Bilgün Gürkan graduated from Izmir American High School for Girls and then from Boğaziçi University, Department of Business Board of Directors , and completed her Executive MBA at INSEAD in 1998. After starting her professional career at the American Bank of Saudi Arabia (Samba Bank) in 1991, she joined ABN AMRO Bank in 1994, where she served as Country Head of Corporate Banking and Investment Banking until 2011. Between 2011 and 2015, she continued her career as the Head of Corporate Marketing Department at Standard Bank and Country Manager at Renoir Management Consultancy Company. Since 2016, Ms Gürkan has established and managed the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) Representative Office in Türkiye and plays an active role in providing financing to Türkiye’s leading companies and banks from the Gulf countries. Bilgün Gürkan, who pioneered the establishment of TÜSİAD Gulf Countries Network in 2017, is currently the President of TÜSİAD Gulf Network. Since 2020, Bilgün Gürkan has been serving as the President of DEIK Turkey Bahrain Business Council and continues to serve as a Board Member of 30 Percent and International Women's Forum and TEMA Board of Trustees. Bilgün Gürkan, who is married and mother of 2 children, is fluent in English.