UB Around the Globe: Bridging Continents
Category: Alumni
Though Mahmut Aydogmus, M.S. ’03, left Turkey in 2001 to pursue his master’s degree in management information systems at the University of Baltimore, the pull of his native country never subsided. So in September 2012, after earning his master’s degree and establishing an impressive career in finance at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., Aydogmus returned to Turkey to become director of international relations for Borsa Istanbul, the newly privatized entity that in April replaced the former Istanbul Stock Exchange. As Borsa Istanbul is an essential part of a high-profile effort to boost Istanbul’s financial profile, the pressure is on—and Aydogmus is ready for the challenge.
“What attracted me to the position most was the opportunity to contribute to the promotion of Istanbul as an ... attractive hub for international investment for the benefit of the Turkish economy as well as that of the broader Euroasia region,” he explains. “My role can be defined as putting and keeping Borsa Istanbul on the map in the international arena. ... Overall, the institution has become more efficient, competitive and optimistic for the future. I truly feel privileged to be part of such a historic moment in Turkish capital markets and in the overall economy.”
Aydogmus lives with his wife, Meltem, and their young daughter, Ecrin, in Istanbul, which he says “offers lots of history: palaces, mosques from the Ottoman Empire period, castles, churches from the Roman Empire period and many other gems from other civilizations.”
“The natural beauty of Istanbul is unparalleled,” he continues. “My favorite is the Bosporus, the beautiful link between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, and the Fatih Bridge (pictured), one of the two bridges connecting Europe and Asia. This is a city with a pulse, a city that never sleeps; I love the energy and dynamism in Istanbul.”