Mehmet Şimşek, currently serving as the Minister of Treasury and Finance served as Türkiye’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs from 2015 to 2018. Representing the AK Party, he was elected to the Parliament for three terms (2007, 2011, 2015). During his tenure as Minister of Finance (2009-15) and Minister of Economy (2007-09), Şimşek championed structural reforms and prudent macroeconomic policies, contributing to Türkiye’s resilient position amid various domestic and external shocks.
His leadership in enhancing a credit guarantee scheme played a crucial role in steering Türkiye away from recession following the 2016 failed coup attempt. His earlier roles included positions at Merrill Lynch in London, Deutsche-Bender Securities in Istanbul, UBS Securities on Wall Street, and as a senior economist at the US Embassy in Ankara.
Şimşek holds a B.S. in Economics from Ankara University, where he also worked as a research assistant. He earned an M.PHil in Finance and Investments from Exeter University. Acknowledged for his influence, Foreign Policy listed him among the 500 most powerful individuals globally in 2013. Emerging Markets magazine honoured Şimşek as the “Finance Minister of the Year for Emerging Europe 2013.”