Simay Akar-Köhler

Simay Akar is an entrepreneur with reputable corporate industrial background and experience in the energy industry. She specialized in photovoltaic manufacturing, battery storage for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies and the clean energy market development. ​Akar is currently the Chief Commercial Officer & Co-Founder at Innoses. Her past roles include Sales & Marketing Director of EkoRE - Eko Renewable Energy and Marketing & Business Development Director of GoodWe Turkey, Head of Overseas Marketing at Talesun Solar Akar has worked in China and Turkey and mostly focused on international commercial activities and has been employed by CSUN Eurasia, Schneider Electric, Arcelik (BEKO), and Lucida Solar. In addition to her professional acclimates, she is an IEEE Senior member, acknowledged volunteer since 2007. Simay is a graduate of Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey and she participated Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies Program at Stanford University. ​ Simay is Certified Soft Skills Trainer since 2008. Additionally, She is METU Alumni Association Energy Commission Member, Turkish Women in Renewables North America Liaison & Sailing Team Member, KYSKD(Female Sailors Sports Club Association) member. She is Licensed Sailor Athlete at the Turkish Sailing Federation and also Swimmer. She participates open seas swimming races, marathons, and sailing cups across the world. ​ IEEE has important role in her life. She is also IEEE VOLT Graduate, IEEE Educational Activities TISP Champion, She has been serving several volunteer membership and leadership positions in different areas including mainly global committees of IEEE Humanitarian Technology Activities ( IEEE SIGHT -Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology and HAC), IEEE Power& Energy Society (Women in Power, Young Professionals, Solar and Wind Committee), IEEE Women in Engineering, IEEE Young Professionals, IEEE Social Implications of Technology Society (SSIT), IEEE Student Activities, IEEE Entrepreneurship Committee and other positions on Regional Boards of IEEE Region 8 (Europe Middle East and Africa) &10 (Asia Pacific). ​