Ekmel Cilingir

Chairman

Mr. Ekmel Cilingir is an accomplished economist with over twenty years in the banking industry, beginning his career at Akbank in Turkey in 1999. He has held various managerial roles at institutions such as BNP Paribas Fortis in Malta and Credit Europe Bank, culminating in his current position as a founding partner and the Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank UAB (EMBank) in Lithuania. In this role, he oversees the bank’s strategic direction, regulatory and political engagements, and corporate governance standards.

Throughout his career, Mr. Cilingir has demonstrated expertise in Operations, Treasury, Trade Finance, Deposit Products, and Credits across corporate and retail banking segments. Significant contributions marked his tenure at BNP Paribas Fortis as Operations and Treasury Manager, and, later, COO. His efforts were pivotal in IT integration, banking operations, and managing intercompany relationships across BNP Paribas entities in Europe.

Mr. Cilingir has actively contributed to industry associations, serving on the Executive Committee of the Malta Bankers’ Association and as a board member of the Financial Markets Association Malta (FMAM), supported by the Central Bank of Malta. His analytical skills, problem-solving capabilities, and commitment to high standards are well-recognized in the financial sector.