıldız has received numerous international awards and recognitions. He was named “Most Successful CEO Under 40” by Capital Magazine and “Best CEO in Europe” by Italian IAIR. Under his leadership, the companies he managed were honored for eight consecutive years by World Finance as “Turkey’s Best Insurance Company”, by IAIR as “Southern Europe’s Best Insurance Company”, by Marketing Türkiye for “Best Customer Experience in Insurance”, and by Brandon Hall and the Corporate Sustainability Association with the “Gold Award for Corporate Social Responsibility”. His companies were also recognized
by Great Place to Work with top honors including “Best Employer”, “Best Workplace for Women” and “Social Responsibility and Volunteering” awards.
In 2024, Yılmaz Yıldız was named one of the 12 global leaders recognized by the United Nations for advancing sustainable and equitable development. He became the first person from Turkey to be included in this list and was awarded the title of “UN Sustainable Development Goals Pioneer,” continuing his leadership efforts to create a more livable world.
Yıldız began his professional career at the Undersecretariat of Treasury and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Turkey, working in the General Directorate of Incentive Implementation on Export and Investment Incentives, as well as in the General Directorate of Foreign Economic Relations on World Bank projects in the fields of health, education, and technology. He later joined Bain & Co. as a Strategy Consultant, leading growth, innovation, and restructuring projects across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Subsequently, he held roles as Division Manager and Deputy General Manager at Garanti Bank and Garanti Insurance. In 2007, Yıldız became the Founding CEO of CARDIF Turkey, BNP Paribas Group’s international insurance subsidiary, overseeing its life and general insurance operations. He later served as CEO of Groupama Insurance and Groupama Life and Pension. Since 2012, he has been the CEO of Zurich Insurance Group Turkey.
Yıldız is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Z Zurich Foundation, a Board Member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) Turkey-Switzerland Business Council and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce, and a Member of the Board of Trustees of TED University. He is also an active member of the Harvard
Business School Alumni Association, Co-Chair of the YenidenBiz Association, and a member of both the Yanındayız Association and the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD). A former lecturer on entrepreneurship and innovation at Koç University and Bilgi University, he is also a member of Galata Business Angels (GBA), one of Turkey’s leading angel investor networks.
Throughout his career, Yıldız has received numerous international awards and recognitions. He was named “Most Successful CEO Under 40” by Capital Magazine and “Best CEO in Europe” by Italian IAIR. Under his leadership, the companies he managed were honored for eight consecutive years by World Finance as “Turkey’s Best Insurance Company”, by IAIR as “Southern Europe’s Best Insurance Company”, by Marketing Türkiye for “Best Customer Experience in Insurance”, and by Brandon Hall and the Corporate Sustainability Association with the “Gold Award for Corporate Social Responsibility”. His companies were also recognized
by Great Place to Work with top honors including “Best Employer”, “Best Workplace for Women” and “Social Responsibility and Volunteering” awards.
In 2024, Yılmaz Yıldız was named one of the 12 global leaders recognized by the United Nations for advancing sustainable and equitable development. He became the first person from Turkey to be included in this list and was awarded the title of “UN Sustainable Development Goals Pioneer,” continuing his leadership efforts to create a more livable world.
Speaking At
