HLP Allies | Interview with Serkan Oktar

I’m more than excited to launch our HLP Allies series, featuring exceptional leaders whose stories, insights, and experiences inspire us all to grow personally and professionally.

Our first guest is someone incredibly special to me: my husband, Serkan Oktar.

Serkan is a seasoned global business leader, currently leading the Vitamins and Minerals category at Bayer Consumer Health Product Supply Procurement. He’s known for his impressive productivity, adaptability to global environments, and authentic leadership style.

Beyond his impressive career achievements, Serkan has always been a source of unwavering support in my life. His belief in me and his deep involvement in our family life made it possible for me to create Her Leadership Playbook wholeheartedly.

Serkan leads with calm and focus, adapts seamlessly to different cultures, and models the balance between ambition and presence. In this interview, we talk about his unique productivity mindset, his take on leadership, and what authentic allyship means to him.

I’m so proud to share his voice with our community.

Pınar: 

Serkan, welcome to HLP. You are in the heart of HLP office every single day, so it meant a lot to me to start the series with you.

My first question will be about your leadership style. You've worked internationally and have led teams across multiple cultures. How would you describe your leadership style, and how does it help you effectively support your teams?

Serkan:

First of all, thank you for having me on this incredible platform. I'm truly honored and excited to share my insights with you today. My leadership style has evolved significantly throughout my career. Nowadays, I embrace a situational and highly flexible approach, tailored to the unique needs of my team, the circumstances, and individual team members.

At times, I take on the role of a coach, actively listening and asking the right questions to guide my team. Other times, I delegate tasks completely, stepping back to follow up as needed. There are also moments when I provide clear directives and ensure that the necessary support and resources are available to achieve our goals.

For me, leadership is not just a title, it's a behavior. I strive to contribute my strengths across various teams whenever I see an opportunity. As organizations have become more agile and fluid in recent years, leadership behaviors have become increasingly important, extending beyond one's immediate scope of responsibility.

Pınar: 

Many people, including myself, consider you a productivity guru. Could you share your top three productivity habits or routines that help you stay effective at work and present at home?

Serkan:

Oh, productivity is one of my favorite topics! Thank you for the kind introduction, though I wouldn't call myself a guru, say I'm a continuous learner in this area. I constantly read, watch YouTube videos, and try out new techniques and behaviors to improve my productivity.My approach has evolved significantly over the years.

Early in my career, I aimed to be a time management ninja, trying to complete as many tasks as possible each day. Now, I focus more on outcomes and the value I'm creating rather than just ticking off items on my to-do list. This shift means I prioritize my values and the most important aspects of my life where I can make a meaningful impact. For example, I always block time in my calendar for family.

On weekdays, I reserve specific times in the morning and evening to spend quality time with my kids. While there are occasional exceptions, I strive to stick to this schedule about 80% of the time.

Another key habit for me is starting my day early. I'm a morning person, so I wake up before sunrise while the kids are still sleeping. My routine includes praying, some light exercise, drinking plenty of water, and then tackling important tasks. When the kids wake up, I can spend time with them, have breakfast together, and drop my older son off at school. I then continue working on critical tasks and projects until lunchtime, often finding myself in a productive flow state. After lunch, I dedicate my time to meetings and emails, remaining flexible to accommodate others' needs.

Lastly, I plan my days and weeks meticulously. At the end of each day, I schedule the next day hour by hour, and at the end of each week, I plan the upcoming 4–6 weeks at a high level. This continuous planning helps me avoid thinking about work projects and open topics in the evenings and at night, reducing stress and allowing me to be fully present with my family and enjoy a good night's sleep.

Pınar: 

With so many demands professionally and personally, how do you prioritize effectively when everything feels important?

Serkan:

That's a really important question. My strategy for prioritizing effectively is to align my priorities with my personal values. Early in my professional life, I recognized the significance of personal values, but I wasn't entirely sure what mine were. So, I took the time to identify and write down my values.When faced with conflicts and pressure from urgent matters, I always choose the ones that resonate with my values, such as family, well-being, and growth. This approach brings clarity and makes it easier to make confident decisions, knowing that I've prioritized the right things.

Pınar: 

And I admire your consistency.

I know authentic allyship is something you deeply value. In your professional life, especially in supporting women’s empowerment and inclusion, what does authentic allyship look like to you?

Serkan:

To me, authentic allyship means actively listening, learning, and advocating for the voices and experiences of women in the workplace. Women's empowerment isn't just a corporate task for the HR function in large organizations; it requires daily attention, continuous learning, and showing empathy to those around us.

Recognizing and addressing biases—both conscious and unconscious—and creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard is not always obvious or easy. That's why listening and asking questions are crucial to understanding the challenges women face.I always focus on my impact area.

For example, when hiring team members, I prioritize strengths and skills, ensuring gender is not a deciding factor. Additionally, for simple tasks within my teams, such as keeping meeting notes, I strive to be mindful and ensure these administrative duties are not solely handled by women. Being aware of your impact area is essential, rather than waiting for HR guidelines.

Pınar: 

You've had many defining moments and challenges in your career. Can you share one or two of those moments and how you navigated through them successfully?

Serkan:

One of the defining moments in my career was moving from Türkiye to Thailand and being promoted to Head of Procurement for ASEAN Countries. This role was a significant turning point, as I was leading a diverse team across seven countries with 40 team members, all contributing to substantial business results. Although I was already an expert in Procurement and had leadership experience, the complexity of this job was much higher than my previous roles.I recognized that my experience was limited and that I needed guidance and support. I shared this with my manager, JiSook Lee, our CFO, who is an incredible Korean woman. She appreciated my openness and coached me through the leadership challenges, trusting me to implement my ideas with the team and try new things to create value for our business. Additionally, I chose a mentor for myself, Jim Kennelly, a highly experienced business leader who was the Managing Director of Thailand at the time. He provided full support, and we spent valuable one-on-one time together. With the support of my manager and mentor, I was able to adapt to a new culture, lead a diverse team, and develop my leadership skills. This experience taught me the importance of seeking guidance, being open to learning, and leveraging the support of mentors and leaders to navigate complex challenges successfully.

Pınar: 

And that move also unlocked the sequence of events that led us to meet each other.

Next question is about leading diverse, cross-cultural teams. How do you build trust and motivate your teams, especially when managing across different countries and cultures?

Serkan:

Leading diverse, cross-cultural teams is indeed a challenge, but it's also incredibly rewarding. For me, the starting point is co-creating a vision together with team members. As a team, we need to answer some key questions: Why do we exist as a team? What is our purpose? What makes us unique in our business? What are the things we can achieve only together?Given that each team member has a different background and strengths, it's crucial to understand and appreciate these differences. This way, each team member feels valued and understands how we can create value together.Building trust involves giving and receiving feedback from your team members. While it's easy to say, it's not always easy to do, it requires attention, awareness, effort, and continuous practice. By fostering open communication and mutual respect, we can build a strong foundation of trust and motivation across different countries and cultures.

Pınar: 

Reflecting on your career, can you recall a specific moment when you truly felt your work aligned perfectly with your personal values or purpose? How did that influence you?

Serkan:

I feel fortunate that my work often aligns with my values. One of my core values is making the world a better place for my kids in the future. Working for a Life Science company that produces Health Care and Agriculture products, I truly believe in our mission: "Health for All, Hunger for None." This mission resonates deeply with me, and I see it being lived out in our daily operations. In my role in Procurement, sustainability is a key criterion in selecting suppliers. This focus allows me to positively impact the economy and align my work with my values. Knowing that my efforts contribute to a healthier and more sustainable world gives me a profound sense of purpose.Another important value for me is personal growth. I've been fortunate to find opportunities to learn new skills such as leadership, coaching, and AI. This continuous learning journey makes me feel accomplished and fulfilled in my workplace.

Pınar: 

To wrap up our conversation, if you had a chance to give advice to your younger self at the start of your career journey, what would it be?

Serkan:

If I could give advice to my younger self at the start of my career journey, it would be: "Focus on your strengths and let them shine. Don't waste time dwelling on your weaknesses."

Pınar: Thank you, Serkan, for sharing your insights and experiences. It’s been truly inspiring (and very comfortable to be able to do it in our very own home!!:)

Serkan:

It was an absolute pleasure for me! I hope my answers add value to your rapidly growing community. And I must say, I feel incredibly lucky to be your life partner.

You're an inspiring woman and the best interviewer I could ask for!

Serkan's linkedin profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/serkan-oktar-06424131/