Serdar Cetinkaya, Deputy Commercial Attaché – Energy, Mining/Minerals & Finance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Embassy Ankara, Türkiye
Serdar Cetinkaya has served with the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara for more than 35 years, supporting U.S. companies pursuing business opportunities in Türkiye. He currently leads commercial activities in the energy, mining/minerals, and finance sectors, while also overseeing operations related to partner post Azerbaijan. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in advancing U.S. trade, investment, and strategic commercial engagement across the region.
Before joining the U.S. Commercial Service, Mr. Cetinkaya spent 11 years in the private sector in mining, metallurgy, infrastructure construction, and telecommunications. His previous positions included Deputy Director of the Ankara Liaison Office of NEC Corporation, and Deputy General Manager of Endam Engineering/Endem Construction Companies, where he managed major construction and industrial projects and represented international firms, including U.S. companies. He also worked as a Project Development Engineer at Eti Maden, one of the world’s leading boron producers. Mr. Cetinkaya holds graduate and undergraduate engineering degrees from the Brunel University and the University of Birmingham, and has received numerous awards from U.S. Government agencies, for contributions to U.S. - Türkiye trade.
Potential Cooperation with U.S. Companies in Türkiye and in the Region
The world needs diversified and resilient critical minerals supply chains rather than continued reliance on existing monopolies. The development of new critical mineral resources is in the interest of all nations and will contribute to greater energy security, economic growth, and technological advancement.
Time is of the essence. Technology is evolving rapidly, and global priorities are changing. No country should miss emerging opportunities by depending on a single source for critical minerals and strategic materials.
The rapid expansion of data centers, the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, and the growing demand for reliable, secure, and uninterrupted energy supplies are becoming the new normal. In this environment, countries should actively pursue the development of their own critical mineral resources and diversify their supply chains rather than relying excessively on any one country.
