Ezel Abacı

Profile

Over 20 years of experience in luxury hospitality and food. Most recently led integrated management systems (ISO 9001, 14001, 22000, 10002, 45001, 50001) and TURQUALITY project coordination at Kaya Palazzo Golf Resort and Kaya Belek Hotel, with 632 rooms and 1,150 employees. Completed the brand maturity analysis in the TURQUALITY programme, coordinated the strategy, brand, operations, sustainability, human resources, IT and R&D working groups, and developed module-based documentation and service standards. ISO 9001 Lead Auditor and sworn expert witness in food quality, registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye. Has managed budget discipline, crisis response and international certification (Travelife, Green Star, Blue Flag, Türkiye Sustainable Tourism Programme Stage 3) across multi-property operations.

Core strengths

• Food Safety
• Hygiene
• Quality Auditing
• Quality Assurance
• Hospitality Industry
• Customer Satisfaction
• ISO 14001
• Quality Management
• Food Quality
• Service Quality
• QHSE
• Sustainability
• Supplier Evaluation
• Environmental Management Systems

Professional experience

1. 2026 – PresentAntalya, Türkiye

   Founder, Management Consultant

   Norma Kalite / Norma Quality

   Corporate management systems, process excellence consulting, quality leadership for senior management and the Sessiz Mükemmellik ecosystem.

   • Management Systems Consulting
   • ISO 9001 Lead Auditing
   • Lean Process Design
   • Supply Chain Risk Management
   • Executive Mentoring
   • Training & Workshop Design
2. May 2023 – October 2026Antalya, Türkiye

   Quality Manager and TURQUALITY Project Coordinator

   Kaya Palazzo Golf Resort ve Kaya Belek Otel

   • Managed the operational follow-up of integrated management systems (ISO 9001, 14001, 22000, 45001, 50001) and TURQUALITY compliance at a 632-room property serving 1,800 guests a day in high season with 1,150 employees.
   • As TURQUALITY project coordinator, designed the brand's corporate infrastructure and operating models and prepared department-level standard operating procedure cards.
   • Embedded service standards into operations in line with sustainable luxury hospitality and developed guest satisfaction processes.
   • Coordinated the food safety team and the environment committee and managed international standard audits.
   • Developed sustainability projects on mains and utility water and water efficiency; coordinated scope, data set and certification file for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Blue Water Efficiency Certificate.
   • Implemented the ISO 50001 energy management system, improving the energy performance indicator (EnPI) from 0.005197 to 0.004977 TOE per night, about 4.2%.
   • Within the TURQUALITY sustainability module, led the GRI-standard group sustainability report and ESG data consolidation, the double materiality analysis, the stakeholder survey and the Turkish adaptation of SASB metrics.
   • Prepared the Kaya Hotels innovation management strategic plan (2026–2030) and its reference project portfolio.
   • Defined business requirements and coordinated configuration for the quality module (ElektraQM) on ElektraWeb.
   • Designed a group-wide Quality and Operational Excellence Directorate and presented scope, phases, organisation chart and resource plan to the Board.

   • Quality Management
   • Service Quality
   • Quality Assurance
   • Food Safety
   • Hygiene
   • Quality Auditing
   • QHSE
   • Sustainability
   • ESG Reporting
   • Energy Management
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Process Improvement
   • Hospitality Industry
3. 2022Marmaris, Muğla, Türkiye

   Director of Quality

   Martı Hotels & Marinas

   Managed integrated quality, food safety and environmental management systems across hotel and marina operations and led the Martı Group Lean Service Implementation Project.

   • Quality Assurance
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Customer-Focused Services
   • Quality Improvement
   • Food Safety
   • Sustainability
   • Hygiene
   • ISO 14001
   • Food Quality
   • QHSE
   • Quality Systems
   • Risk Management
   • Quality Auditing
   • Hospitality Industry
   • Environmental Management Systems
   • Service Quality
4. May 2021 – May 2022Antalya, Türkiye

   Quality Manager and Responsible Hotel Manager

   Amon Hotels Belek

   • As part of the founding management team, opened a 333-room property in five months, running all licensing and certification with the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, Environment, and Agriculture and Forestry and the municipality.
   • Led the Ministry of Culture and Tourism classification audit and completed the hotel's star certification.
   • Built the corporate quality documentation from scratch and audited its use in every department.
   • Managed crisis response during the pandemic through cross-department coordination.

   • Quality Assurance
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Quality Improvement
   • Food Safety
   • Adult Education
   • Hygiene
   • Supplier Performance
   • Quality Management
   • ISO 14001
   • Food Quality
   • QHSE
   • Risk Management
   • Supplier Evaluation
   • Quality Auditing
   • Hospitality Industry
   • Environmental Management Systems
   • Service Quality
5. 2018 – 2021Antalya, Türkiye

   Group Quality Manager

   Corendon Hotels Grup

   • As the group's first Group Quality Manager, wrote the integrated Hotel Operations Manual for four properties with 1,586 rooms: Corendon Grand Park Lara (896 rooms), Corendon Playa Kemer (305 rooms), Grand Park Bodrum, now Azure by Yelken Hotel (297 rooms) and Premier Solto Hotel by Corendon, Alaçatı (88 rooms).
   • Managed ISO 9001, 14001, 22000 and 10002 implementation, international certification, internal audits and management reviews in four hotels.
   • When the pandemic was declared in March 2020, prepared all procedures, guest handbooks and on-site briefing materials that kept four hotels running without interruption.
   • Earned the Safe Tourism Certificate, ranking 3rd in Türkiye and 1st in the Kundu region.
   • Coordinated lean process improvement across the four hotels.

   • Process Planning
   • Quality Assurance
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Quality Improvement
   • Food Safety
   • Sustainability
   • Hygiene
   • Quality Management
   • ISO 14001
   • Food Quality
   • QHSE
   • Quality Systems
   • Risk Management
   • Quality Auditing
   • Hospitality Industry
   • Crisis Management
   • Business Process Improvement
   • Service Quality
6. June 2016 – 2018Türkiye

   Senior Quality Consultant

   Gören Organizasyon Kalite Danışmanlık

   Advised national and international hospitality and food companies on ISO system implementation, lean service practices and Travelife, Green Star and Greening Hotels certification files.

   • Consulting
   • Strategic Planning
   • OHSAS
   • Quality Assurance
   • Food Safety
   • Sustainability
   • Adult Education
   • Quality Management
   • Lean Tools
   • ISO 14001
   • Supplier Evaluation
   • Quality Auditing
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Hospitality Industry
   • Occupational Health
   • Environmental Management Systems
7. October 2014 – June 2016Türkiye

   Quality Manager

   Club Sultan Otel ve Pasha Resort Otel

   • Implemented ISO 9001, 22000, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 across all properties and managed Travelife, Green Star and Blue Flag audits.
   • Set up a supplier audit and evaluation system that standardised raw material and service quality.

   • Quality Management
   • Food Safety
   • ISO 14001
   • OHSAS
   • Supplier Evaluation
   • Quality Auditing
   • Hospitality Industry
8. February 2013 – August 2014Türkiye

   Regional Operations Manager

   Futaş Yemek ve İnşaat A.Ş.

   Managed contract catering operations at regional level.

   • Food Production
   • Food Safety
   • Hygiene
   • Customer Satisfaction
9. February 2008 – January 2013Türkiye

   Operations Manager

   Aras Holding, Aras Catering

   • Responsible for more than 190,000 portions a month across nine industrial kitchens in Ankara, İzmir, Kayseri, Marmara and Bartın, and for a 160-person team.
   • Managed the client portfolio for contract catering at cement, rubber, retail (Carrefour) and other industrial sites.
   • Tracked production cost ratio, raw material cost per person and sales-per-employee efficiency by kitchen in monthly reports.
   • Ran budgeting, cost control, staff management and supplier qualification audits.

   • Process Planning
   • Quality Assurance
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Food Safety
   • Hygiene
   • Supplier Performance
   • Food Quality
   • Budget Management
   • Supplier Evaluation
   • Food Production

Civil society

1. 2003 – 2007Bandırma, Türkiye

   Unit Manager

   Türkiye Eğitim Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TEGV)

   • Ran the unit's overall management, budget discipline and administration in line with the foundation's strategy.
   • Planned education programmes and their logistics and followed delivery in the field.
   • Recruited, onboarded and coordinated a large volunteer network.
   • Managed relations with local stakeholders, public institutions and supporters.

   • Strategic Planning
   • Volunteer Management
   • Volunteer Training
   • Adult Education
   • Donor Relations

Certifications

• Executive Certificate Program: Artificial Intelligence Applications in Hospitality with RecepAIHotel Linkage · 2026Four-week executive education with Istanbul, Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat and Özyeğin universitiesView certificate ↗
• Personal Data Protection (KVKK) Train-the-TrainerMore Payroll · 2021
• Service-Oriented Communication ManagementiDA Fikir Evi · 2019
• ICF-accredited Professional and Group Coaching; Train-the-TrainerKadir Has University · 2017–2018136 hours in total
• Sworn Expert Witness, food quality and safetyMinistry of Justice, Republic of Türkiye · 2017
• Service quality, lean production, process management and improvement, 5S, Six Sigma, project managementDokuz Eylül University · 2017
• ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 22000 and quality auditingDokuz Eylül University · 2017
• Statistical Quality ControlDokuz Eylül University · 2017
• Legionella ManagementMinistry of Health, İzmir Public Health · 2016
• Dangerous Goods Safety AdviserMinistry of Transport · 2015
• Occupational Safety Specialist, Class BMinistry of Labour and Social Security · 2013
• ISO 9001 Lead Auditor TrainingKASCERT · 2006
• Teaching Certificate (Pedagogical Formation)Gazi University · 1998

Projects and books

• Lüks Otel Yönetimi ve Operasyonel Mükemmellik · 2026A practical book on service quality, sustainability and operational efficiency in luxury hospitality.
• Sessiz Mükemmellik: Bir İşletme HikâyesiA business novel following the 90 days before a resort's season opening through its quality manager's eyes; 18 chapters, 408 pages, limited pre-print of 100 copies.
• Kaya Hotels Kalite ve Operasyonel Mükemmellik Direktörlüğü · 2026Scope, phase and organisation model for a group quality structure, presented to the Board.
• TURQUALITY Hazırlıkları ve Operasyon StandartlarıEvidence for operations, innovation and sustainability, and department-level SOP cards.
• ElektraQM Pilot UygulamasıQuality documents, forms and a shared content structure at Kaya Palazzo Golf Resort.
• Martı Grubu Yalın Hizmet Uygulama ProjesiPutting lean service thinking into practice in hospitality.
• Kıyı Otelciliğinde Çevre Yönetim Sisteminin Yalın Uygulamalara Entegrasyonu · 2018Master's thesis in Total Quality Management.
• İsrafın İçindeki Değer · 2019A corporate and personal awareness workshop on using nature, time, food and other resources well.
• Bütçeni Yönet, Kaliteli Yaşa · 2019A workshop on quality management in daily life and making good use of a budget.
• Aras MutfaktaA children's book and education project on healthy eating habits.

Memberships and roles

• KalDer (Turkish Quality Association), full member
• Mobbing Education and Research Association, volunteer member
• External trainer for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security: occupational health and safety and total quality management in hotels