Turkish Airlines announced a major reshuffle of its leadership on April 9, 2026.
Prof. Murat Şeker, previously the airline’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. Meanwhile, Ahmet Olmuştur, who had been serving as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
They will be replacing Prof. Ahmet Bolat and Bilal Ekşi in the positions of Chairman of the Board and CEO, respectively. Prof. Bolat had held the chairmanship of Turkish Airlines since January 2022, while Ekşi had been serving as CEO since 2016.
The two executives now exiting the company have presided over a period of significant growth at the Turkish flag carrier, which has consolidated its position as one of the world’s largest global airlines. It now boasts a fleet of around 500 aircraft and a network including more international destinations than any other airline in the world.
Under their tenure, Turkish Airlines also outlined a ten-year strategic expansion plan that aims roughly to double the size of Turkish Airlines in terms of fleet of passenger volumes by 2035.
Turkish Airlines’ new leaders have been in senior executive positions at the company for a number of years. Prof. Murat Şeker, who holds a degree in industrial engineering and a PhD in Economics, joined Turkish Airlines in 2016 as CFO. Prior to that, he worked as economist at the World Bank in Washington DC and later was appointed Senior Vice President of Financial Institutions and Investor Relations Department at Ziraat Bank, a government-owned Turkish bank.
Since 2025, Prof. Şeker has also been serving as Chair of the Financial Advisory Council established by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The airline’s new CEO, Bilal Ekşi, has a degree in Business Administration plus an MBA. He joined Turkish Airlines in 2000 and has risen through the ranks.
Starting from a junior customer service position, Ekşi later held roles of Flight Analyst in the Directorate of Revenue Management; Manager of Global Distribution Systems; Manager of Revenue Management and Pricing; and Senior Vice President of Revenue Management, prior to securing the CCO role a decade ago.
He holds a place on the Board and Audit Committee of SunExpress, a leisure-focused airline that is half-owned by Turkish Airlines, as well as the board of Turkish Technic, the group’s MRO subsidiary. Ekşi is also a member of the IATA Distribution Advisory Council.
