In 2014, he received the title of Associate Professor and in 2019 he received the title of Professor. Between September 2015 and September 2020, he taught graduate courses in International Economics, Management, Business Administration and Entrepreneurship at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. As of 1 October 2020, he started to work as a lecturer at Istanbul Commerce University, Department of Business Administration. He taught "Entrepreneurship and New Business Models" and "Leadership Theories". He has published nearly 30 reports, 4 books and more than 300 articles.

 

Having worked as an expert-researcher at the Economic Development Foundation (İKV) between 1982 and 1993, Bolat started to work as the Secretary General of the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD) in 1993. During his 15-year tenure in the Board of Directors of MÜSİAD, he served as Secretary General for 7 years, Vice President for 4 years and President of MÜSİAD for 4 years between April 2004 and 2008. He has been a member of MÜSİAD High Advisory Committee since 2008. He served as a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey and the Foreign Economic Relations Board (TOBB-DEİK) for 3 years between 2006 and 2008. He served as General Coordinator (CEO) at ALBAYRAK Holding A.Ş. for 23 years, from May 2000 until 2 June 2023. Since June 2015, he has been the senior manager and columnist of the economy magazines Derin Ekonomi, published by Albayrak Media Group, and since June 2019, Z-Raporu. He won the "Turkey's Most Successful CEOs - Golden Leader Award" for two consecutive years in the Golden Leader Awards Competition organised by KREA-MICE Organisation in 2021 and 2022.

 

He served as a member of the AK Party Central Decision and Management Board (MKYK) for 3 years (September 2012-September 2015) and as Vice President of Economic Affairs. In 2015 - 2016, he worked as a full member of the AK Party Political Virtue and Ethics Committee.

 

Faculty Member of Istanbul Commerce University Faculty of Business Administration, Member of the Board of Trustees of Istanbul 29 Mayıs University, Member of the Board of Directors of TAI-Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. Board of Directors, TOBB Turkey - Pakistan Bilateral Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry Turkish Side Presidency, TOBB-TİM Board of Directors membership, Economic Enterprise and Business Ethics Association High Advisory Board membership, Konya Industrialists and Businessmen Association Advisory Board membership, Member of the High Advisory Board of the Arab-Turkish Businessmen Association, member of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Branch of the Religious Foundation of Turkey, member of the High Advisory Board of the Society for the Dissemination of Knowledge, member of the Founding Board of the Istanbul Darülfünun Theology Foundation and the International Technological, Economic and Social Research Foundation, He served as a member of the High Advisory Board of the Voluntary Organizations Foundation of Turkey, a member of the Advisory Board of the Sabahattin Zaim Research Centre, a member of the Advisory Board of the Economists Association, a member of the Advisory Board of the Economists Association, a member of the Advisory Board of the Friends Divan, a member of the Wise People Committee of the 7 Crescent Youth Association, a member of the Advisory Board of the Marmara University Alumni and Members Association, a member of the Black Sea Foundation, a member of the High Advisory Board of the Architects and Engineers Group Association, and a member of the High Advisory Board of the Istanbul Family Foundation. He also served as a faculty member of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU) Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Department of Economics and Head of IZU Entrepreneurship and Leadership Research and Application Centre between September 2015 and September 2020, as a member of the Economic Advisory Board of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce between 2014-2019, as a member of the Board of Trustees of Yunus Emre Foundation between 2014-2018, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of KISVA-Cyprus Science, Ethics and Social Assistance Foundation between 2013-2017.

 

Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, who was appointed as the Minister of Trade by the Presidential Decree dated 04/06/2023 and numbered 2023/284, is married, has 2 children, speaks English fluently and German fluently.