Turgut Akbulut
Enterprise & B2B Software Sales Executive
Istanbul
Work Preference
Summary
Results-driven enterprise sales leader with extensive experience in software and technology-driven organizations. Proven track record in building sales strategies, leading high-performing teams and driving sustainable revenue growth. Strong expertise in strategic selling, complex deal management and cross-functional collaboration across global markets.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Co-Founder & Chief Sales Officer (CSO)
Oklidis Advanced Engineering Solutions
06.2024 - Current
- Co-founded an advanced engineering and embedded software company.
- Defined and executed the go-to-market and sales strategy, building the B2B pipeline from zero to multi-industry enterprise customers.
- Led end-to-end enterprise sales cycles, closing $600K+ in cumulative consulting and software-related revenue.
- Secured 10+ enterprise customers, including OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers.
- Achieved 150% year-over-year revenue growth during the company’s scaling phase.
- Increased average deal size by ~90% through value-based positioning and long-term engagements.
Vice President of Sales
Testinium
01.2023 - 06.2024
- Drive strategic growth and commercial execution for a software quality, test automation and QA services company serving finance, banking, e-commerce, telecom, retail and enterprise SaaS clients.
- Lead regional expansion across Europe, the Middle East and North America, translating corporate objectives into measurable revenue and market growth.
- Own enterprise sales and account strategy, consistently exceeding revenue targets and delivering double-digit YoY growth.
- Establish strategic partnerships with IBM, AWS and UiPath, enabling cross-sell opportunities, new market entry and accelerated enterprise customer acquisition.
- Develop long-term C-level relationships with global customers, increasing deal size and positioning Testinium as a strategic QA and digital quality partner.
Senior Sales Director
UiPath
03.2022 - 01.2023
- Owned enterprise sales targets for Turkey, consistently exceeding annual revenue goals through disciplined pipeline and account management.
- Managed a €2M+ enterprise pipeline, driving structured sales processes and a KPI-driven, high-performance sales culture.
- Developed and executed strategic account plans, leading C-level relationships across banking, telecom, retail, manufacturing and energy sectors.
- Closed multiple high-impact enterprise deals, strengthening UiPath’s market leadership in RPA and automation within Turkey.
- Collaborated with global and regional UiPath teams to improve customer satisfaction and unified enterprise customer experience.
General Manager
FİGES A.Ş.
09.2020 - 03.2022
- Led multi-disciplinary business lines including MathWorks distribution, engineering consultancy, training and R&D services.
- Directed sales, finance, operations, marketing, HR and engineering functions, leading 90+ professionals with clear KPIs and operational excellence.
- Owned full P&L responsibility, building annual business plans and budgets that improved profitability and cash flow discipline.
- Managed key C-level customer and partner relationships, strengthening long-term strategic accounts.
- Drove market expansion and commercial performance, achieving double-digit annual revenue growth during the tenure.
Deputy General Manager of Sales, Marketing and Engineering
FİGES A.Ş.
05.2018 - 09.2020
- Leading a multi-functional organization across commercial, government and education sales, application engineering, marketing and customer success.
- Managing a $12M portfolio spanning software licenses, consultancy and training, delivering steady YoY growth.
- Setting corporate strategy, building targeted go-to-market plans and driving expansion into new verticals.
- Developing strong C-level and mid-management relationships and positioning MATLAB & Simulink as key enablers of digital transformation.
- Conducting annual and monthly sales planning, strengthening competitive positioning and ensuring operational excellence for sustainable revenue growth and customer impact.
Managing Director
FİGES A.Ş.
05.2016 - 05.2018
- Led the commercial and operational execution of the MATLAB & Simulink business across licenses, maintenance and services, consistently meeting revenue targets.
- Managed strategic Account Plans for top engineering and R&D organizations.
- Drove territorial growth through disciplined pipeline management and accurate forecasting, improving revenue predictability.
- Partnered closely with global MathWorks teams to deliver the full product and services portfolio to the Turkish market.
- Built, hired and coached a high-performing sales organization, strengthening MathWorks’ long-term market presence.
Associate Director of Sales
Turkcell
04.2011 - 05.2016
- Led a $20M mobile and fixed telecom portfolio, managing 9 direct reports serving 1,000+ global enterprise customers, including Fortune 500 accounts.
- Defined regional and sector-based sales strategies, budgets and targets, driving consistent quota overachievement.
- Implemented a solution-selling approach across mobile, fixed and enterprise services, strengthening relationships with strategic partners and system integrators.
- Drove new business development and key account expansion while enforcing disciplined CRM usage and forecasting.
Territory Sales Manager
Shell
12.2007 - 04.2011
- Owned commercial performance across a strategically critical region, managing 30+ Shell dealers and 250+ B2B customers across 6 cities.
- Managed a $50M annual revenue portfolio with $6M profit, consistently achieving volume, margin and HSSE targets.
- Identified, negotiated and onboarded new high-potential dealer sites, strengthening regional network coverage and profitability.
- Led on-site Shell teams and enhanced dealer capabilities to ensure operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
- Reduced overdue and bad debt levels while delivering sustainable, profitable growth across the entire territory.
Planning Specialist
Volkswagen
07.2003 - 12.2007
- Forecasted national passenger car sales and prepared annual budgets and scenario analyses to support strategic planning.
- Coordinated closely with Volkswagen AG on production planning, ensuring accurate order forecasts and on-time manufacturing.
- Led new product planning activities, including equipment configurations, pricing inputs, launch timing and system integrations.
- Worked with sales and product teams to align market demand, inventory levels and model mix.
- Produced detailed sales, stock and performance reports supporting both local management and global decision-making.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD - Industrial Engineering
Istanbul Technical University
06-2026
Master of Business Administration - Executive MBA -
Istanbul Technical University
06-2014
BS - Industrial Engineering
Istanbul Technical University
06-2002
Skills
Enterprise Sales & Key Account Management
Sales Strategy & Go-to-Market Execution
Pipeline & Forecast Management
Territory & Account Planning
Solution & Value-Based Selling (Software / SaaS)
Complex Deal Negotiation
Executive & C-Level Engagement
Languages
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Turkish
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Co-Founder & Chief Sales Officer (CSO)
Oklidis Advanced Engineering Solutions
06.2024 - Current
Vice President of Sales
Testinium
01.2023 - 06.2024
Senior Sales Director
UiPath
03.2022 - 01.2023
General Manager
FİGES A.Ş.
09.2020 - 03.2022
Deputy General Manager of Sales, Marketing and Engineering
FİGES A.Ş.
05.2018 - 09.2020
Managing Director
FİGES A.Ş.
05.2016 - 05.2018
Associate Director of Sales
Turkcell
04.2011 - 05.2016
Territory Sales Manager
Shell
12.2007 - 04.2011
Planning Specialist
Volkswagen
07.2003 - 12.2007
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD - Industrial Engineering
Istanbul Technical University
Master of Business Administration - Executive MBA -
Istanbul Technical University
BS - Industrial Engineering
Istanbul Technical University