t24.com.tr / Bahar Uçanlar has become the first female General Manager of Mey|Diageo

Bahar Ucanlar has become the first female General Manager of Mey|Diageo, one of the largest organizations in the beverage industry.

A significant leadership transition is taking place in Mey|Diageo, one of the major companies in Turkey's alcoholic beverage sector. It has been announced that Bahar Ucanlar will assume the position of the company's new General Manager effective April 1st. Ucanlar will also be the first female General Manager in the company's history.

Established in 2004 following the privatization of the alcoholic beverages division of TEKEL, Mey came under the umbrella of Diageo, a beverage producer with commercial activities in approximately 180 countries and regional offices in 80 countries. The company continues its operations in Turkey with two separate entities: one for production and the other for sales and marketing. Its portfolio includes rakı, vodka, gin, liqueur, rum, tequila, and wine.

The company produces and sells a wide range of alcoholic beverages such as Yeni Rakı, Tekirdağ Rakısı, Kulüp Rakısı, Binoa, İstanblue, Nazen, Jest, Captain Moran, Don Julio, Kayra, BBQ Blend, Buzbağ, and Tılsım.

She will take over on April 1st.

According to a report in “Patronlar Dunyasi”, Bahar Ucanlar, who has been serving as the Marketing Director at Mey|Diageo since January 2021, will take over the position from Levent Komur on April 1st, 2024.

Bahar Ucanlar, recognized among Turkey's top marketing leaders, has accumulated extensive experience in various managerial and general management roles in both national and international companies throughout her 24-year career. A graduate of Bogazici University's Business Administration Department, Ucanlar began her professional journey in 2000. She completed her MBA program at the University of Michigan in the United States between 2002 and 2004, specializing in FMCG, healthcare, and private equity sectors while working as a management consultant at Bain & Company. After holding leadership roles at PepsiCo in the United States, she returned to Turkey in 2011 and held senior strategy and marketing positions at organizations such as Mondelez International, Turkcell, and Kantar Research. In 2017, she was appointed as the General Manager at Mars Sportive, where she served for approximately three years.