As of February 2025, Gürkan Kaban, who serves as General Coordinator within the Parkland Hospitality Group and is part of the GNC Hospitality projects, is bringing his approximately 30 years of hospitality experience gained in Turkey and international markets to a regional transformation vision based in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Kaban’s leadership approach focuses on operational excellence, brand discipline, and sustainable growth, aiming to position Parkland Hospitality Group as a regional benchmark in service quality, innovation, and sustainability.

With nearly 30 years of international experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, Gürkan Kaban began his career in 1995 in the Food & Beverage department at Çırağan Kempinski Istanbul. This strong foundation in operations enabled him to take on senior management and brand-level responsibilities in the later years of his career.

Between 1998 and 2008, he worked in the Assistant Maitre d’ / Senior positions on the Royal Caribbean International cruise fleet based in the United States, gaining deep international experience in global guest profiles, high-volume operations, and multicultural team management.

After returning to Turkey, he joined the opening team of the Rixos Ankara hotel as Banquet Service Manager; subsequently, he held key positions in food and beverage and operations management at major city hotels such as Dedeman Istanbul, Crowne Plaza Istanbul Asia, and Hilton Istanbul Kozyatağı. Particularly during his tenure as Food & Beverage Director at Hilton Istanbul Kozyatağı, he led the hotel’s opening process and operational structuring.

As of December 2020, he was appointed General Manager and Board Member at Holiday Inn Şişli, where he implemented significant improvement processes in operational efficiency, financial performance, and team management.

As of 2024, Gürkan Kaban serves as Operations Director at Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International. He is responsible for establishing all brand and operational standards for the group, bringing them up to international norms, maximizing guest satisfaction, and ensuring the sustainable implementation of standards. He has carried out this role under the Executive Board Presidency.

In addition to these duties, Gürkan Kaban served as Project Director in Tehran for approximately two years at GNC Hospitality Consulting, where he was involved in the brand development and investment consulting processes for hotel projects belonging to Iran Mahan Air. During this period, he successfully managed projects covering brand positioning, concept development, investment feasibility, technical coordination, and operational readiness, delivering sustainable, investment-focused solutions in line with international standards.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Gürkan Kaban specializes in operational excellence, opening management, and brand standardization in multi-brand and multi-location hotel structures.