Banu Ekşi is a seasoned External Affairs professional with over a decade of experience navigating complex regulatory landscapes across Turkey, the Middle East, Africa, and the global travel industry. Her expertise encompasses public policy, regulatory affairs, government relations, and stakeholder management. With a proven track record of building and maintaining strategic relationships, she has successfully managed complex regulatory environments while driving advocacy initiatives across multiple markets.

Since 2021, she has served as Global External Affairs Manager, Duty Free, at Philip Morris International, based in Dubai. Previously, from 2019 to 2020, she held the position of External Affairs Manager, Middle East and Africa, in Switzerland. Prior to these roles, Banu gained extensive experience in Turkey and Switzerland, where she held external affairs, government relations and fiscal affairs positions within Philip Morris International from 2012 to 2019.

Banu holds a master’s degree in international affairs from The New School, New York, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Bilgi University, Turkey.