Germir Consulting
Özlem Pehlivan, Consultant & Founder of Germir Consulting
With over 20 years of international experience in human resources consulting, talent management, and leadership, Özlem Pehlivan brings deep understanding of leadership and succession issues of her clients as well as a strong network particularly in life sciences, industrial, and technology sectors.
Throughout her professional career, Özlem has successfully led numerous executive search processes in 2 leading global search companies as a consultant covering Turkey, Denmark, Scandinavia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Specific experience includes leadership and other senior management positions in Client organizations, including commercial roles such as CEO, CCO, Vice President, General Manager, Country Manager, as well as CFO, COO, Supply Chain Director, Plant Director, R&D Director, Quality Director, Production Director, Program Director, HR Director, Business Unit Director, Sales Director, Marketing Director, IT Director, Medical Director, Market Access Director, Regulatory Director, Legal Director and Corporate Communications Director. Additionally, during her last six years, she provided consultancy support to her local industrial clients for their Board Member needs.
Since 2007, Özlem has successfully managed executive search processes for her corporate clients both as a consultant and led talent acquisition processes for the companies that she worked for. The number of executives and talents she has placed in Turkey and abroad exceeds 200, many of whom continue to serve in the same Client organizations across various regions.
Özlem started her executive search and assessment career in early 2004 at Korn Ferry Istanbul where she worked for seven years. She managed various executive search assignments in Turkey and across the EMEA region with a broad view of the Industrial, Life Sciences and Technology sectors. She later worked for Vodafone and SAP as Talent Acquisition Leader where she supported the growth plans of both organizations in Turkey.
In 2013, Özlem returned to consultancy and joined the Istanbul office of Russell Reynolds Associates, one of the world's leading multinational executive search and assessment firms. For more than 3 years, she served clients in the life sciences, industrial, and technology sectors. She later relocated to the Copenhagen office of the same firm, where she led various international executive search assignments in Scandinavian market. From February 2018 until April 2024, Özlem worked at Korn Ferry's Istanbul office, providing consultancy to her clients leading Life Sciences and Industrial sectors as a Senior Client Partner.
After graduating from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Economics in 2000, Özlem began her professional career in Akbank's Strategic Planning team. Between 2013 and 2016, she also served as a Board Member of the Boğaziçi University’s Alumni Association.
Since May 2024, Özlem continues her consultancy work under the roof of her own company, Germir Consulting, providing advisory services to companies and their employees in the sectors where she has extensive experience and expertise.
Driven by a passion for continuous improvement and learning, Özlem continues to pursue various trainings to enhance both her professional and personal life.
She is a native speaker of Turkish and fluent in English.
Areas of Expertise
- Executive Search
- Executive Assessment
- Independent Board Member Placement
- Career Consulting
- Recruitment Strategy Development
