1. About TÜSİAD New York Network
The TÜSİAD New York Network is a community of professionals and entrepreneurs who actively contribute to the business, investment, and technology ecosystems of New York City and the broader East Coast. Our goal is to facilitate communication and collaboration between TÜSİAD members in Türkiye, international networks, and stakeholders across the East Coast of the United States. We aim to foster business connectivity, create synergy between entrepreneurial and technology ecosystems, and promote awareness of opportunities in both Türkiye and the U.S. East Coast.
2. Leadership & Focus Groups
Our Network operates through thematic focus groups led by distinguished professionals, ensuring domain expertise and targeted impact:
Focus | Leadership |
Education for Sustainable Development | Ümran Beba |
Artificial Intelligence | Tendü Yoğurtçu, PhD |
Arts for the Future | Koray Duman |
Investment and Finance | Niso Bahar |
VC & Startup | Cem Mimaroğlu |
Science & Technology | Gökhan Hotamışlıgil |
Corporate Growth | Emine Cubukcu |
3. Key Events & Activities (January-June 2025)
3.1 Artificial Intelligence: AI Connect Series
3.1.1 AI Transformations: Developments Reshaping
Industries and Global Dynamics
Date: 24 February 2025 | Format: Virtual
The TÜSİAD New York Network officially launched its AI Connect Series with a
high-impact webinar exploring the transformative role of artificial
intelligence across sectors and geographies.
Moderated by Tendü Yogurtçu, PhD, TÜSİAD New York Network AI Group Lead, and
featuring keynote speaker, entrepreneur and founder CEO, Turgay Aytaç, the
session brought together professionals from business, academia, and tech to
examine how AI is reshaping global dynamics and industry structures.
Key Insights:
• AI is transforming entire industries. Companies that integrate AI
strategically will gain a competitive advantage and be positioned for long-term
leadership and innovation.
• Türkiye’s AI opportunity is real. With its centralized data
infrastructure, digitally fluent workforce, and agility in technology adoption,
Türkiye is well positioned for AI-driven growth.
• Beyond technology. Real success depends on cultivating AI fluency –
developing the literacy, critical thinking, and adaptability needed to
translate technology into strategic value.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5LnBuE6GY8
3.1.2 AI Agents: Fact, Fiction & the Future
Date: 17 March 2025 | Format: Virtual
The TÜSİAD New York Network continued its AI Connect Series with a
thought-provoking session on the evolving role of AI agents in business, work,
and society.
Presented as a fireside chat between Dr. Tendü Yogurtçu, and featuring
leading AI investor Eva Nahari, the session convened professionals and
technologists for an engaging discussion on the opportunities and challenges
presented by the rise of agentic AI systems. The conversation explored
real-world applications, investment trends, and the evolving role of AI agents
in enterprise and society.
Key Insights:
• AI agents are powerful, but not fully autonomous yet: These systems
require clear boundaries and human oversight. Trust will grow gradually as
capabilities mature.
• AI agents are augmenting, not replacing: They’re not here to eliminate
jobs, but to enhance human capabilities and free up time for more strategic and
creative work.
• Guardrails matter: As AI agents evolve, organizations must implement
governance that aligns with both business strategy and societal responsibility.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIvHaA4svxw
3.2 Education for Sustainable Development
Women’s Leadership and Sustainability Panel with
KAGIDER
Date: 13 March 2025 | Location: August Leadership, New York
In collaboration with KAGIDER (Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey)
and the Beba Innovation & Entrepreneurship Foundation, the TÜSİAD New York
Network Education Committee co-hosted a panel on “Women’s Leadership and
Sustainability.”
Opening remarks were delivered by Ümran Beba, Leader of the Education
Committee, and Esra Bezircioğlu, President of KAGIDER. The session continued
with insights from Sıla Gök, Vice President of KAGIDER, highlighting the
organization’s vision on sustainability.
Speakers included Pınar Kaya, Director of Corporate Communications at Sanofi
Turkey, who outlined how women’s leadership plays a critical role in corporate
sustainability, and Pınar Güvenç, Founder of Sour Studio and Education
Committee Member, who shared an interdisciplinary perspective on sustainability
in urban design.
The discussion explored how female perspectives influence project outcomes,
measurable results of leadership initiatives, and practical pathways to
achieving sustainability goals.
3.3 VC & Startup &Investment & Finance
An Ecosystem Approach to Innovation and Sustainability
in Building Technologies
Date: April 9, 2025 | Location: The Mark Hotel, Manhattan
Members of the TÜSİAD New York Network convened for an exclusive roundtable
discussion on “An Ecosystem Approach to Innovation and Sustainability in the
Built Environment.”
Hosted by founding Network members Cem (Kemal) Mimaroğlu and Niso Bahar in
collaboration with ComposeVC’s Built World Fund, the event brought together key
players from technology, investment, real estate, and public sectors to
exchange insights at the intersection of innovation and the built world.
Key Insights:
• Seyfihan Usarer (Algoma) shared how he leveraged market dynamics to build
a pre-construction automation platform focused on timber-based structures.
• Gizem Karagöz (New York City Economic Development Corporation) outlined
how public-sector guidance accelerates innovation adoption, particularly in
hybrid construction technologies.
• The following Q&A session and lively discussion touched on all aspects
of sustainable, design-centric, and tech-enabled living within the scope of
capital markets and regulatory constraints.
Audience members included startup founders such as Tianyou Xu (Gathergov)
and Josef Pipoli (Brikmate), real estate sector insiders such as Michael
Beckerman (CreTech) and Sam Chandan (NYU Real Estate), and Developers such as
Carry Denning Jackson (Jamestown) and Shlomi Avdoo (Avdoo & Partners),
among others.
The roundtable demonstrated the value of ecosystem-driven dialogue, where
startup agility meets institutional depth to address the evolving needs of
livable, sustainable, and tech-enabled urban environments.
3.4 Arts for the Future & Investment and Finance
Public Art in Development
Date: April 24, 2025 | Format: Virtual
Members of the TÜSİAD New York Network gathered for a virtual panel
discussion titled “Public Art in Development,” exploring the intersection of
public art, urban development, and community engagement.
Hosted by Koray Duman, Principal Architect at Büro Koray Duman and Leader of
the Arts for the Future Group of the TÜSİAD New York Network, the session
brought together experts from the art, real estate, and advisory worlds to
discuss how public art shapes inclusive and livable cities.
Key Insights:
• Niso Bahar (Alexico Group) shared insights on integrating public art into
real estate development projects and how creative collaboration enhances
long-term asset value and public visibility.
• Justine Ludwig (Creative Time) outlined models for commissioning
large-scale public art projects and the importance of curatorial vision aligned
with civic purpose.
• Corinna Durland (Schwartzman&) discussed evolving trends in public art
advisory services and how developers and municipalities can leverage art to
promote engagement and identity in shared spaces.
The session illustrated how public art can serve as a powerful tool for
placemaking, activating underutilized spaces, and fostering a shared sense of
belonging. It also emphasized the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration in
aligning artistic innovation with urban and economic strategy.
4. Participated Events (January-June 2025)
4.1 Global HR Summit: Keynote
Rewriting the Rules of Talent, Skills, and Leadership in the Age of AII
Date: 27 May 2025 | Format: Virtual
As part of its continued commitment to shaping responsible AI leadership and dialogue, TÜSİAD New York Network AI Group Leader Tendü Yogurtçu, PhD was invited as a keynote speaker at the Global HR Summit 2025, themed “The Age of AI: Human & Technology.” The event took place on May 27–28 at the Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus in Istanbul and was streamed online.
Dr. Tendü Yogurtçu delivered a keynote titled “Rewriting the Rules of Talent, Skills, and Leadership in the Age of AI”. This session explored how AI is fundamentally transforming the very foundations of how we define talent, develop leaders, and unlock human potential at scale.
Key Insights:
• AI is already redefining talent, skills, and leadership. The challenge now is not if, but how fast and how well we guide this shift to lead, hire, and grow in the age of AI.
• Trusted data is the foundation of responsible AI. It is the backbone of every strategic AI deployment – ensuring fairness, relevance, and impact.
• The real competitive advantage is human. Organizations that thrive will empower their people to adapt, learn, and lead with AI. As Dr. Yogurtçu noted: “The future of work won’t be won by machines, it will be won by humans who know how to lead with them.”
4.2 Global HR Summit 2025 – Online Session
Date: 27 May 2025 | Format: Virtual
As part of the Global HR Summit, Ümran Beba and Dr. Ayşe Yemişçigil Jensen, Assistant Professor at Fordham University and member of the Education Committee, led a session titled “The Art of Leadership in Today’s World: Maintaining Trust, Balance and Resilience while Nurturing Hope and Strength.”
Participants discussed the human-centered aspects of leadership in the face of disruption and transformation, emphasizing emotional resilience, trust-building, and inclusive leadership for a sustainable future.
4.3 Global HR Summit 2025 – Istanbul Panel
Date: 28 May 2025 | Location: Istanbul
Ümran Beba joined fellow speakers Bahar Taşkın Öztürk (Twiser), Berk Yılmaz (Meditopia), Prof. Dr. Duysal Aşkun Çelik (Rice University), and Kristin Engvig (WIN Women) in a panel titled “Human Leadership in Challenging Times: Strengthening Resilience and Well-being.”
The panel explored how empathy and inclusive leadership practices contribute to building resilient organizations. Key themes included preserving trust during uncertainty and cultivating future-oriented leadership mindsets.
4.4 TEGEP Corporate Academy Summit and Collaboration Meeting
Date: 30 May 2025 | Location: Istanbul
Ümran Beba represented the Education Committee at the TEGEP Corporate Academy Summit, presenting a strategic outlook on the future of learning and development in a fast-changing world.
Her presentation focused on restructuring internal learning cultures in light of digitalization, AI, remote work, and intergenerational shifts. The session addressed how L&D leaders can embed adaptability and continuous learning into organizational strategies.
Prior to the summit, TEGEP and the Education Committee held a collaboration meeting and confirmed future partnership initiatives during the event.
