Gokcen Erdem

Relationship-led corporate banker with over 15 years' front-office experience originating, structuring and managing lending facilities for large corporates and property investment firms across UK and international banks. Currently managing a £100m portfolio at Handelsbanken with £61m of new business originated and progressed since appointment. Proven track record of structuring bilateral and syndicated facilities (£1bn+ annually), presenting to credit committees, and managing top-tier client portfolios (turnovers £500m+) across multiple geographies.

Corporate Banking Manager at Handelsbanken (2023-09 – Present)

Manage and grow a corporate banking portfolio within Handelsbanken's decentralised branch model, operating with local decision-making authority. Full client lifecycle ownership from origination through to ongoing relationship management, supported by an in-house Operations team.

• Manage a portfolio of £100m across 35 client relationships.
• Originated and progressed £61m of new business since appointment, with ticket sizes from c.£1m term loans to a £55m bilateral facility.
• Lead end-to-end execution of predominantly property-backed lending across SPV, holding company, family trust and group structures.
• Cross-sold ancillary products to 8 of 35 portfolio clients, including FX and derivatives, fixed-term deposits, and Private Banking referrals for personal banking and mortgages.

Executive Director at GE Trading & Consulting Limited (2020 – 2023)

Led business development and consulting in the Education and Healthcare sectors. Established international partnerships for UK academic institutions and provided market research and networking in Turkey. Included a two-year contract with King's InterHigh as Head of Partnerships for the Turkey region, building institutional partnerships and driving expansion.

Director, Academic Operations at St Patrick's College, GUS Group (2019 – 2020)

Optimised commercial viability of two academic schools, reporting directly to the Chancellor. Led c.75 staff, reduced attrition through performance management, and drove new curriculum development with external partners.

Faculty Lecturer & Module Leader at BPP University / Birkbeck, University of London (2014 – 2019)

Taught corporate banking, credit and risk management subjects to working banking professionals from major UK banks alongside full-time postgraduates. Lectured across International Banking, Credit & Lending, Commercial & Investment Banking, Financial Risk Management and Enterprise Risk Management. Engaged with the Bank of England and Lloyds Banking Group as part of programme delivery, maintaining active connection with the banking industry throughout.

Head of Financial Institutions at VakifBank (2010 – 2014)

Promoted to support Head of International Banking Directorate in 2011; led and provided strategic direction to a multifaceted team across corporate and financial institutions coverage.

• Led the Financial Institutions team and Trade Finance Division, developing syndicated facilities (over £1bn annually).
• Fostered alliances with correspondent banks globally, leading a team of nine regional managers.
• Initiated synergies with the Group's Austrian subsidiary and its German branches to build a new multinational client portfolio (total revenues over €100bn) — an approach subsequently adopted by HSBC Turkey.
• Reviewed credit applications and documentation prior to submission to the Credit Committee.
• Managed loan pricing within Corporate Directorate's authorised limits.

Manager, Strategic Relationships Group at Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group (2007 – 2010)

Managed corporate clients with turnovers of £500m+ within Bank of Scotland's Strategic Relationships Group — six portfolio teams covering the top 1% of the Bank's client base. Acted as first point of contact across credit, day-to-day banking, legals and the full client lifecycle, applying a consultative approach to client requirements and credit solutions.

• Managed a multi-sector, international portfolio of top-tier corporate clients spanning hospitality, leisure, healthcare and utilities — including a West End theatre group, an internationally recognised luxury hotel group, a restaurant group, an Australia-based utility and a USD-denominated care-home operator.
• Navigated portfolio clients through the 2008–2010 financial crisis, working with senior colleagues to restructure facilities, manage repayment positions and protect Bank exposure under deteriorating market conditions.
• Grew Group exposure and ancillary income across top-tier relationships through ongoing client development and cross-product engagement; supported the origination team on new-business pursuits through pre-analysis, credit structuring input and negotiation preparation.
• Monitored trading performance and credit quality through regular financial analysis and portfolio risk reviews; prepared credit proposals and high-risk reports; scrutinised AML and KYC requirements and delivered due diligence training to the team.

Manager, Corporate & Institutional Banking at Sabancı Bank Plc (2004 – 2007)

Appointed to support the Deputy General Manager on Corporate Banking Team strategy; promoted to lead corporate banking activities and manage the banking book. Reported to the Deputy General Manager throughout.

• Developed a new factoring and export receivable financing business line from Turkish exporters, expanding the Bank's client base and product offering.
• Identified operational inefficiencies and collaborated with the Head of IT to implement system changes, saving the Risk Team significant time. Recognised and rewarded by the Board for cost savings achieved.
• Represented the Bank at the Turkish Bankers' Association.

PGCert in Corporate Governance – Birkbeck, University of London (2020)

PGCert in Professional Education – BPP University (2016)

MBA – University of Hertfordshire (2001)

BSc in Economics – Istanbul University (2000)