After working for a short period for daily publications, Ahu Parlar worked for Capital magazine for 3.5 years. She mainly wrote marketing and digitalization articles; she was the columnist of a section titled “Digital Agenda”. As an editor, she took part in the transformation process of Infomag, an IT magazine, into structure of marketing and business. Ahu Parlar started to work for Philip Morris Sabancı as a communication executive in 2002, assuming responsibilities in lobbying, media relations, strategic communication, social responsibility management, and corporate brand management. She was involved in the communication of the TEKEL privatization. She joined Bersay Communication Consultancy and took part in the advertising and communications campaign of the Turkish Central Bank’s 6 zero-removal project. She also took part in projects such as Denizbank’s public offering, DenizBank’s sale to DexiaBank, Efe Rakı’s market entry strategy and brand positioning, Shopping Center and Retailers Association issue management. In 2006, she joined the Strategic Marketing and Corporate Communication Department at Doğuş Automotive as a unit manager.
She contributed to the coordination of the Doğuş Automotive main corporate brand, which is publicly listed, and its 12 brands, including VW, Audi, Porsche and Seat, for a period of 4.5 years. As such, she took part in several social responsibility projects such as ‘Traffic is Life’, the experiential marketing center launch of Doğuş OtoMotion, and managed Doğuş Automotive’s 15th anniversary communications. She was also responsible for the publishing of the first sustainability report in the Turkish automotive industry. In 2010, she became director of Koç University’s Communications Department, where she and her team managed a great number of projects to further the university brand’s reputation. These included the design and management of Koç University’s 20th anniversary communications activities and events and the launch of the Energy Center with the participation of the US Secretary for Energy. She also participated in the brand positioning team of the Koç University Hospital. Her department received the International Interactive Award for website project as well as the CASE Excellence Bronze Award for a promotional campaign film. Ahu Parlar started work at SOCAR, the Azerbaijan State Oil Company at the end of 2015, where she served as Chief External Affairs Officer of all group companies, including Petkim, Star Refinery, Tanap, Petlim, and Petkim RES. In this role, she directed crisis communications management, and undertook the restructuring of the department including all media relations, digital and social media, brand management, lobbying activities, sustainability program, internal communications, employee brand communications, marketing communications, event and sponsorship management. Some of the projects she carried out at SOCAR included the World Energy Congress, sponsorship of the Istanbul Design Biennial with Petkim, sponsorship of the Istanbul Jazz festival, and handling of communications with industry trade unions. Her department received the Social Media Awards E-Energy Sector award for 2 consecutive years.
ahuparlar@leaistanbul.com
