Alparslan Bayraktar
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 June 2023
President	Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Preceded by	Fatih Dönmez
Personal details
Born	1975 (age 48–49) Kırıkhan, Hatay, Turkey
Political party	Justice and Development Party
Alma mater	Istanbul Technical University Tufts University (M.A.) Bilkent University (M.Sc.) Middle East Technical University (Ph.D)

Alparslan Bayraktar (born 1975) is a Turkish academic, engineer, and politician, who has served as the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources since 2023. Prior to his appointment, Bayraktar held several positions within the ministry, including as deputy minister and Commissioner of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority. Prior to his public career, he worked in the private sector in Turkey and abroad. Bayraktar has been the chair of the World Energy Council Türkiye since 2017, and the Istanbul Center for Regulation since 2018.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Alparslan Bayraktar, born on July 9, 1975 in Kırıkhan, located in the Hatay province of Türkiye. His family, originally from the northern province of Trabzon, later moved to the capital, Ankara, where he completed his education. He received his B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and continued his academic journey in Massachusetts achieving an M.A. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University. He continued his graduate studies, earning a master’s degree in Law and Economics (LLM) from Bilkent University,^[3] Ankara. He received his Ph.D. in Energy, Environmental Economics & Policy; from Middle East Technical University (METU), Türkiye, conducting his research in ‘‘A Multidimensional Analysis of Turkish German Low Carbon Energy Transitions.”^[4]

Alongside his public career, Alparslan Bayraktar advanced his academic career, and has been invited as a visiting lecturer at Bilkent University, Ankara for the Energy Economics, Policy and Security (EEPS)^[5] program and METU, Ankara to deliver Energy Regulation and Policy lectures for the Earth Systems Science^[6] program. Bayraktar also made a number of contributions to op-eds and articles on the subjects of energy transition, enhancing supply security, and energy governance including:

• Competition and Regulation in Network Industries Journal, Alparslan Bayraktar – associate editor, Sage Publishing, (ongoing)^[7]
• Turkey's path to carbon-neutrality runs through the UAE, Opinion, Alparslan Bayraktar, The National, UAE, 2023^[8]
• National Technology Initiative in Energy, Alparslan Bayraktar, TÜBA, 2022^[9]
• THESIS - A Multidimensional Analysis of Turkish German Low Carbon Energy Transitions, Alparslan Bayraktar, 2020^[4]
• Energy Transition in Turkey, Alparslan Bayraktar, Transatlantic Policy Quarterly, Fall 2018^[10]
• From Energy Security to Energy Governance: Turkey’s Role in a Globalizing Energy Landscape, Alparslan Bayraktar, Insight Turkey, Spring 2015^[11]

Career

Prior to assuming his post as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye on June 4, 2023, Alparslan Bayraktar served as Deputy Minister between 2018-2023, Deputy Undersecretary of MENR following his service as the General Director of International Affairs and European Union between 2016-2018. Bayraktar served as a Commissioner of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority of Turkey between 2010-2016.^[12] Amongst important highlights in his Energy Career, Bayraktar was a board member between 2018-2023 of the Trans – Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP), facilitating the start-up of the project which hasa become a critical route between the Caucasian gas market and Europe.

Bayraktar contributed to the ″Turkish Energy Transition 1.0″,^[13] leading up to the guidelines of the “National Energy and Mining Strategy” and beyond. The pre-2016 energy outlook in Türkiye was a period of acknowledgment and anticipation for a roadmap to efficient energy supply, and clean energy for the future. Following up from the National Energy and Mining Strategy of Türkiye announced in 2017,^[14] as Minister, Bayraktar announced plans to carry Türkiye onto the next phase, namely ″Turkish Energy Transition 2.0,″^[13] prioritising policies around supply security, decreasing foreign dependency, diversifying Türkiye’s energy mix by increasing the availability of renewables through a relative transition in achieving net-zero targets set for 2035 and thereon 2053 ^[15]

Bayraktar′s so far successful outlook is an implication of his position on a SMART energy transition which is responsive, rational, flexible and digital energy transition^[16] in order to reach net-zero targets and a decarbonised economy.

Bayraktar aims to also increase the localisation of energy consumption through investment projects, allowing domestic production to create job opportunities while also reducing foreign dependence, enabling the security of supply, diversifying the energy mix, as well as ensuring a competitive yet safe market for investment. These goals are in line with those from his tenure as Deputy Minister.^[17]

Bayraktar is often a keynote speaker and contributor at international energy events, advancing his career as a key player for the future of energy, in achieving carbon neutrality goals, highlighting the importance of nuclear energy^[18] as a transition tool to reaching clean energy.

Career Summary

Türkiye

• Karabük Iron Steel Industry Trade & Co. In (KARDEMİR A.Ş.) / Board Chair (2020–2023)^[19]

• Energy Exchange Istanbul (EXIST – EPİAŞ) / Board Deputy Chair (2019 – 2023^[20]

• Trans – Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) / Board Member (2018 – 2023)

• Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) / Board Member (2017 – 2022)^[21]

International Organisations

• Istanbul Center for Regulation (IC4R) / Board Chair (2018 – ongoing) ^[22]

• World Energy Council Turkiye (WEC) / Board Chair (2017 – ongoing)^[23]

• Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) / Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board (2016-2023) / Chair (2013-2016) /Vice Chair (2012-2013) ^[24]

• International Confederation of Energy Regulators (ICER) / Board Chair (2015-2018) ^[25]

References