An Exclusive Interview with Our Founder Nesim Hayfavi by Veli Sarıtoprak Chairman of TÜSİAV

An Exclusive Interview with Our Founder Nesim Hayfavi by Veli Sarıtoprak, Chairman of TÜSİAV

This week in his editorial column, TÜSİAV Chairman Veli Sarıtoprak hosted our founder, Nesim Hayfavi, a renowned consultant who has become a brand in international mega project management over the past 30 years. Known for never leaving Ankara, Hayfavi has made a lasting impact on every project he touched, combining engineering precision with a deeply human approach.

We discussed the current state and future of project management with him.

Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Nesim Hayfavi: Thank you for the warm introduction. I was born into academia. My late father was a professor in the founding faculty of Mathematics at METU (Middle East Technical University), and my childhood was shaped by figures like Prof. Dr. Cahit Arf and Prof. Dr. Erdal İnönü in the METU lodgings. I am a proud Ankara native and completed all my primary and secondary education here. I graduated from METU Civil Engineering in 1995 and completed my master’s in Construction Management in 1998. Since 1993, I have been actively involved in construction and project management, with over 32 years of experience. For the past five years, I have been working through my own family business, e-bonH AŞ, providing consultancy for international and specialized projects.

Can you walk us through your professional career of 32 years?

Nesim Hayfavi: I began my career at GAMA, a prestigious engineering and construction company. I worked in various construction companies for 6 to 7 years, taking on major responsibilities in design and site engineering roles. Later, I rose to Project Manager at Epsilon Group and managed full-scale projects at a very young age.

In 1999, I got married and was appointed Head of Project Control for the BOTAŞ BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan) Crude Oil Pipeline, one of the world’s largest energy projects, worth approximately 1.8 billion dollars. I proudly oversaw the project without delays or budget overruns and led negotiations that recovered 333 million dollars in claims from the BTC consortium led by BP.

I later joined Çalık Energy as Director of Project Services, working on the Samsun-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline. Due to geopolitical shifts, the project did not proceed, so I transitioned to Limak Holding in 2008. There, I led planning and cost control for the Sabiha Gökçen Airport Project, a 330 million euro airport built in just 18 months.

By 2010, I had project completion credentials totaling nearly 3 billion dollars.

When did you start your own business and what projects did you manage?

Nesim Hayfavi: After Sabiha Gökçen, I wanted to share my expertise with more than just one company. With a passion for teaching and mentoring, I started my own project management company in 2010. That same year, I began advising SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, on pipeline projects.

Since then, I have worked in a variety of sectors and countries: highways in India, tunnels in Pakistan, offshore projects in Abu Dhabi and Turkmenistan, airports in Kuwait and Russia, dams in Albania, and energy plants in Turkey. These experiences also led me to become a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and to serve as the Audit Chair of the Construction Law Association.

What are your goals for 2025?

Nesim Hayfavi: Despite the global uncertainties, I believe 2025 will be a year of new beginnings in energy and infrastructure. We are expanding our team and positioning ourselves for projects in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.

We are also preparing to enter environmental project development in Turkey. As e-bonH, we aim to lead in digital transformation, work on cutting-edge projects, and build a new generation of professionals.

What advice would you give to young engineers or those starting their own business?

Nesim Hayfavi: The future belongs to the youth. My message to companies is: train young people from the ground up, give them responsibility, and let them grow. Experience comes from practice, and today’s generation is more equipped than ever, but they need opportunity. If we do not support them, we risk losing great potential.

To young professionals, I say: before thinking of starting your own business, master your current role, contribute meaningfully to your projects, and understand your profession deeply. Once you have proved your value, the right opportunities will come. I am also working on a book titled Plan Not Your Life, where I share my 30 plus years of experience, hoping to inspire the next generation.

Final Thoughts

Our founder, Nesim Hayfavi’s journey is a testament to lifelong learning, responsibility, and giving back. At e-bonH, his leadership continues to shape impactful projects and cultivate future leaders in engineering and project management.