Born in 1969.
Arzu gratuated from Bosphorus University in 1991 major Psychology.
She started her career in P&G Turkey, as a brand manager.
She joined Y&R in 1992. In 1998 she became Managing Director of the company where Y&R Istanbul realized 5 consecutive years of double digit growth.
In 2001 She took responsibility in establishment of Mediaedge:cia Istanbul and also became COO. She held this dual responsibility until 2004 when she became CEO of Y&R Istanbul. As former CEO of Y&R Istanbul left the company and took 50% of business and valuable talent from Y&R Istanbul, her first task as a CEO was to bring back the agency to its top position. She and her team successfully managed to win 11 new clients in a short while including Vodafone, Burger King and many others. Agency ranks among the top 3 agencies for the last 15 years.
In 2012, She was picked by WPP to be among 12 selected global women leaders and trained by legendary Charlotte Beers in WPP X Factor program. Also, in the same year she was named to be EXCO member of Y&R EMEA.
During her leadership in 2013, Y&R Istanbul acquired two digital companies in one year. New Generation Agency of the year 2014, C-Section and Turkey’s best Social Media Agency of the year 2014-Plasenta became part of Y&R Brands Turkey. Following VMLand Y&R merger, VMLY&R Istanbul became the most digital ready agency of EMEA.
Same year, she is honored to be among “Women to Watch” of Turkey by Advertising Age Turkey Magazine.
Under her leadership Y&R Istanbul also won Turkey’s first Cannes Grand Prix and Grand Clio Awards, in 2015. Y&R is also selected as Agency of the Year.
She is VP of Turkish Advertising Association and been their board member since 2004.
She is also member of many NGO’s.
She is very active in women empowerment initiatives of Turkey. She is member of Turkish Women’s International Network "TurkishWin". She is among founders of “Bin Yaprak/Thousand Leaves” female university students’ empowerment program and visits regularly universities and address’ students.
She is board member of "Us Again/Yeniden Biz", an NGO that focusses increasing women employment in Turkey by concentrating mainly on qualified women who interrupted their career and aim to bring them back to workforce.
She is also a board member of Ashoka Foundation.
She is also among selected and licensed 50 businesswomen that are mentored by Turkish business elite to became independent board members.
