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İlker Aycı Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1971

Age51 Years (as of 2022)

BirthplaceIstanbul, Turkey

ProfessionBusinessman

NationalityTurkish

Marital statusMarried

SpouseTuğçe Saatman

İlker Aycı Biography

İlker Aycı is a Turkish businessman known for leading major national and international aviation and investment organisations. Born in Istanbul in 1971, heʼ

Early life and background

Mehmet İlker Aycı was born in Istanbul in 1971 and raised in the same city. He completed his undergraduate studies in 1994 with a degree in Political Science and Public Administration. After graduation he undertook a research stay at the University of Leeds in England, working in the Department of Political Sciences.

Aycı continued his education with studies in an International Relations master's programme. He is fluent in Turkish, English, and Russian.

Career

Aycı began his professional life in the private and public sectors, holding roles at organisations including a pharmaceutical company, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and a foreign trade firm. He moved into the insurance industry in the mid-2000s, serving as general manager at Başak Sigorta A.Ş. from 2005 to 2006 and later joining Güneş Sigorta A.Ş., where he retired from the general manager role in 2011.

In January 2011 he was appointed chairman of the Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency (ISPAT), the government body responsible for promoting investment opportunities in Turkey. During his time with investment promotion bodies he advanced to vice president of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) in 2013 and became chairman in January 2014.

Aycı joined Turkish Airlines in 2015 as an executive board member and was later elevated to chairman, a position he held through 2022. Under his leadership, Turkish Airlines received recognition at international awards programs, including Skytrax World Airline Awards, where the carrier was named Europe’s Best Airline for the sixth consecutive year in 2016.

In 2022 Aycı accepted an international airline leadership role, becoming Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India on 14 February. His appointment came as Air India was transitioning back to private ownership under the Tata Group after re-privatisation.

Across his career Aycı has served on boards and chaired several Turkish organisations, including the Insurance Association of Turkey, Vakıf Emeklilik A.Ş., the Turkey–China Business Council within the Foreign Economic Relations Board, and Vakıf Bank Güneş Sigorta Sports Club.

Awards and honours

Aycı has received multiple honours tied to his work in aviation and investment promotion. In 2021 he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at APEX/IFSA Expo in recognition of his contributions to the airline industry over more than 25 years. In the same year he received a national-level award at Turkey’s 500 Largest Service Exporters Award Ceremony. Also in 2021 he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, presented by the Japanese ambassador, making him one of a small number of Turkish recipients.

Public profile

Outside corporate roles, Aycı has been involved in public-sector advisory work and has served as an adviser to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He has attracted public attention at times for events during official travel; for example, during a 2022 visit to Kazakhstan he and his wife were caught up in unrest in Almaty and returned to Turkey on a Turkish Airlines cargo aircraft after flights were suspended.

Personal life

İlker Aycı is married to Tuğçe Saatman, a lawyer and sports commentator. The couple were married on 19 November 2018 at Esma Sultan Mansion in Istanbul. Aycı is described as being approximately 178 cm tall with black hair and black eyes.

Latest updates

In February 2022 Aycı left his role at Turkish Airlines to take up the position of CEO and Managing Director at Air India. He continues to be noted for leadership roles spanning Turkey’s investment promotion agencies, the insurance sector, and major flag-carrier airlines.
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Recent Work

CEO and Managing Director, Air India

Appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India on 14 February 2022.

2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Chairman of Turkish Airlines (2015–2022)
  2. Chairman of The Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency (ISPAT) (2011)
  3. Chairman of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) (2014)
  4. Named Europe’s Best Airline (Turkish Airlines) at Skytrax while serving as chairman (2016)
  5. Recipient of APEX/IFSA Lifetime Achievement Award (2021)
  6. Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon (2021)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was İlker Aycı born?

1971

What is İlker Aycı known for?

Businessman

What is İlker Aycı’s marital status?

Married

Who is İlker Aycı married to?

Tuğçe Saatman