İSTGÜVEN A.Ş., a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s Service and Communication Group, operates 24/7 to ensure Istanbul's safety, deploying over 10,000 private security personnel across 1,200 different locations. As the largest private security firm in Istanbul and the third-largest in Turkey, İSTGÜVEN (Istanbul Security Joint Stock Company) sets the industry benchmark by continuously raising its targets year after year. Furthermore, the company serves Istanbul and its residents through its experienced team, reliable technological infrastructure, strategic and sustainable approach, extensive workforce, AI-based systems, and equipment that exceeds industry standards. While acting as a flag-bearer in the private security sector, İSTGÜVEN also generates added value in the realm of public service. Murat Emrah Yıldırım, who assumed the role of General Manager of İSTGÜVEN A.Ş. in May, described his new position as follows: "Upon taking office, we hit the ground running regarding organizational restructuring and management approaches. As İSTGÜVEN aims to raise the bar it has set for itself, we are reshaping our operations and services in alignment with the vision—prioritizing merit—and the personnel-oriented approach of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu. As a first step, I began visiting the security personnel working at the 1,200 locations across Istanbul where İSTGÜVEN provides services, because I recognize the importance of maintaining contact with the field on the path to success. Consequently, we are revitalizing coordination visits and direct communication mechanisms to make internal communication channels more effective in the period ahead. Furthermore, we aim to utilize our existing talent pool more effectively by prioritizing merit. Through a new examination system for current field personnel, we will meet our needs for managers and mid-level managers in a much more transparent and rapid manner. At İSTGÜVEN, we believe that 'we cannot manage what we do not measure,' and we will continuously work on these and similar innovations regarding our human resources; our guiding principle will always be to keep people at the center of our service."
Who is Murat Emrah Yıldırım?
Born in Ankara in 1974, Murat Emrah Yıldırım completed his undergraduate studies in Systems Engineering at the Turkish Military Academy in 1996 and his master's degree in Human Resources Management at Istanbul University in 2003; he assumed the role of General Manager of İSTGÜVEN on May 20, 2024.
Having served at various levels of the Turkish Armed Forces... Having successfully completed assignments as an Internal Security Team Commander, Guard Unit Commander, Commando Company and Battalion Commander, Training Battalion Commander, Deputy Border Regiment Commander, Military Attaché to Senegal, Head of the Management and Coordination Branch at the NATO High Readiness Corps, Deputy Commando Brigade Commander, Acting Commando Brigade Commander, and Commando Brigade Chief of Staff and Garrison Commander, Murat Emrah YILDIRIM is proficient in English and French. Throughout his career in the Turkish Armed Forces, YILDIRIM has been awarded numerous achievement awards and commendations, the NATO SFOR Medal, and the State Order of Senegal; he is married and a father of one.