İclal Ersin Karakaptan (born in 1915) was the first female

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

economist. She was also the first female branch manager of a bank in Turkey.

Biography

İclal Ersin was born to Ali Rıza Pasha, an Ottoman

cartographer Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an im ...

, in 1915. In 1928, she began jobbing at the Adana branch office of the newly founded

Türkiye İş Bankası Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

(İşBank). While studying at the

Kandilli High School for Girls Kandilli Anatolian High School for Girls ( tr, Kandilli Kız Anadolu Lisesi) is a secondary educational institution located in the Kandilli neighborhood of Üsküdar district in Istanbul, Turkey. Known traditionally as ''Kandilli Kız Lisesi'', ...

, she worked in the same bank as an accountant. After a short time, she was appointed accounting manager, and became so the first female bank employee of the İşBank with signing authority.Who's who page
/ref> She was introduced to

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...

, the founder of the Turkish Republic, by

Celal Bayar Celal is both a masculine Turkish given name and a surname. It is the Turkish form of the Arabic word Jalal (جلال), which means "majesty". Notable people with the name include: Given name * Celal Al (born 1984), Turkish actor * Celal Esat Arsev ...

, the first director general of the bank. She asked Atatürk for an opportunity of further education abroad. In 1939, she obtained a scholarship to study in University of Geneva, Switzerland. In 1941, she returned to Turkey with a

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

title in economics gained upon her doctoral thesis on the "Occupation tax in Turkey". After serving as chief inspector at the Ankara main branch, and as controller in the branch offices of

Beyoğlu Beyoğlu (, ota, بك‌اوغلی, script=Arab) is a district on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey, separated from the old city (historic peninsula of Constantinople) by the Golden Horn. It was known as the region of Pera (Πέρα, meani ...

and

Galata Galata is the former name of the Karaköy neighbourhood in Istanbul, which is located at the northern shore of the Golden Horn. The district is connected to the historic Fatih district by several bridges that cross the Golden Horn, most notabl ...

in Istanbul, she was appointed manager of the bank's newly opened

Nişantaşı Nişantaşı is an upmarket, largely secular residential neighbourhood in the Şişli district on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey. Separated from Osmanbey and Pangaltı to the west by busy Halaskargazi Caddesi, it is a popular shopping di ...

branch in İstanbul in 1953, becoming so the first ever Turkish female at this position. She continued for ten years in this post.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ersin, Iclal Possibly living people 1915 births People from Adana University of Geneva alumni Turkish economists Turkish women in business Turkish businesspeople