Mehmet Hasan Eken
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Turkiye Ekonomik ve Mali Arastirmalar Vakfi (TEMAR Foundation)
Can you give us an overview of what you have done since you completed your research degree?
I started my career as a junior banker. 8 years later, I was appointed as a board member. I was responsible for risk management activities.
How did you become interested in the area you work in?
Reading the related materials and following the new developments.
How did you find opportunities in the area you work in and how did the recruitment process work?
Because I did my study with a scholarship, I had to serve at the bank that supported me. So I did not look for a job at the beginning of my career. However, after completing my ph.d. I moved to academia. At that time, I applied to a couple of universities.
What does your current role involve?
I am the chairman of Turkiye Ekonomik ve Mali Arastirmalar Vakfi (TEMAR). It is a foundation delivering research in the areas of economics and finance.
What skills are involved in your work and how did your research degree help develop them?
My m.phil degree allowed me to study for a ph.d. degree in Turkiye.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
New and fast developments in the area of banking and academia.
What are the challenges in your role?
Adaptation to technology.
What has surprised you about your role?
Nothing special.
Did you engage in any additional activities or roles (i.e. organising conferences, entering PGR showcase, being a PGR Rep etc.) during your research degree, and how did these help prepare you for a career beyond academia?
Yes. I attended the conferences and panels. That kept me informed about the developments in the area.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
Foreign language, researching, critical thinking and looking deficiencies in the processes and prviding solutions for them.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
Reading, keeping yourself updated, use technology.
What are your plans for the future?
As a person at the end of his career I am planning to travel more.
