Bridging Europe and Asia: Talentor Welcomes CoForward in Turkey
We are proud to introduce Coforward as our new Talentor partner in Turkey, strengthening our presence at one of the world’s most strategically important crossroads. Founded in 2021, Coforward has quickly developed into a dynamic human resources consultancy with a strong focus on executive search, talent advisory, employer branding, and strategic HR solutions. Their comprehensive services—from mid- and senior-level recruitment to talent management and organizational consulting—make them a trusted partner for companies navigating the complexities of hiring and leadership development across industries.
At the helm of Coforward, Furkan Dogruyasa (Managing Partner) and Mehmet Arca AKALIN (Partner), with whom we sat down to learn more about their vision for Coforward, their insights into the Turkish and international talent market, and how they plan to leverage the partnership with Talentor International to support clients in Europe, Asia, and beyond.
Read their perspectives and know deeply about Coforward’s team and capabilities here:
Merhaba, Talentor'a hoş geldiniz Furkan and Arca! Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
We are Arca and Furkan, partners at Coforward in Istanbul and the faces of Talentor in Turkey. We are passionate recruitment professionals who have built our careers across the full recruitment lifecycle – from executive search consultancy to in-house HR leadership and Talent Acquisition roles. Today, we combine this experience to advise clients on strategic hiring and to support candidates in navigating their careers, mainly at mid‐management and executive level in Turkey and internationally.
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time? Any hobbies or favorite activities you’d like to share
Outside of work, we both have passions that keep us energised and creative. Arca is actively involved in theatre, both performing and working on stage projects. Alongside his role as a Partner at Coforward, he also runs a theatre initiative he founded in 2015 to support Koç University’s scholarship fund. Furkan is very dedicated to sports and staying active. As a duo, we both love travelling, discovering new places with family and friends, and meeting people from different cultures – this also strongly influences how we look at talent and organisations.
What’s your favorite part of being in the recruitment and executive search industry?
What we love most is the impact. A good hire can change the trajectory of a company and, at the same time, completely transform a person’s life and family.
Being in the middle of that – understanding both sides deeply and creating a real “win–win” – is very rewarding. We also enjoy the constant learning: every search means a new business model, a new market, a new leadership story.
How were your early days in this industry?
We both started on the “classic” agency side, working in executive search firms on mid‐management and C-level roles. Those years taught us discipline in research, assessment and client service. Later, Arca also moved to the “other side of the table” in corporate HR and Talent Acquisition, working with well-known consumer brands and technology companies. That combination of agency and in-house experience still shapes how we work with clients and candidates today.
What are the biggest learnings from your career?
What led you to found your company?
Coforward was born from a simple observation: many organisations needed more than a traditional “CV delivery” service. They needed partners who understand their business, their culture, and their long-term talent strategy. We wanted to build a boutique firm where senior consultants stay hands-on, combine executive search with HR advisory, and act as true partners for both clients and candidates – especially in a complex and fast-moving market like Turkey.
What is your company´s USP for clients and candidates?
For clients, our USP is the combination of executive search expertise with real in-house HR and Talent Acquisition experience. We understand the internal constraints – budgets, headcount, stakeholders – and design our searches and communication accordingly. Senior partners stay actively involved from briefing to onboarding.
For candidates, our USP is honest guidance and long-term relationships. We don’t see people as “profiles” for a single role, but as partners whose careers we support over many years, with realistic feedback and clear information about roles and companies.
What types of organizations do you usually work with, and what kind of talent are they looking for?
We typically recruit mid- to senior-level managers and executives: Heads of Function, Directors and C-level roles. Functionally, this often includes commercial and sales leadership, HR and Talent, finance, engineering, operations and general management, as well as specialist roles in tech-enabled or fast-growing environments. Many of our placements sit in regional or cross-border structures, reporting to international headquarters.
A CoForward client is either a multinational entering or expanding in Turkey, or a strong local or regional company that is scaling and needs more structured leadership. Often, they operate in consumer, retail, services, technology or industrial sectors and are looking for leaders who can navigate both local realities and international expectations. We work closely with Founders, Country Managers, HR Leaders and Regional HQs.
What surprises foreign companies the most when they are recruiting specialists in the Turkish market?
Many foreign companies are surprised by how dynamic, young and resilient the Turkish talent pool is.
They don’t always expect the level of adaptability, “hands-on” mentality and problem-solving skills they encounter. At the same time, they are often surprised by how important relationship-building, trust and employer brand are for candidates, as well as by the speed at which the market can move once trust is built.
What are the most frequent intercultural problems? What's the biggest cultural misunderstanding that you've seen when working internationally?
A frequent challenge is communication style. International managers may expect very direct communication, while local teams can be more indirect or relationship-oriented, especially when giving negative feedback or challenging decisions. Another recurring issue is expectations around speed versus process: Turkish teams can move very fast and improvise; international HQs sometimes expect more structured documentation and alignment. Misunderstandings often come from assuming “they think like us” instead of making expectations explicit.
What did you learn from working interculturally?
We learned that over-communication is usually better than under-communication.
Clarifying expectations early, translating not just language but also context and “unwritten rules” saves a lot of time and frustration. We also learned to act as cultural interpreters for both sides: explaining the local market reality to international stakeholders, and explaining HQ expectations to local candidates and managers. When this bridge is built, collaboration becomes much smoother.
How does the Turkish market serve as a strategic bridge between Europe and Asia, and why is this unique position valuable for our customers across both continents?
Turkey is literally and symbolically a bridge between Europe and Asia. From a business perspective, this means time zones that overlap with both regions, logistical advantages, and a workforce that is comfortable operating with European structures while understanding regional and Middle Eastern realities. For our customers, this creates access to leaders who can manage cross-border teams, adapt quickly, and serve as “connectors” between markets, cultures and business practices.
What is something that a foreign company would never guess about the Turkish labour market?
Many foreign companies don’t realise how internationally mobile and globally minded Turkish professionals are. A high proportion speak additional languages, follow international trends closely, and are open to regional or global roles. At the same time, job title, perceived stability and growth opportunities are very important; candidates evaluate not only salary but also the long-term story and purpose of the company.
Why did you decide to join the Talentor network?
We decided to join Talentor because we wanted to offer our clients truly cross-border support while staying boutique and independent.
Talentor gives us access to trusted partners who share similar values and quality standards in their markets, so our clients benefit from local expertise in many countries.
Hosting and taking part in the Talentor Global Summit 2025 in Istanbul also played an important role: it clearly showed us the strength of the community, the openness of knowledge-sharing, and the concrete value we can create together. The hospitality, support and professionalism of the Talentor team during this process confirmed for us that this is the right international network to belong to.
What do you think is great about being part of an international network / the Talentor network?
For us, being part of Talentor means we stay a boutique, locally rooted firm in Turkey while having trusted partners around the world for cross-border projects.
What really makes it great, though, is the continuous exchange and learning. Through regular partner calls, summits and joint projects, we share best practices, market insights and new ideas with colleagues from different countries and cultures. This helps us challenge our own assumptions, stay up to date, and bring fresh, internationally tested approaches to our clients and candidates in Turkey – while also showcasing the strength of Turkish talent to the wider network.
We thank Furkan and Arca for being part of Talentor and for sharing with us these valuable insights about their company and the Turkish market, we are confident that great things are coming. Through our partnership with Coforward, Talentor is even better positioned to support both European and Asian clients with their executive search and international hiring needs. Combining our global reach and proven executive search expertise with Coforward’s deep local market knowledge, we help organizations identify, attract, and place senior leaders who can operate successfully across borders and cultures. Together, we enable our clients to navigate international talent challenges with confidence, turning geographic complexity into a strategic advantage.
Welcome once again to the #TalentorCommunity Furkan, Arca and CoForward!
