Founder and Chairman of the Board
Prof. Ali Beba is a graduate of Middle East Technical University in Turkey. He has completed his graduate degrees in the US. Throughout his 35+ years career he has worked in organizations such as, P&G, World Bank and the United Nations in advisory capacities. He established his own enterprises including R&R Scientific and Project Management Inc., which executed educational and environmental projects according to EU standards. Prof. Beba also taught at universities in Turkey, China, the UAE and the US for many years. As the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Hong Kong Science and Technology University (HKUST), Prof. Beba has created the “HKUST One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition” which gained great recognition in the region. Prior to his tenure at HKUST, he worked in managerial and academic roles at Ozyegin University in Turkey where he founded and led the Entrepreneurship Center as the Academic Director. Prof. Beba was instrumental in the formation of the worldwide 100 Million Dollar “10,000 Women Entrepreneurs Program” of Goldman Sachs Foundation in Turkey. Currently residing in the US, Prof. Beba is the member of the Board of Trustees of the Istanbul Commerce University and provides consulting and advisory services to companies planning to grow in global markets. He has over 100 internationally published articles on innovation and entrepreneurship, 6 books, plus several educational training modules on “Project Management for Entrepreneurs and Innovators”.
Founder and Board Member
Umran Beba is an experienced senior business executive with general management, talent and diversity background. Close to 35 years of experience in Consumer Goods Industry where 25 years was with PepsiCo in four different locations namely Istanbul, Hong Kong, Dubai and New York. She was the Asia Pacific President of PepsiCo following president and general management roles in South East Europe, East Mediterranean /Middle East and Turkey. She has been in Chief HR Officer and Chief Diversity Officer roles in her career and managed several transformation projects as
well as executive recruitment, talent pipeline building, culture shaping, mentoring, coaching, diversity and inclusion agenda setting and execution and human capital management initiatives. She has been an independent non-executive board director for Bakkavor Group plc, a publicly traded company in London stock exchange since September 2020 and was an independent non-executive board director for five years (2010-2015) in Japan Calbee Snacks, a public company in Tokyo. She is currently in the board of International Youth Foundation as a co-vice chair of the board and Neighbors Link as a board member. She is a trustee of Purchase College Foundation board and has a board of overseers role in Columbia University School of Professional Studies. She has been in the Future Council community of World Economic Forum for the last eight years. Since June 2020, she is a partner at August Leadership which is specialized in retained executive search and leadership consulting. She is the co-author of the titled "Deger Yaratan Liderler" that was published in February 2022.
Korhan Beba has 20 years of progressive international marketing background in large multi-national companies managing global brands and market research projects. He brings in-depth knowledge of multiple consumer goods categories in Turkish, Eastern European and US markets. He has also worked in multiple start-ups in the US bringing new initiatives and innovative products by using his corporate entrepreneurial experience to global markets. Korhan has been working full time as the Executive Director of Beba Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation since Jan 2020. He was the lead contact in organizing the 2020 Greater Good Challenge with Columbia University School of Professional Studies.
Executive Director
Kutay Beba is a graduate from the University of Colorado (Denver) with a degree in Business Administration with concentration in Finance. After 16 years in the insurance industry, Kutay joined AssuredPartners in July 2016 as Executive Vice President and Chief Organic Growth Officer. In this capacity, he is responsible for enhancing the organic growth, recruitment of sales talent and leadership. He harbors a great affinity for entrepreneurship and innovation as he believes those endeavors are the key ingredients to propelling people and economies. Kutay is committed to the encouragement and development of future leaders who will continue to create and take risks to promote change.
CFO and Board Member
Alihan Beba is a Sophomore at Trinity College. Growing up in Istanbul, Hong Kong, Dubai and New York, Alihan has a diverse background. From a very early age, he started creating patterns that brought together his inspirations, expressed through many colors and shapes. Also influenced by his family’s career in global companies, he has been taught to respect all people from all backgrounds. He is the product designer of his one year old company "Paint Your Own Canvas" (www.pyocanvas.com (http://www.pyocanvas.com/)). He aims his company to become the melting pot for fashion and art expressed through casual wear through gender-free sizing, and unisex designs. Alihan also wants to help other young entrepreneurs follow their passions, and 5% of his sales go into Beba Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation where it is used to provide training and mentorship activities for his peers. Alihan is currently an Economics major and is part of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity of the Beta Beta chapter on top of being a member of various clubs including the Student Investment Fund Club, the Entrepreneurship Club, and the Honor Council. He is actively working through his jobs on campus in addition to the internships he has been able to acquire.
Youth Program Advisor
Design and Business
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Alican Beba has graduated from George Washington University majoring in Neuroscience in the Spring of 2023. He is currently on the pre-medical track and plans to attend medical school. He currently works as a medical scribe at the George Washington Medical Faculty Associates and is a Blood Donor Ambassador at the American Red Cross. He has lived in Istanbul, Hong Kong, Dubai, and the United States. Alican has been interested in medicine since he was 17 years old after attending a summer program at Brown University, which focused on a week in the life of a medical student. After graduating from medical school, Alican's future aspirations include pursuing either anesthesiology, brain surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, or general surgery. His other passions include playing tennis, soccer, and walking his dog, Buddy. Additionally, he loves his brother Alihan and wants to see him succeed in life.