ASLI AKARSULAR TURKMEN
Istanbul
Summary
Global sourcing & commercial leader with 25+ years' experience. Specialized in building multi-country sourcing hubs, driving sustainable growth, and advising boards on sourcing and ESG strategy.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Business Development Director
SAIDE GROUP
03.2026 - Current
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR | SAIDE GROUP (Istanbul / London) | MARCH 2026 – PRESENT
- Lead strategic business development initiatives across Turkey and the UK, reporting directly to senior management.
- Develop and execute the supermarket business strategy through market analysis, customer acquisition and sustainable business model development.
- Lead the transformation of the Spain business by strengthening cross-functional collaboration, customer support, material sourcing, sample development and operational performance.
- Manage the Cosmetics Business across Turkey and London, driving operational improvements and supporting profitable growth.
- Support the establishment of long-lead production bases across India, Bangladesh and other sourcing regions while developing Turkey's sample support structure.
- Conduct supplier capability, CSR and supply chain assessments to improve transparency, compliance and long-term business performance.
Group COO
Broteks Global Tekstil A.Ş.
ISTANBUL/ LONDON
01.2014 - 10.2025
- Negotiated high-value contracts with suppliers, securing favourable terms for improved supply chain resilience.
- Directed sourcing and production initiatives in India and Bangladesh to ensure quality standards.
- Oversaw budgets to verify expenditures while maintaining low costs without compromising quality.
- Led a team of 60+, managing an extensive network of over 95 global professionals effectively.
- Integrated sales, design, and sourcing operations, achieving a 20% reduction in time-to-market.
- Established KPIs to track performance and gauge operational progress within the organization.
- Supervised operations at Barcelona design hub and London office to streamline processes.
- Developed strategic plans based on industry trends to meet organizational needs.
- Oversaw budget to verify expenditures, assets and liabilities, maintaining low-costs with quality standards.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging innovation and adopting best practices in operational management.
Business Development & Design Manager
Broteks Global / Bro Design UK
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Directed cross-functional teams of 30 in Turkey HQ and London office, driving collaboration across design, merchandising, and sales.
- Achieved 10-22% year-over-year sales growth while expanding into new product categories including accessories and health & beauty.
- Established a new sourcing route in Bangladesh for jersey and knitwear production.
- Developed the Health & Beauty business setup within one year, laying a strong foundation for growth.
- Conducted regular market trips with designers to identify trends and enhance retailer alignment.
- Led multidisciplinary design teams in the development of innovative product designs, meeting tight deadlines and budget constraints.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline design processes, reducing time-to-market for new products.
Account Manager
Broteks Global
01.2006 - 01.2010
- Directed five-member design and merchandising team, driving €3M turnover for French clients.
- Increased account growth by 65% in two years via enhanced client collaboration.
- Oversaw non-garment product categories, including accessories, for Primark.
- Monitored competitor activity, adjusting strategies to maintain competitive advantage.
- Collaborated with product development teams, providing customer feedback to guide innovation.
Senior Merchandiser
GAAT International
01.2003 - 01.2008
- Oversaw supplier portfolio development for George (ASDA UK) across Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
- Directed merchandising efforts to ensure compliance with standards and drive profitability.
- Collaborated with design teams to create seasonal range plans that met customer preferences.
- Managed capacity across factories in Turkey and Egypt to optimize production efficiency.
Education
BBA - Business Administration
Galatasaray University
01-2003
Galatasaray High School
01-1998
Skills
- Global sourcing leadership
- Market expansion strategies
- Commercial growth initiatives
- P&L management
- Budget oversight
- Leadership development
- Cross-cultural team building
- Sustainability initiatives and ESG compliance
- Supply chain transformation
- Strategic planning and problem solving
- Sustainability
- ESG
- Supply Chain Transformation
- Strategic Planning
- Problem Solving
Languages
Turkish
First Language
English
Proficient
C2
French
Proficient
C2
Professional Highlights
- Secured long-term partnerships with Europe's leading retailers including Primark, Inditex; Next; George, Matalan; Tendam Group
- Built scalable capacity planning systems across multi-country vendors, ensuring 95%+ on-time delivery and optimized cost structures.
- Reduced landed costs by 12-15% via supplier consolidation and sustainable sourcing.
- Delivered 10-22% YoY sales growth through category expansion and client collaboration.
- Directed global sourcing turnover exceeding €120M annually, including €60M+ with Primark.
Training
- Executive Coaching, 2019-01-01, Nurhan Aktı (PDR Group)
- Talent Management, 2019-01-01
- Organizational Leadership, 2018-01-01
- Situational Leadership, 2018-01-01
- VUCA Management, 2020-01-01
- Sustainable Supply Chain Management, 2021-01-01
- Mindfulness, 2020-01-01
- Strategic Leadership & Change Management, 2022-01-01
Timeline
Business Development Director
SAIDE GROUP
03.2026 - Current
Group COO
Broteks Global Tekstil A.Ş.
01.2014 - 10.2025
Business Development & Design Manager
Broteks Global / Bro Design UK
01.2010 - 01.2014
Account Manager
Broteks Global
01.2006 - 01.2010
Senior Merchandiser
GAAT International
01.2003 - 01.2008
BBA - Business Administration
Galatasaray University
Galatasaray High School