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Arden University is pleased to announce the appointment of Nilhan Gökçetekin as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 September 2026. Her appointment comes as the University enters its next phase of growth, with a continued focus on widening access to flexible, career-focused higher education.
Nilhan joins Arden University with nearly 30 years of international leadership experience and a distinguished track record of driving growth, organisational transformation and customer-focused innovation across global organisations.
Most recently, Nilhan served as Chief Executive Officer of Hepsiburada. Prior to this, she held senior leadership roles at Amazon and Procter & Gamble, where she led large-scale commercial and operational transformation programmes, built high-performing teams and delivered sustainable growth across international markets.
Her experience aligns closely with Arden University’s ambition to expand access and shape the future of higher education through flexible learning, AI-powered innovation and an enhanced student experience.
Her leadership has also received international recognition. Nilhan has been named one of Fortune Türkiye’s Top 50 Female Leaders and one of Symbol’s Top 100 Most Influential Innovators. She has also been recognised as a Global Role Model for Diversity by YouTube and as Female CEO of the Year 2024/25 by Inc. Türkiye.
Commenting on her appointment, Nilhan Gökçetekin, incoming Chief Executive Officer of Arden University, said:
“I am excited to be joining Arden University as CEO at such an exciting point in its journey. Arden has built an outstanding reputation for making higher education accessible to learners from all backgrounds, and its vision of helping people thrive and succeed through real world relevant education that is fuelled by AI technology and literacy, shaped by employers and built around learners’ lives, deeply resonates with me.
Throughout my career, I have been passionate about building organisations that combine innovation, operational excellence and an unwavering focus on the people they serve. That is what excites me about the opportunity ahead at Arden University, particularly the potential for technology and AI to make education more personalised, accessible and effective for learners around the world.
I look forward to working with colleagues across the University to build on Arden's strong foundations, accelerate innovation, continue delivering an exceptional experience for students, and unlock the next phase of sustainable growth and impact."
Nilhan’s appointment comes as Professor Carl Lygo prepares to retire after six successful years as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Arden University.
Professor Lygo will continue as Vice-Chancellor until the end of January 2027, providing continuity of academic leadership and supporting a smooth transition. Recruitment for a new Vice-Chancellor is already underway, with an appointment expected to be announced in due course.
Alongside her role as CEO of Arden University, Nilhan will also serve as Group CEO of Arete Education Group, which includes Arden University and Arete AI.
