Although gender should not be a factor that determines leadership, our so-called traditional mindsets have been at the forefront in curtailing the freedom for women who aspire to achieve. However, with centuries of effort, the situation of people, society and even countries have begun to change. The opportunities for women in Turkey are also a result of such change movements that started ages ago.
Although it is a male-dominated culture, women in Turkey are marching ahead and making inroads into careers they have dreamt of! A few courageous women have already donned the cap of being leadership-level professionals, and we take huge pride in appreciating their enormous achievements. Recognizing Gül Acuneras such an inspiring leader, we present an exclusive interview with her.
Take us through your early educational journey.
My educational ground is in Mathematical Engineering from Yıldız Technical University. On the first day of class at the university, a particular thought resonated with me that everything I would learn in that classroom would be shaping my own future. This thought completely changed my perception and motivated me to rank #1 in my department in my first year. While taking my courses with high interest and close followup, at the same time I started to earn money by teaching via private lessons for 30 hours a week throughout my entire university life and all of my students could either got accepted from reputable universities or ranked among the top in their classes.
To get a glimpse of business life, although it was not mandatory, I proactively pursued internship positions in multinational companies and worked as an intern at Siemens-Technology Department, Ericsson-Marketing Department, Pwc-Tax department and İstanbul Stock Exchange.
Subsequently, I was accepted to Boğaziçi University, one of the most prestigious one in Turkey, and studied Master of Arts in Economics.
What are the primary focus areas in your current role as CFO of Modanisa?
The role of CFO requires you to wear more than one hat at a time and the company's needs determine when and how long you need to wear each. Modanisa is a very dynamic online modest fashion brand and yet to become a lifestyle brand that has just celebrated its 10th anniversary. It has a unique potential to become a unicorn and has received various investments from global investors. While its market and business have been growing faster than the operations of its business units, I am mainly focusing on improvement areas and so managing risks for end-to-end operational excellence.
"I have always kept the bar high and governed each detail of the path. I also owe my success to my beloved ones who always believed in and supported me"
My first focus has always been to support the growth of the company as a commercial partner as well as to orchestrate the entire operation financially; from sourcing the fabric to the delivery of the final product to the end customer, from collection to payment and everything in between to ensure that the entire flow is completed in a flawless, legal, and timely manner. On daily basis, I find myself in different roles moving from Process Design and Development to Complex Problem Solving, from Value-Driven Decision-Making to Staff Coaching & Mentoring, Negotiation & Consensus Building, driving Change Management and engaging as a C-level Business Advisor.
What are some of the most significant milestones of your professional journey?
The one main factor in determining significant milestones for me was my belief and need for continuous development. I was at Colgate Palmolive Turkey in my early years where got promoted 4times in 7 years. I was selected to Global Talent Team, selected as a member of Colgate Women Network to become next Women Leader in Top Management, was responsible for the financials of three different entities, had overseas postings from New York to Manila and Almaty to Portland Maine, andcertified asa Global Finance Trainer which I very much enjoyed doing.
Then I moved out of that comfort zone of FMCG and dived into a new challenge of retail business. I started working for Beymen, a highly prestigious Luxury Retailer. Moving from a global environment for a local company with a Private Equity shareholder was my most impactful challenge.My first year was the most difficult one as I was experiencing retail mathematics, fashion dynamics and doing so besides a CEO with a solid finance background who is also ranked among the top 5 CEOs in Turkey that pushed me to my limits to learn and
Gül Acuner, CFO, Modanisa
An advocate of growth with her diverse expertise in driving business transformations, promoting business growth, and creating the next-gen leaders with active mentoring
