Leadership in emerging markets for digitalization: a critical biography of Süreyya Ciliv

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to critically examine Süreyya Ciliv’s leadership at Turkcell, focusing on how he influenced the company’s transformation from a traditional telecom operator to a digital technology enterprise. The analysis is situated within Türkiye’s broader institutional and corporate governance landscape. Design/methodology/approach Using a critical biography methodology, the study integrates primary data from a firsthand interview with Ciliv, semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders, triangulated with archival documents, industry reports and the author’s autoethnographic experience as a former Turkcell employee. This multi-source approach enables a reflexive and context-sensitive leadership analysis under contested governance conditions. Findings The findings demonstrate that while Ciliv advanced significant digitalization efforts, such as the rollout of third-generation mobile telecommunications (3G) and digital mobile services, its strategic leadership was constrained by unresolved shareholder disputes and increasing state intervention. His efforts to embed a value-driven leadership model often clashed with the institutional logics of financial conservatism, political entanglement and fragmented corporate ownership. Research limitations/implications Although the study benefits from rich triangulated data, including an in-depth interview with Ciliv, its focus remains on a single leadership case in an emerging market. Nevertheless, it offers conceptual extensions to IE, digital leadership and corporate governance literature streams by revealing how contextually embedded leadership is exercised and constrained in volatile environments. Practical implications The study provides actionable insights for executives navigating digitalization in emerging economies, underscoring the need to align innovation strategies with shifting institutional logics, regulatory pressures and internal governance dynamics. Social implications The analysis interrogates whether corporate digitalization agendas in emerging markets foster genuine infrastructure advancement or primarily serve shareholder interests, raising important concerns about digital inclusion and organizational ethics. Originality/value Challenging dominant heroic chief executive officer narratives, this study contributes a rare critical biography of a technology leader in an emerging market. Weaving together insider and outsider perspectives showcases a more grounded understanding of how leadership, governance and innovation intersect in politically complex environments.