JUNE/JULY 2015

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Glitz & Glamour of Skies Past

Taking Risks outside of your comfort zone (and speaking out)

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“ ”Nobody boy-races a

LIFESTYLE

56 JUNE/JULY 2015

in marketing and PR in the evenings and on

weekends and sought out a hospitality opportunity

within Turkish Airlines.

“What better way to impact the lives of people

than through the airline industry?” she said. “Ever

since I was a little girl, I dreamed about traveling

the world. I saw many flms shot in exotic and

distant locales. They were so fascinating and

exciting. I knew I had to see the world and explore.

I wanted to push through barriers and make

a difference in people’s lives. Because travel

broadened my horizons, I wanted to give others

a chance to see wonderful and different cultures

and experience other lifestyles. That’s when I

knew I had to have a career in travel.”

A FEMALE PERSPECTIVE“As a woman, to make a difference in the

corporate world, you need to be heard. So I

speak up and speak out,” she continues. “I’ve

had to work hard and not hesitate to take on

extra responsibilities. I endeavor to do my best

in everything—which all begins with the simple

belief that I have something unique. I’ve not let

stereotypes or personal inhibitions deter me

from following my dream. I’ve learned how to

effectively communicate my ideas and channel

them into worthwhile projects which opened

many doors. Personally, I cannot settle for

anything less than my best. I’ve worked hard for

the future, distinguished myself, and have left a

mark for others to see. Women have to try harder

to prove themselves and rise in the ranks, and

at Turkish Airlines I was given the opportunity to

move ahead.”

What she loves most about her job is the never-

ending process of learning new industry dynamics

and keeping up with trends. “When I took over as

GM of our L.A. offce, the main challenge we faced

was in expanding our airline’s brand recognition

and regional market share. Up to then, the L.A.

market was weak for Turkish Airlines with almost

no brand awareness.”

The frst step in her rectifying this was

identifying what was needed—accountability and

reporting to maintain proper controls over the

business plan. “Everyone in our L.A. offce team

has defned roles and understands how it fts in

with the overall plan. Now, by way of my team’s

intensive advertising, promotional, and marketing

efforts, L.A. is very aware of our brand. It’s an

ongoing process requiring consistent monitoring

and calibration to help determine the continuing

“I’ve learned how to effectively

communicate my ideas and channel

them into worthwhile projects which

opened many doors.”

Fatma was appointed to establish sales, marketing, airport, and cargo operations for the Turkish Airlines brand in the entire U.S. Western Region. Her focus is expanding brand recognition through tactical marketing strategies to increase the number of passengers, revenue, and market share for the airline.

2014 MOST COMPELLING WOMANFEATURE

Fatma YucelerGeneral Manager, Los Angeles

Turkish Airlines

BEGINNINGS“I have been working with Turkish Airlines in

different positions related to marketing in Istanbul

and New York,” says Fatma. “Before relocating

to Los Angeles, I was the general manager for

the Czech Republic and Slovakia, so I also had

experience in growing regional offces.”

Fatma was born in Istanbul and grew up with

a deep understanding of Turkish hospitality. She

attended University in Istanbul and graduated with

a Bachelor’s in business, management, marketing,

and related support services. While part-timing

at Turkish Airlines in New York, she continued

her professional development and education

UP-CLOSE WITH CINDY-LOU DALE

JUNE/JULY 2015 57

effectiveness of our business procedures. That

said, though, guiding and mentoring my team is

one of the most rewarding aspects of my job.”

TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIPIn Turkey, hospitality is a tradition and all Turkish

Airlines promotional materials echo this sentiment.

“We consider our customers to be our guests

which means a strong cabin crew, richness in

the food offered during fights, and a deliberate

effort to go above and beyond in providing

great service,” she affrms. “Strong customer

service makes a lasting impression, so we really

put our heart and soul into making sure that our

passengers experience this.”

The key to getting employees to buy into this

concept and provide that high level of service

often comes down to one’s ability to connect with

people. This was a foreign concept to Fatma at

frst. “In the beginning, I was very strict and tough

with my staff. I had little tolerance. If there was a

mistake in operations or in the offce, I would get

very upset. But then, I realized that I need to learn

from our mistakes and understand what we did

wrong and improve on that. I had to look internally

and learn to work better with people, creating a

good team. We still have much to achieve, but with

strong relationships, we’ll keep pushing forward.”

But it’s not all work and no play. Fatma

regularly socializes with her team. “Sure, I can

get together with my team, but they cannot

be my best buddies. There needs to be a

professional distance. However, it’s imperative

that you show your team you like them, that you

are confdent in their abilities, and that you trust

their professional judgment.”

She admires leaders who know how to

effectively and persuasively communicate their

vision and direction to others. It helps them

see that they have a special role to play in their

company, further inspiring them to make a

meaningful contribution.

“I especially admire leaders who encourage

their staff to leadership,” she said. “A leader

who can create new leaders bequeaths to their

company a powerful legacy of human capital;

something that can’t be bought at a kiosk or

manufactured on the factory foor. That’s the kind

of inspiring leadership we can never have enough

of in the world.”

Fatma recognizes that it’s easy to get caught

up in it all and before you know it, fve years

down the line, your kids are grown up and your

housekeeper is looking at retiring.

KEEPING A BALANCE“I try my best to maintain a balance between work

and home, but it’s not easy. You see, I’m a self-

confessed workaholic and would not think twice

about working 24–7. However, I am raising a son,

so I create ‘power-time’ for myself and my family.

I travel far too often—regularly, great distances

for short periods of time. For vacation, I travel

twice a year and try to discover new cultures and

environments. The Far East offers wonderful cultural

diversity and enjoyment. The great cities of Europe

have so much history and fascination. There are

museums, incredible architecture, shopping, and

excellent dining. Africa has so much to explore

and experience. For a relaxing getaway, however,

nothing beats the tropics. Swimming in the ocean

and relaxing on a gorgeous white sandy beach

is paradise! There are countless things to do and

see. One thing I have learned over the course of my

career, specifcally with Turkish Airlines, is that the

world is a beautiful place with so much to offer—

everyone should make time to travel.”

FLUID GOALSWhat are Fatma’s next goals? “Our company’s

short-term business goal is to be the number

one luxury airline in the L.A. market. We

are expanding our fleet by ordering wide-

body aircraft, constantly launching new

destinations, and increasing the quality of our

customer service. On a personal note, I am

looking forward to seeing my son graduate

from college. That, to me, is the ultimate

accomplishment.”

TRAVEL TIPS TO TURKEY“Istanbul is Turkey’s must-see. It’s a luxurious

city, perfect for both laid-back tourism and the

avid adventurer. In fact, it’s so popular that it

beat Rome and London as the world’s top city

for travelers. With one foot in Asia and the other

in Europe, Turkey brings together a wide range

of cultures, food, music, history, and stories—

stories every visitor needs to hear.”

“We consider our customers to be our guests which means a strong cabin

crew, richness in the food offered during flights, and a deliberate effort to go

above and beyond in providing great service,” she affirms. “Strong customer

service makes a lasting impression, so we really put our heart and soul into

making sure that our passengers experience this.”

2014 MOST COMPELLING WOMANFEATURE

MOST COMPELLING

WOMAN

• 2014 MOST COMPELLING WOMAN

FATMA YUCELER