TBS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Mehmet Gültekin is the founder of Horizon Group and a board member of the European Business Council and the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey (BCCT). Dr. Gültekin graduated from Marmara University, Economics Department and completed his MBA in the UK  

Dr. Gültekin is a global benefactor and supporter of Duke of Edinburgh International Award and his school group, TBS, has the DoE award embedded throughout school life.  In 2023, Dr. Gültekin was honored with the "Royal Infinity Badge and Plaque" presented as a World Fellowship by HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.

The European Business Committee and the European Society for Quality Research – ESQR recognized Dr. Gültekin by awarding him the ‘European Quality Award’ for excellence in ‘International Educational Standards’ and ‘Educational Management and Educational Methods’ TBS to this day is the only Patron member in Turkey of COBIS -Council of British International Schools. It is a membership association that represents more than 400 British schools and organizations, globally.

In 2024 Dr. Gültekin, for outstanding contribution to education, was awarded a Honorary Doctorate of Education by the University of Bolton, UK.

Educated in the UK, his career has spanned more than thirty years in the Beverage industry in both the UK and Internationally. Initially, he started with the Whitbread Brewery Group then progressed to senior management positions with HP Bulmer and Allied Domecq. This was then followed by a fifteen-year international career with Coca- Cola.

He joined Coca-Cola initially in Croatia in 1995; he then progressed to Senior Management/GM positions in Eastern Europe and start-up operations in Central Asia. In 2001, he was appointed the President of Efes Invest (Anadolu/Coca-Cola joint venture) and was responsible for Coca-Cola Bottling operations in South Caucasus, Central Asia and Middle East.

Following the merger in 2005 of Efes Invest and Coca-Cola Icecek (CCI) Turkey and the subsequent IPO, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the NewCo. In 2007, he was appointed President of CCI International Operations (10 countries) from which position he retired from CCI in 2010. He then set up his own consultancy company "Euroasia Consultancy" based in Istanbul.

In January 2013, Mr. Gaunt was appointed Vice Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Turkey and elected Chairman in July 2013. Additionally, he holds the following positions; Board Member of Süzer Group Turkey, Board Member of Merkez Factoring & Financial Services Turkey, Advisory Board Member of Global Thinkers Forum and Board Member of the British Chambers of Commerce Global Accreditation Board UK.

Kireçci received his PhD degree from the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, with his thesis titled "Decline, Discourse and Self-Orientalization." He has taught at the same University and has worked as a lecturer at the Stevens Institute of Technology. Kireçci, who joined Social Sciences University of Ankara Department of International Relations as a faculty member in 2019, after working at Bilkent University for a while, is the editor of Istanbul: Metamorphosis in an Imperial City (with Ed Foster, 2011), Arap Baharı ve Türkiye Modeli Tartışmaları (2013) and Türk Cumhuriyetlerinde Bağımsızlık ve Devlet İnşa Süreci (2018), and the author of Arap Milliyetçiliği (2012) and 2023'e Doğru Kültür Politikaları (2015).

Steve Phillips is a managing director of the British Study Centres Group looking after Transnational Education and University Pathways. Steve has worked in the ELT industry for over 25 years as a school owner, in private higher education, and in the not-for-profit sector. He is TEFLQ (Cambridge Delta) and is a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

After graduating from Galatasaray High School in 1978 and from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1982, he started working as a research assistant at Istanbul University Faculty of Law, Department of Administrative Law at the same year.

In 1984, after completing his LL.M. dissertation entitled “General Overview of Administrative Jurisdiction with Respect to New Regulations” he has started his doctorate studies at Istanbul University Institute of Social Sciences. He has completed his doctorate in1986 and started working on his doctorate thesis. He has continued his doctorate studies at Lausanne University Faculty of Law on 1987-1988 under the advisory of Prof. Dr. Pierre Moor the head of Public Law Department.

After completing his doctorate thesis titled “Identity of Administrative Procedure” in February 1989, he qualified for the title “doctor”. His doctorate thesis is the only one to be published by the Council of State.

In 1989 he was appointed as Assistant Professor to Istanbul University Law Faculty, Department of Administrative Law. Following the specialty exam held on October 01,1993 he became an Associate Professor and continued at assigned to Istanbul University Law Faculty from that November.

Prof. Dr. Celal Erkut transferred to “partial status” in December 1998 and was assigned to Galatasaray University Faculty of Law–Department of Administrative Law as Associate Professor. He became the head of department in this university in August 2000. Prof. Dr. Celal Erkut qualified for to the title “Professor” on July 2004.

He has been working as a board member of Vehbi Koç Foundation since 2014.

It is a pleasure to introduce myself as the School Director. My role is to ensure that the strategic mission of the school, articulated by the Board, is put into practice, and grown at TBS.
I arrived here in August 2023, after working as a school improvement partner at Sandford School, Addis Abba, before that I was the Principal and CEO of the British School in Alexandria, Egypt. Pre-Covid I was the Director of Avenor College, Romania, after having been the Kazakh countrywide STEM advisor. My UK experience was 13 years of Headship in a school which I lead to Ofsted outstanding status. I qualified as a Chemistry teacher many years ago, and still enjoy teaching my subject when time permits.
On a personal level, I have two wonderful daughters, one currently at boarding school in the UK, and the other just completing her Masters in Social work, with the intention of working with vulnerable families around the world.
My educational philosophy is simple, education is about progress, every single child should make some measurable progress, every single day, in every single lesson. It is my job to ensure that all our young people become better versions of themselves each day. I believe that the keys success in any school, are the interpersonal relationships that develop between families, teachers, students and staff. It is upon these positive relationships that we holistically nurture the talents, aspirations and skills of all young people.
I am proud to serve as the Director of TBS, and hope in some way, that I will contribute to the development of the children in our care, and the missions and vision of the schools group.
 

Teacher Trainer at Cambridge Assessment International Education
A dynamic, adaptable educator and successful member of school senior leadership teams; who teaches with creativity and leads with energy and flair. Driven about education, teaching and learning. An encouraging, supportive, focused facilitator who enables students and colleagues to realise and surpass their potential.