Change is inevitable. Not many people accept it with such graceful and intentional steps, as the ones who see beyond its uncertainty – those who know that change can be a driving power, guided by vision and by empathy. In the midst of a world where the majority pursue success, some are a rare breed that are dedicated to generating meaning.
One of the few is Dr Riza Kadilar, a man whose life story can be described as a motivating account of change as he went on to become a prosperous international banker and one of the most respected consultants in the field of coaching, mentoring, and inclusive leadership.
Having more than thirty years of experience in the financial sphere and the same amount of experience in human capital development, Dr. Riza Kadilar can be considered a living example of a connection between two different worlds, the precision of analytical thinking of finance and the soul of human development.
“I have always believed that the greatest treasure on earth lies in human personality,” he often says, a statement that captures the heart of his life’s work.
A Life Shaped by Curiosity and Courage
Dr. Riza Kadilar’s story begins with a solid foundation of education and ambition. He holds a PhD in Economics, a BSc in Industrial Engineering from METU, an MSc from Stanford University, an MBA from HEC Paris, and an executive management qualification from INSEAD. He has also pursued advanced diplomas in executive coaching and mentoring, alongside recent certifications in leadership in the digital age from Columbia Business School and INSEAD.
For nearly 30 years, he held senior positions in top European banks, from London to Amsterdam, Paris to Istanbul. He served as Deputy CEO of a London-based merchant bank, Management Board Member in Amsterdam, and later as Senior Country Manager for Turkey at Natixis, where he led key mergers, restructurings, and billion-dollar projects, including the covered bond programs for Turkish banking sector, a remarkable fleet of commercial aircrafts for Turkish Airlines, major energy and infrastructure investments, like Çanakkale Bridge, Blankenburg Tunnel, Haliç Railway crossing etc across Europe and Africa.
Yet behind the impressive résumé lay a deeper question – What more can leadership mean beyond numbers and profit?
That question became the compass of his second career.
A Gentle Awakening – From Banking to Coaching
The transition from banking to coaching was not sudden; it evolved naturally over time. While serving as Deputy CEO in London in the early 2000s,. Dr. Riza Kadilar was introduced to executive coaching, then an emerging field. He began integrating coaching into his leadership approach, seeing how reflective conversations could transform not only performance but people.
By the time of the global financial crisis, when business slowed and uncertainty grew, he convinced his employer to sponsor advanced coaching training. That moment, he recalls, “was a blessing in disguise.” It marked the true beginning of his journey as a coach and mentor, one that would soon take him far beyond corporate walls.
Coaching, discovered, was not just a leadership tool. It was a way of life. philosophy was grounded in being non-judgmental, non-directive, and cognitively empathetic, seeing others not through labels but through potential. “Coaching helped me avoid the heavy price of the life I led,” he reflects. “It saved me from the unfinished business and conflicting wishes that cause so much pain and friction in our lives.”
His deep commitment to growth led to explore Gestalt, Transactional Analysis, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Positive Psychology, weaving these disciplines into a uniquely holistic style of coaching. Over the years, he has delivered keynotes, training sessions, and mentoring sessions in more than 30 countries, reaching over 10,000 participants across cultures and industries.
Leading the World of Mentoring – The EMCC Journey
What began as personal growth soon grew into a global mission. During his coaching journey,. Dr. Riza Kadilar came across the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), a professional body dedicated to advancing best practices in coaching, mentoring, and supervision. Drawn by its inclusive, reflective, and research-based approach, he volunteered with EMCC Turkey. Within a few years, his leadership transformed the organization from a small circle of professionals to a thriving national community of over 350 members.
His vision and dedication did not go unnoticed. In 2018, Dr. Riza Kadilar was elected President of EMCC Global, based in Brussels, a role that positioned him at the forefront of the global coaching and mentoring landscape. Under his presidency, EMCC grew from 4,000 to over 20,000 members, with accredited practitioners increasing tenfold and cash reserves reaching record levels.
He championed the creation of Centers for Excellence, launched micro-credentialing systems, and aligned EMCC’s accreditation with UNESCO’s lifelong learning principles and the European Higher Education Framework. He also strengthened partnerships with organizations such as the European Commission, contributing to major initiatives in skills development, reskilling, and climate action.
But perhaps his proudest achievement is less about numbers and more about values. “We exist not to serve the coaches or mentors,” he says, “but to serve coaching and mentoring, as tools to make the world better.”
Under his leadership, EMCC has reached over to Asia Pacific, Latin America and the USA, and also became a beacon of inclusivity, uniting practitioners, beneficiaries, and academics in one reflective global dialogue.
Mentoring as a Social Equalizer
Riza’s 2016 book, The Art of Mentoring: Unity and Wisdom, captures his deep belief in mentoring as a social equalizer, a bridge between experience and aspiration. He defines mentoring as “a learning relationship involving the sharing of skills, knowledge, and expertise through developmental conversations and mutual learning.”
In his latest book Inspiring Wisdom: Mentoring he insists that true mentoring is not about giving advice or shaping others in one’s image. Instead, it is about contextual wisdom, the ability to share one’s perspective while remaining detached from it, allowing the mentee to discover their own truth.
His approach, often described as developmental mentoring, emphasizes equality, inclusiveness, and respect for differences. “Mentoring,” he says, “is a two-way partnership for mutual learning. It should be a core method used in every social context.”
It’s an approach that extends naturally from his life philosophy, one grounded in curiosity, compassion, and courage. The three C’s of coaching, as he calls them, form both his inner compass and his gift to others.
K Ventures and RK Academy – Nurturing a Better Tomorrow
After decades of success in corporate life, the global pandemic presented an unexpected turning point. When his bank closed international offices, Dr. Riza Kadilar saw not an ending but a beginning. In 2020, he founded K Ventures in the Netherlands, a platform for mentoring, investment, and innovation, alongside RK Academy, an online learning hub dedicated to leadership in the digital age.
Through K Ventures, he supports agri-tech, food-tech, and life-science scale-ups, investing in projects that merge technology with sustainability. “I live in a city of life sciences,” he says. “My investments focus on using technology to improve the quality of life in the most sustainable way.”
RK Academy, meanwhile, serves as his educational home, a space where he shares knowledge on inclusiveness, digital transformation, and reflective leadership. It embodies his belief that learning never ends, and that digital transformation is not just a trend but a new language of leadership.
Inclusive Leadership: The Human Element
At the core of Dr. Riza Kadilar’s philosophy lies one timeless idea of inclusion. Having led multicultural teams across continents, he learned early that true leadership begins with awareness of one’s own biases and respect for differences. “Clients are the best teachers,” he recalls. “They taught me that diversity of perspectives is a competitive advantage.”
In his book The Contemporary Leader: The Value of Inclusion in Successful Leadership, published by Wiley in 2024, he claims that instead of seeing inclusiveness as a “trendy concept,” he shows on how inclusion is an emotion that is achieved only through effective practice abilities. He delves into what inclusiveness promises us, discusses the relationship between inclusiveness, productivity, and diversity, evaluates concepts that are useful for us to increase our capacity for inclusion and looks at the obstacles that stand in the way of inclusion (such as unconscious biases and prejudices) to help teach readers understand how to change and become an inclusive leader.
He often describes his leadership style using the metaphor of a farmer:
“When you don’t get the yield you want, you don’t start getting mad at your seeds. You look at the soil, the sunlight, the rain, at the environment.”
His humility has guided him through the most complex challenges, from boardroom disagreements on sensitive topics like Black Lives Matter and climate action to navigating cultural nuances in global teams. His famous “empty chair” method during board meetings, leaving a chair symbolically open to represent absent stakeholders, ensures every voice, even the unheard, has a place in the conversation.
Riza believes that leadership is not about control but about creating the right conditions for growth, psychological safety, shared goals, and collective wisdom. “Partnerships are not created by partners,” he says, “but by common goals.”
A Thought Leader Who Inspires Action
Beyond organisational achievements, Dr. Riza Kadilar is a prolific writer and speaker. He has authored nine books, contributed to Bloomberg Businessweek Turkey and Harvard Business Review Turkey, and served on boards such as Institut du Bosphore (Paris), TUSIAD Netherlands Network (Amsterdam), and the Hisar Education Foundation (Istanbul).
His thought leadership centers on how to inspire, a question he explores in mentoring, teaching, and speaking engagements. For him, thought leadership is not about status but about service: connecting dots, sharing insights, and co-creating meaningful change. “I detached myself from routine tasks early in my career,” he says. “That allowed me to see the bigger picture and connect ideas across fields.”
Today, he continues to inspire leaders across sectors to move from ego-driven performance to purpose-driven impact, from achieving success to creating significance.
Looking Ahead with Hope and Humanity
When asked what legacy he wishes to leave behind, Dr. Riza Kadilar smiles. His answer is simple yet profound: to be a good ancestor.
He hopes that the leaders he mentors today will build “good times for all stakeholders”, a phrase he uses to describe a world where success and sustainability. He believes the next era of leadership will not be measured by profits or titles, but by how much harmony, empathy, inclusion, and creativity we bring into our systems.
“Coaching and mentoring are maybe the best tools to create a better world,” he says. “The contemporary social contract requires everyone to listen, respect differences, and create a sense of belonging.”
For Dr. Riza Kadilar, leadership is not a position but a responsibility, a daily practice of kindness, awareness, and reflection. Whether in a classroom in Amsterdam, a conference in Istanbul, or a board meeting in Brussels, he continues to serve as what he calls “a catalyst for meaningful change.”
And perhaps that is the essence of his journey, a man who turned leadership into learning and success into service. In a world that often values speed over wisdom, Dr. Riza Kadilar reminds us that the future belongs to those who lead with curiosity, courage, and compassion.