ANKARA

Turkish Airlines executive board member Ilker Ayci was appointed the new chairman of Turkey's national flag-carrier, Turkish Airlines said in a statement on Monday

Former chairman Hamdi Topcu resigned on Monday, the statement said. He left, after five years as chairman, to run for parliament in the election to be held on June 7, as a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

According to the Turkish law, April 7 is the deadline for all political parties running for the upcoming parliamentary elections to finalize their candidatures. 

No details were given about Topcu's resignation. "I indicate that I will not take part in new administration of the airline, and announce that I resign from my Turkish Airlines chairman position" he said on his Twitter account.

According to the Turkish Airlines website, Ayci was born in Istanbul in 1971. After graduating from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Bilkent University, he served as a researcher in the Department of Political Sciences at Leeds University in the U.K.

Starting his career in 1994, he was assigned several positions in Kurtsan Ilaclar A.S., Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Universal Dis Ticaret A.S., respectively, and then he served as a general manager in Basak Sigorta A.S. between 2005-2006, and then in Gunes Sigorta A.S. between 2006 and 2011.

In January 2011 he was appointed as the Chairman of The Republic of Turkey Investment Support and Promotion Agency, which is the official organization for promoting Turkey’s investment opportunities to the global business community and for providing assistance to investors before, during and after their entry into Turkey. In February 2013, he was appointed as the vice president of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, and later on in January 2014, as the chairman.

 Ayci also held several positions such as board member and chairman of the Insurance Association of Turkey, Foreign Economic Relations Board - Turkey China Business Council, Vakif Emeklilik A.S. and Vakif Bank Gunes Sigorta Sports Club (Champion of 2008 Europe Challange Cup). He is married with one child.

Turkish Airlines CEO Temel Kotil will remain his post according to sources close to the company.