As I recount in the soon to be published “A Lost Chapter in the Transformation of the Turkish Banking Industry” the plan establishing the Center for International Banking Studies (CIBS) was to start teaching courses in English. Over time we were to train Turkish instructors and translate the curriculum into Turkish with the help of bankers seconded to the institute from local banks. That plan encountered roadblocks that I describe in the book. But we also faced another challe

Continuing the story of establishing the Center for International Banking Studies (CIBS) leading to the upcoming publication of my new book, “A Lost Chapter in the Transformation of the Turkish Banking Industry.” The project had substantial financial backing from the Banks Association of Türkiye and the support of its chairman, who at that time, was the Governor of the Central Bank of Türkiye.  Although, during two years, I worked with three different Governors. The project a

Arriving in Istanbul in 1986 and seconded from Citibank to the Central Bank of Türkiye, I was tasked with a design and reconstruction challenge, renovating the dilapidatedHotel Dragos on the Marmara Sea into the Center for International Banking Studies (CIBS) and turning it a world class residential training center for bankers. Classrooms and team breakout rooms were created out of common areas that had previously been the lower-level restaurant and mezzanine level public spa

When I first visited the future site of the Center for International Banking Studies CIBS), reality set in. The 6-story building was an abandoned seaside hotel on the Asian side of Istanbul. Apart from the shock of seeing sheep wandering through the lobby, the extent of the complete renovation hit me hard. It meant designing and building: ·  Classrooms and breakout rooms for small group discussion ·   Dedicated micro-computer lab for teaching IT skills ·   Bourse room for te