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Prof. Dr. Nurullah Genç was born on September 9, 1960, in the Horasan district of Erzurum. He is recognized as a multifaceted personality due to his academic career, literary and artistic works, achievements in photography, and consultancy activities. He is a prominent figure in Turkey, leaving a lasting impact in both scientific and artistic fields.
Nurullah Genç’s childhood and youth were shaped by a story of struggle and hardship. Due to the absence of a school in his village, he completed primary school by staying with his relatives, and attending two different village schools for two years and three months. He studied the first year of middle school at Merkez Middle School in Kars while living with his aunt. After his uncle moved to Horasan, he completed his second and third years at Horasan Middle School, where he received his diploma.
From the second year of middle school onward, he started working in various jobs, including shoe polishing, waiting tables, and dishwashing. By reducing the price of a shoe shine from 50 kuruş to 25 kuruş while maintaining high quality, he became a sought-after shoeshiner in Horasan’s coffeehouses. He even kept a special archive for his customers. However, his success triggered the resentment of other shoeshiners, and after being physically attacked and having his shoeshine box broken, he had to quit. In his third year of middle school, he worked at a bakery at night while attending school during the day, ultimately graduating as the top student. He mastered the art of baking and continued working in this field every summer until he completed university.
To continue his high school education, he took the state-funded boarding school exam. However, as his results did not arrive in time, his father sold eight of the family’s ten sheep to enroll him in Erzurum Imam Hatip High School as a paid boarding student. Two months later, he learned that he had qualified for a state-funded spot and moved to the dormitory. His father refused to reclaim the tuition fee, instead donating it to help other children in need. This deeply moved Genç, motivating him to build a new shoeshine box and continue working at the school canteen after classes. Additionally, he earned money by preparing assignments for students who struggled with their homework. For four years, he worked tirelessly.
During his high school years, he read extensively, began wearing glasses, and developed an interest in poetry. He won second place in the Poetry Competition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and secured first place in the Milli Türk Talebe Birliği (National Turkish Student Association) Hicri 1400 Poetry Competition with his poem “Hicret.” He also took an interest in theater, received awards of excellence every year, and graduated as the top student of Erzurum Imam Hatip High School in the 1978-1979 academic year. With the money he earned from shoe-shining, he bought ten sheep and gifted them to his father.
In the university entrance exam, he was accepted into Atatürk University’s Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, where he studied from 1979 to 1983. In his first year, he continued shoeshining at the dormitory canteen, but after his box was destroyed in a political dispute, he stopped. He worked in construction and bakeries, sometimes sleeping at Erzurum’s train station when he couldn't return to the dormitory in time—an experience that later inspired his poem “Siyah Gözlerine Beni de Götür.”
During his university years, his poems began to be published in literary magazines, and he became a permanent contributor to Aylık Dergi. He also co-founded Genç Kuşak magazine with his friends. Under the pen name "Yaşar Garip Koyuncu," he won second place in the Yeni Devir newspaper’s Young Writers Essay Competition. In his first year, he wrote on his wardrobe door: “In 20 years, I will be a professor of management and organization and a poet recognized in Turkey.” He pursued this goal with determination. He played the role of Harpagon in Molière’s play The Miser, won the Erzurum chess championship, and competed in the Turkish Chess League.
Nurullah Genç graduated in 1983 from Atatürk University’s Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and was appointed as a research assistant at the same faculty in 1984. He completed his master's degree in Management and Organization from 1985 to 1987 and earned his doctorate between 1987 and 1990. In 1990, he became a doctor, in 1995 an associate professor, and in 2001 a full professor.
In 2003, he joined Kocaeli University, where he worked for seven years. He retired in 2010 but continued his academic career as a professor, department head, and dean at Istanbul Ticaret University. He chaired the committee for the 2012-2017 Strategic Plan. On December 31, 2012, he was appointed as a member of the Capital Markets Board of Turkey and served as deputy chairman until February 10, 2015. Since May 1, 2015, he has been a member of the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey.
Throughout his academic career, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Leadership Analysis, The Art of Management, Strategic Management, Business Administration, Human Resources, and Organizational Behavior. He has presented papers at national and international congresses and published numerous articles.
Nurullah Genç’s literary journey began in high school. From the 1980s onward, his poems and writings were published in various magazines, including Türk Edebiyatı, Aylık Dergi, Nesil, Sur, Gurbet, Mina, Kardelen, Palandöken, Karçiçeği, Yolcu, Güneysu, Dolunay, Aydili, Ayvakti, İkindi Yazıları, Bu Ülke, and Bizim Külliye. He also contributed under different pen names to Edebiyat ve Eleştiri, Dize, and Dergâh. He has received multiple awards for his poems and novels.
Starting photography in 2008, Genç has had more than 250 works accepted in national and international exhibitions, earning numerous awards. In 2012, he was honored with the AFIAP title by FIAP and has qualified for the EFIAP title, awaiting the application process. His first solo exhibition, "Reflections from My Soul," was held in 2011, and his works were compiled into an album by Istanbul Ticaret University.
Between 1993 and 2003, he traveled from Erzurum to Istanbul twice a month to provide consulting services for family businesses and joint-stock companies. In 1997, he provided 15 years of consultancy services to Aşkale Cement Group, one of the longest-known consultancy cases in Turkey. Moving to Istanbul in 2003, he worked at Kalinda Consulting Company with Sertan Kocasaraç until 2013, serving public and private sectors in management, education, family business, and strategic planning consultancy. He authored "Partnership Culture" in 2006.
For 20 years, he has continuously provided training and seminars on topics such as Senior Management Skills, Time Management, Communication Management, Conflict Management, Crisis Management, Strategic Management, Human Resources Management, and Leadership Analysis. He has worked with institutions such as the Turkish Ministry of Interior, Turkish Airlines, and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
Prof. Dr. Nurullah Genç is one of Turkey’s leading versatile figures, excelling in academia, literature, photography, and consulting. He currently serves as a Member of the Central Bank Board and continues to inspire a wide audience through his works and contributions.
Early Life and Education
Academic Career
Literary and Artistic Works
Awards
Poetry Books
Novels
Photography Art Studies
Awards
Academic Works
Books and Research
Articles
Conference Papers
Consulting and Training Activities
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