Passenger Terminal Today
Elizabeth Baker
24 October 2024

Selahattin Bilgen, the CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport, lifts the curtain on his executive role in the record-breaking construction of the airport and reveals the substantial investments planned for its future.

What are some of the challenges you face as CEO in your day-to-day role?

iGA Istanbul Airport began as one of the largest startups not just in Turkey but globally. When I started, we had only seven key employees. Now we have more than 12,000; during the construction period it peaked at 43,000. Initially, we operated like a startup to meet the challenging investment timeline, and after opening we had to be resilient during the Covid-19 crisis. This startup mentality has made us agile, ensuring we can react and adapt quickly. However, as we have grown into a large-scale corporate entity, we now face the challenge of defining processes and building a corporate structure that sustains our operations without losing our agility. Our company culture is unique, blending airport operations with a startup’s dynamism and a large investment company’s expertise. Professionals from various backgrounds contribute to this culture, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise. Managing this diversity and maintaining our ability to adapt quickly while also building a robust corporate structure are key aspects of my role.

Read on: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport - Passenger Terminal Today

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