İlayda Kiraz

Ilkim Ilayda Kiraz (born on 23 May 1991) is a Turkish entrepreneur and a third-generation member of the board of Kiraz Holding Group.

Biography

After finishing high school at English High School (Turkish: Beyoğlu Anadolu Lisesi) (2004–2009), Istanbul, she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in business from The University of Edinburgh (2010–2014) in UK as she successfully graduated with Honours degree.

When she was a student, she founded The University of Edinburgh Turkish Society which is currently active and held presidency. She also became Secretary General of Scottish Turkish Cultural Association, which was a gateway to her political career. After graduation, she had experiences in Scottish Parliament, Ministry of EU Affairs of Turkey and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.

She held various positions in multinationals companies to experience all aspects of the business. From 2016 to 2018, she was a revenue analyst at Swissotel The Bosphorus. In February 2018, she started working at her family companies and founded Gold Atlantic in London, UK.

Business Life

Ilayda Kiraz has born to an entrepreneurial family that has been manufacturing and trading in Turkey. In 2007, her family formed Ilayda Promosyon, to manufacture and export promotional products. Later, the company expanded into the food supplements industry, creating successful global brands, making it world famous.

Since 2018, Ilayda Kiraz has been managing her family businesses’ UK branch with her team under Gold Atlantic name, trading her family company manufactured textiles and 3D lenticular printing in Europe and UK, as well as working as an investment consultant.

Social Life

Ilayda Kiraz is a YMS Committee Member of The Caledonian Club and an active member of The Lansdowne Club in London. Currently she lives in Knightsbridge, London. She is a successful master swimmer and has been competing at various swim clubs since the age of 6. She swims from Asia to Europe continent at The Bosphorus Race every year.

She is also an animal rights activist and in 2017, she was one of the three people that has selected to save sea turtles on Turkey’s Belek coast. She is actively volunteering for projects to support Street Animals, Women Rights and Homeless People.

MA Business:
University of Edinburgh
Location:
London, UK