About Sarp Demiray

Sarp Demiray is the CEO and Board Member at the European Merchant Bank (EMBank) of Lithuania. With over 20 years of senior management experience in the finance industry, Sarp Demiray is a visionary and results-oriented leader who drives growth and change with digital strategies. As the CEO and Board Member of European Merchant Bank, he is responsible for shaping the bank's vision, strategy, and culture, as well as leading the digital transformation and organizational change initiatives. Sarp has a proven track record of developing and implementing innovative business models, products, and services, as well as optimizing direct sales funnels and exploiting solid business partnership opportunities. He has extensive know-how on digital service models, particularly in banking and wealth management. He has a personal interest in disruptive technologies and their impact on existing business models as well as the human psychology and the power of personal relationships. Sarp Demiray was born in 1974 in Ankara, Turkey, and has a robust academic background with a B.A. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Middle East Technical University (METU). He further completed a PhD program at Yeditepe University, focusing on the moderating factors that affect mobile marketing performance in the Turkish market. Sarp has carved a niche in Direct Banking, Digital Banking, and Marketing through his extensive experience. His professional journey began at Garanti Bank AŞ, where he honed skills in digital marketing, direct sales, and business management over five years across various departments, including retail, affluent, and CRM. He then moved to Akbank as the senior vice president of product and channel development and subsequently led the Direct Banking Strategy and Segment Management Division. After three years at Akbank, Sarp served as CEO and CDO at ATA Online, driving significant innovations and strategic initiatives in customer service design, marketing, sales, and R&D. His tenure at ATA Online is noted for pioneering services like Investment Coaching and Instant Calls. Under his leadership for nearly 3 years, the bank has seen pivotal development and growth.