Zorlu Holding appoints Omer Yungul as new CEO after controversial Ramadan policies

Omer Yungul has been appointed as the new CEO of Zorlu Holding to replace Cem Koksal who resigned from his position due to the email crisis related to the month of Ramadan.

The statement from the company emphasized that all operations and programs within Zorlu Group will continue as planned.

It also confirmed that the company will maintain its strategic direction to achieve its goals under Yungul’s leadership.

Cem Koksal, who served as the CEO of Zorlu Holding, has announced his resignation following the internal email controversy regarding Ramadan.

Zorlu Holding CEO Koksal had been detained as part of an investigation initiated against him for sending an email to all employees instructing them not to celebrate the month of ‘Ramadan’. Zorlu Holding owns Vestel, one of Türkiye’s largest manufacturing giants.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on charges of “preventing the exercise of freedom of belief, thought, and conscience.”

In a statement, the prosecutor’s office said, “An investigation has been initiated ex officio by our Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the incident where Zorlu Holding CEO Koksal sent an email to all employees instructing them not to celebrate the month of Ramadan, which was reflected in some social and visual media outlets. He is being investigated for the crime of ‘preventing the exercise of freedom of belief, thought, and conscience.’”

Koksal was released shortly after the detainment.

Zorlu Holding’s Board of Directors issued a statement regarding CEO Koksal: “We hereby announce that Cem Koksal, CEO of Zorlu Holding, has resigned from his position as of March 1, 2025.”

“It is publicly known that Zorlu Holding has been an institution with family values and business ethics since 1953, integrating with the national and spiritual values of our country,” the statement added.

The company also stated, “As Zorlu Group, we express our regrets to all our stakeholders and the public for these developments.”

Who is Omer Yungul?

Yungul was born in 1955 in Izmir. He graduated from Bogazici University’s Mechanical Engineering Department in 1978.

He began his career at Tekfen Insaat and held executive positions at Metas, Faz Elektrik, and Merloni Elettrodomestici.

In 1997, Yungul joined Zorlu Holding as the General Manager of Vestel Beyaz Esya, and in 2000, he was appointed as the Chairman of Vestel’s Executive Board.

In 2013, he became the first CEO of Zorlu Holding, and in 2025, he was reappointed to this position.