McKinsey’s Baku office leader Murat Gursoy promoted to senior partner
Global strategy consulting firm McKinsey & Company has promoted its Baku office leader Murat Gursoy to senior partner, with Gursoy having transferred to Azerbaijan from Turkey in 2020.
Prior to originally joining McKinsey & Company in Ankara in 2014 as local public & social sector practice leader, Gursoy spent two decades working in economic development, including for the UNDP, EBRD, and Turkish economics ministry.
He continues to work with such institutions and government agencies as an advisor to help shape national strategy and transformation, saying of his impact, “For me, it’s whether it’s something I will proudly talk about with my children and grandchildren.”
McKinsey & Company launched its permanent office in Baku roughly a decade ago, which had already grown to a team of around two dozen consultants by the time of Gursoy’s arrival in 2020. The office maintains close ties with the firm’s Istanbul branch, with advisors from both offices – including Gursoy – regularly crossing over on projects in Central Asia and the Middle East.
A political science graduate of Ankara University with an MBA from Georgetown University, Gursoy kicked off his career as a foreign trade specialist with Turkey’s Ministry of Economy, before then spending over a decade at the UNDP in program and project management and coordinating the organisation’s work in Turkey, with a focus on SMB and regional development.
“Across Baku and beyond, Murat helps economies modernise and diversify, working with leaders overseeing finance, taxes, water, agriculture, and the economy overall,” the firm stated. “His work has helped increase access to WHO–approved drugs, bring hundreds of electric buses into service, up-skill thousands of employees, and laid the groundwork for increased foreign direct investment.”
Azerbaijan was one of the world’s hottest economies when McKinsey first put down roots, and with ongoing geopolitical volatility elsewhere is being increasingly seen as a key strategic global market as an energy provider and potentially more stable corridor linking Asia with Europe. The Azerbaijan Ministry of Energy also remains among McKinsey’s national government clients.
Gursoy was among the latest cohort of senior partner promotions at McKinsey, announced across the firm’s global offices. These include Noriko Kuya in Japan, Anke Raufuss in Australia, and several leaders in the US.
