Editor’s Foreword
The friendship between Özhan Erem and Hakan Okay dates back to 1974. Having grown up in the same block of flats in Istanbul and never having let their friendship—which spans more than half a century—fade, this meeting between the two men took the form not so much of a conventional interview as a heartfelt and cheerful chat between two old friends over a cup of coffee. During this meeting at the Medyafors office, the conversation spanned Hakan Okay’s long professional journey in the cosmetics and perfume sector, the birth of the Mr. Okay brand, his vision for franchising, and the objectives of the ‘Bayim Olur musun?’ Fair.
The most valuable aspect of this conversation was not merely the recounting of his experience, but the way in which he conveyed, in warm and engaging terms, how this experience had evolved over the years into a culture of discipline, hard work, sales, marketing, franchising, product development and entrepreneurship.
A Conversation That Began with Friendship
Özhan EREM Question
My dear Hakan, welcome once again. As always, you look very elegant; your tie, your pocket square, your posture… Apart from our youth, I can almost say that I have rarely seen you in casual clothes since you stepped into business life.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Thank you, my dear Özhan. Since I am not as handsome as you, I try to cover the gap with packaging. But I should also say this; from a very young age, you never drifted away from the path you started in the fields of trade fairs and publishing. Despite difficult periods, continuing toward the same goal has made you one of the recognized and trusted names in your sector today. As someone who knows this closely, I sincerely congratulate you.
Özhan EREM Question
Let’s leave me aside for now. Today, my aim is to talk about your new venture and show our readers the points in your story that may inspire them. You have taken on important responsibilities in professional life for many years, served in senior management, and continued your academic career. For our readers who may not know you, could you start from the beginning? I will step in from time to time and deepen the parts you pass over quickly.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Gladly, my dear Özhan; but don’t ask too many deep questions and make me feel like I am taking an exam.
German Discipline, Turkish Practicality
Hakan OKAY Answer
As you know, my father was a physician, and an important part of my childhood was spent in Germany. When I returned to Turkey, even my Turkish was not very strong. Germany taught me systematic and disciplined work, while Turkey taught me flexibility and practical problem-solving. Looking back today, I see that these two different cultures have provided me with a great advantage in both my business and personal life.
Hakan OKAY Answer
In my first year at university, I started working part-time. I worked in the sales department. Even today, I still benefit from the experience I gained during that period. Studying and working at the same time gives a person self-confidence. Moreover, since you are a beginner, you learn without being caught up in complexes. Every responsibility taken at the beginning of business life opens another door in later years.
Özhan EREM Question
Even today, new graduate candidates are still asked, “Where did you intern while studying, and where did you work?” You gained that practical experience very early.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Absolutely. After graduating from university and completing my master’s degree in business administration, I fulfilled my military service as a reserve officer interpreter and translator. Then, in 1985, I applied for a product manager position at a cosmetics company. In fact, I had also applied to a pharmaceutical company around the same period. The cosmetics company acted faster, and that is how I was introduced to the sector. So, in the beginning, it was not a conscious choice of cosmetics; it was partly the flow of life. But in a short time, I came to love this field very much.
The Early Years in Cosmetics: Sales, Marketing, Dealerships and the Field
Özhan EREM Question
You must have loved the sector; otherwise, you would not have stayed in the same field for such a long time.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Of course, I loved it. Corresponding with foreign companies, attending meetings, seeing domestic and international fairs, and being involved in fields such as fashion, color, perfume, makeup, and skincare were very exciting for me. But what truly developed me was touching every stage of the business.
Hakan OKAY Answer
In 1985, I started at VEPA Kozmetik A.Ş. as a Cosmetics Product Manager. At that time, VEPA had a strong sales organization reaching approximately 15,000 pharmacies and perfumeries across Turkey. In the same year, the company became the Turkish distributor of the world-famous Estée Lauder products. Perfume series from the Italian brand Enrico Coveri were also added to the portfolio.
Hakan OKAY Answer
I was responsible for the Enrico Coveri men’s perfume series and the Pailettes women’s perfume series. I took part in the promotion and distribution strategies of the products. By establishing a dealership system across Turkey, I achieved sales to more than 300 perfumeries and high-end pharmacies within three months. I distributed visual display materials, personally arranged shop windows, took orders, and followed up on shipment and collection processes. Many tasks that are handled by separate teams today had to be done personally under the conditions of that period.
Özhan EREM Question
And we are talking about years when there was no internet, no software as we know it today, and no CRM systems.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Yes, there was no internet; computers were mostly used in accounting. Therefore, field discipline, taking notes, following up, not neglecting visits, and building one-on-one relationships with dealers were very decisive. Today, young people have many tools in front of them, but at the same time there are many distractions. Effort and sweat at the beginning of business life pay off in later years. Patience is still the greatest capital.
Launches, Global Brands and Cosmetics Fairs
Hakan OKAY Answer
After the distribution processes, we organized launch dinners and press presentations in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, bringing dealers together. In those years, the shopping mall and chain perfumery structure as we know it today had not yet emerged in Turkey. Therefore, one-on-one relationships with dealers, brand perception, and press visibility were very important.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Later, I visited Cosmoprof, one of the world’s largest cosmetics fairs, held in Bologna, Italy. Over the years, I attended this fair 14 times. During my first visits, I examined the world’s major brands, took notes, and took photographs. In later years, I went not as a visitor but as an exhibitor; we set up stands and found corporate customers from abroad. This experience gave me the opportunity to read the global cosmetics market directly in the field.
Hakan OKAY Answer
After VEPA, I also played an active role in the Turkish distributorship process of PIKENZ’s Arrogance women’s and men’s perfumes. I managed the organization that increased the dealer network to 400 perfumeries and pharmacies. We organized a press conference and gala night for the brand’s arrival in Turkey. Unexpected problems arose, and we produced pragmatic solutions. Business life is also a bit like this; you make plans, but if you cannot produce solutions in the field, the plan alone is not enough.
Özhan EREM Question
You touched not only the sales and marketing side, but the entire life of the brand in the field.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Yes. At VELAR, which was the Turkish distributor of the Estée Lauder group, I first became sales manager and then took on the role of Estée Lauder brand manager. I worked on the distribution processes of Aramis men’s perfumes and Estée Lauder women’s perfumes. I received training abroad on brand management, skincare, and makeup products. I contributed to the establishment of the Estée Lauder stand at the Printemps store in Galleria, Turkey’s first shopping mall. The design came from abroad, but the on-site implementation was again our responsibility.
Entrepreneurship, Export and Brand Management
Hakan OKAY Answer
In 1990, I served as a shareholder partner at Interkoz, a subsidiary of Aromel Kozmetik. We took part in the Turkish launches of the Hugo Boss and Laura Biagiotti perfume series. We carried out comprehensive work including press conferences, gala nights, dealership systems, trainings, and brand presentations. During the same period, I was involved in the production, marketing, distribution, and sales operations of the Barbara Bort brand.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Later, I worked as Assistant General Manager at Aromel Kozmetik. I took part in the launches of perfume series such as Capitol and Emotion. I gained experience in a very broad area including international sales, export connections, packaging designs, fragrance selections, supplier meetings, and distributor management. I visited many markets, especially Russia. In short, I had the chance to understand the entire chain, from the fragrance of the product to its packaging, from the dealer system to exports.
Özhan EREM Question
All these processes actually form the foundation of the experience we see today in the Mr. Okay brand.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Absolutely. While living through them, a person sometimes sees these experiences only as work. But years later, you realize that every contact, every launch, every dealer visit, every fair, every crisis, and every design meeting has become part of your accumulated knowledge.
Corporate Training, Academia and Sharing Experience
Hakan OKAY Answer
In 2001, I took a short break from the cosmetics sector and worked as sales and marketing manager at Çift Geyik Karaca. I contributed to production organizations under the Pierre Cardin license and managed processes related to retail stores and franchising stores. In 2005, I moved to Kopaş Kozmetik and worked on marketing, product development, and foreign market activities for women’s and men’s perfumes under the XO brand. XO men’s perfumes rose to market leadership in 2007.
Hakan OKAY Answer
I retired in 2013, but I did not stop producing. I carried my professional experience into books. I shared my knowledge in sales, marketing, and management both through personal books and collective publications prepared with academics. In my book titled “Nasıl Zengin Olamadım,” I described my experiences in cosmetics, sales, and marketing in an entertaining yet instructive language.
Hakan OKAY Answer
On the academic side, I completed my master’s degree at Istanbul University Institute of Social Sciences. I then completed my doctorate at Istanbul Kültür University. Since 2013, I have been providing training and consulting services through the company 4CEO. As of the end of 2025, I have delivered trainings on different topics to 23 companies ranked among Turkey’s top 100 companies. I am still teaching strategic management at Istanbul Kültür University. I do not plan to disconnect from the world of education.
Mr. Okay: Experience Turning into a Brand
Özhan EREM Question
Now let’s come to the new venture that brings us together here today. How was Mr. Okay born?
Hakan OKAY Answer
In the final months of 2025, I decided to turn the cosmetics and perfume experience I had gained over many years into my own brand. Under the Mr. Okay brand, we launched 5 men’s and 5 women’s perfume variants produced originally from completely natural essences. Frankly, I can say that I reflected all my professional experience into these products.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Today, Mr. Okay perfumes are sold at 30 retail points across Turkey and on 8 marketplaces. We have come a good distance in a short time. However, our goal is not limited to this. We want to take stronger steps for new sales points, the right retail partnerships, corporate gift channels, and domestic and international distributorship opportunities.
Özhan EREM Question
I use the perfume you gifted me during your last visit with great pleasure. Its scent is impressive and its longevity is very good. It has a refined line that appeals to sophisticated tastes; assertive but not exaggerated. I truly congratulate you.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Hearing this from someone with your style and refined taste makes me very happy, my dear Özhan. Talking with you is always a great pleasure. Today’s conversation has been especially meaningful for me.
Bayim Olur musun? Fair and New Partnership Opportunities
Hakan OKAY Answer
With your support, we will take part in the Bayim Olur musun? Franchising and Branded Dealership Fair that you will organize this year. Our goal is to reach new sales points in Turkey and abroad, and to establish the right partnerships in perfumeries, concept stores, selected retail channels, corporate sales, and regional distributorship.
Özhan EREM Question
I also believe that Mr. Okay will be successful on this journey. Because this is not only a new perfume brand; behind it are years of field knowledge, product development experience, dealer management, marketing memory, and a strong entrepreneurial motivation. I congratulate you once again and wish you success with all my heart, my dear friend.
Hakan OKAY Answer
Thank you, my dear Özhan, for listening to me and bringing this conversation together with your readers.
For Partnership and Dealership Meetings
The Mr. Okay brand is open to new contacts for selected retail sales points, perfumeries and concept stores, corporate gift channels, regional distributorship, and international sales partnerships. Hakan Okay and the Mr. Okay team aim to meet investors, retail professionals, and business partners within the scope of the Bayim Olur musun? Franchising and Branded Dealership Fair.
Editor’s Final Note
There were many enjoyable moments that we could not fully reflect in this interview. Accompanied by coffees, memories of old friendship, and mutual laughter, this conversation revealed not only Hakan Okay’s professional knowledge but also his entrepreneurial energy. Mr. Okay stands out not merely as a new perfume brand, but as a new brand story shaped by experience, discipline, and years of sectoral memory.