Meet Okan Kizilirmak, Regional Director of Aksa Power Generation. A proficient industry leader, Okan Kizilirmak has global expertise spanning the industry for more than two decades. Okan has played a crucial role in uplifting the organization to its current position and improving the business connections over these years of association with Aksa Power Generation.
In this insightful interview, Okan Kizilirmak shares his perspectives on addressing challenges in this industry, quality services, continuous learning, and having a solution-oriented approach. Okan provides a glimpse of the organization’s unique position in the industry and the GCC region while offering valuable suggestions for young professionals.
Adaptability Amidst Challenges
We started the interview by asking, “Can you describe your role as Regional Director of Aksa Power Generation for the Middle East and Africa and the unique challenges and opportunities you’ve encountered in the GCC region?”
Okan Kizilirmak shared, “At Aksa Power Generation, we have served the region through our Regional Head Quarter, Dubai, since 2003. We have managed Middle East and Africa operations from this hub with 7 Aksa Offices and over 150 workforce. During these 2 decades, the Market has had significant changes in GCC. We can adapt to these new dynamics with proper preparations in advance.
Regarding stand-by energy demand for the light commercial segment, we have difficulties convincing end users to pay for quality and reliable after-sales support unless they face severe problems with low-cost and unknown suppliers. On the other hand, when we look at the big picture, we can consider the energy demand of the KSA Construction market and Data Centre investments within GCC as the most significant opportunities for this period.”
Building Sustainable Networks
“As a Board Member at UAE Business Council of Turkish Economy Ministry (DEIK) and at the Turkish Business Council of Dubai Chambers, how have you facilitated impactful cross-border collaborations for Aksa Power Generation?”
Okan Kizilirmak responds, “We believe that knowledge and expertise are essential in business life, but solid networks and sustainable communication are getting much more critical daily after the Internet, AI Technology, and professional consultancy services.
So, I am thrilled to handle these reputable duties to improve our business connections. In addition, based on Aksa company culture, as one of the largest global organizations in Turkey, we think that we should support the Turkish Business Community where we come from, especially abroad.”
Ensuring Top-notch Services
“Managing electricity distribution across diverse regions is complex. How does Aksa Power ensure reliability and quality service?”
“We have gotten used to working under hard conditions and climates since our early years. We combine high-quality equipment and materials with the wide experience of our valuable staffing. Good planning and correct budgeting are also important dynamics for successful results.” Okan Kizilirmak replied.
Addressing Challenges The Right Way
“As someone with extensive experience in the energy sector, what do you see as the most significant challenges facing the industry today, and how is Aksa Power addressing them?”
Okan Kizilirmak shared, “Actually, I need to say the sector is passing through a transition period. Renewable sources are getting more popular daily in GCC countries to reach their decarbonization goals. Anyhow, there is still severe demand for fossil fuel-powered energy because of related capex calculations, and that is also a quicker solution to manage this period well; when we keep providing traditional solutions, we also have to prepare for investments with new technologies.
In addition, Aksa is increasing the RD studies budget for plans like battery storage or hybrid solutions. Besides all existing options, we all monitor the new green hydrogen investments of UAE and KSA with a 260 Billion USD total budget until 2030. These are fascinating developments for the future of the energy sector.”
Expanding The Business
We were intrigued to learn more about the strategies adopted by the organization to expand its reach. So, we asked, “Can you tell us the strategies and factors behind Aksa Power Generation’s successful expansion into the Middle East and Africa?”
Okan Kizilirmak shared, “We build up our regional strategies and make our investment decisions after very detailed market studies and considering different projection scenarios economically & politically. We always carry our expertise to the related region with experienced human resources, but we also build up a strong local team with a global business mindset. We keep training local teams continuously for sustainable and efficient operation in the long run.”
Major Influences On Leadership Skills
To learn more about the factors that impacted Okan Kizilirmak’s leadership skills, we asked, “Can you share a personal experience that profoundly influenced your leadership style at Aksa Power?”
Okan Kizilirmak replied, “Aksa is a great family I joined 18 years ago. This is my first and only professional job. Even though this is the same organization, I have worked in 4 countries, including Turkey, China, USA, and UAE, for many years for various top management duties.
During all these years, the central aspect I learned about leadership in Aksa is being solution-oriented. Because we, as qualified and experienced professionals, are on duty to create solutions for problems and build up development strategies. We are not responsible for complying with obstacles and daily mistakes.
In addition, we love challenges with a very confident approach and always say, “If we can’t do it, who can do it?” and I’m happy to be a part of this team, though.”
Plans We Asked Okan Kizilirmak
We asked, “What are your long-term goals for Aksa Power and your strategy for remaining competitive in the evolving energy business landscape, particularly in the Middle East and Africa?”
Okan Kizilirmak continued, “We would like to grow operational-wise by using new technologies. We also expect to reach our financial targets, like all other commercial organizations. Our main goal is reaching the best possible customer satisfaction and the highest possible reputation for long-term success globally.”
Words Of Wisdom For Beginners
We ended the interview by asking, “Given your diverse career journey, what advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those interested in the Energy sector?”
“My first advice is to focus on building a knowledgeable, experienced, and long-term team, regardless of the kind of business. Because it is the people who execute the job, and not the infrastructure, if you don’t have an excellent team to delegate some critical duties, you will never find a chance to see the big picture and have a correct evaluation of development opportunities.
Furthermore, we should prioritize continuous learning to stay updated with the latest trends while being associated with daily business matters. Time is a significant asset, and unfortunately, it is minimal; hence, using it more efficiently than competitors will help go a long way.” Okan Kizilirmak concluded.
Connect with Okan Kizilirmak on LinkedIn.
Find Aksa Power on LinkedIn or visit their website to learn more.
Also Read
UAE: A beautiful daybreak by the lake, a BBQ, and a camping weekend well spent
Elevating Coffee Experience With Coffee Market Innovations LLC: Bogdan Prunila
Helping Businesses Unleash Their True Value With PiLog: Dr. Imad A. Syed
