Message From Management

In 1999, I graduated from the Maritime Faculty of Istanbul Technical University as a Marine Engineer. Subsequently, I worked as a Second Engineer and First Engineer on commercial ships for almost five years. As a result of this unique experience, I have had the opportunity to visit many countries and get to know many different cultures.

In 2003, I began working onshore which also marked the start of my international business career, which to date has included 13 years of professional experience in senior positions at one of Denmark’s most well-known companies. Through my experience in working with Scandinavian companies, I have come to respect their positive approach towards employees, customers, suppliers, and all other stakeholders. Moreover, learning about their innovative business strategies and environmentally friendly supply chains has contributed greatly to my own professional development.

I worked in Singapore as the Senior Commercial Director responsible for all Asian countries, during which time I made business visits to almost all countries in the region. Following this position, I became the Tokyo-based Senior Director for subsidiaries in Japan, the People’s Republic of China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Through both of these positions, I had the opportunity to get to know the business cultures of Asian countries. Additionally, I had the opportunity to establish close relationships with private and state companies operating in the Maritime, Energy, Mining, and Metallurgy fields, especially in the People’s Republic of China, South Korea, and Japan.

Throughout my career, I have gained and built on my experience in business strategy development, strategy implementation, business development, sales, marketing, entry to new markets, market development, and creating unique competition areas.

Following my time in Tokyo, I returned to Turkey and founded YSK Group®, through which I aim to collate and utilize all the experience I have gained during my career in order to add value to all our stakeholders. Our mission is to provide customized, unique commercial and technical solutions to our customers and business partners. Our core values are Humility, Honesty, Resilience, and Respect for Others.

We are aware of the issues surrounding cultural differences in conducting business, indeed as Gert Hofstede notes, “Culture is often a source of conflict rather than a source of association. Cultural differences are at best a stomachache, often a disaster. ” For companies, cultural differences can often result in misunderstandings, incompatibility, and, at worst, business failure. At YSK Group®, we have a unique advantage in helping support cooperations that are guaranteed to succeed as we have a cultural understanding of Turkish, Scandinavian and Asian markets as well as great experience in learning how to operate effectively in new markets.

Regarding our founder Yasin Kasa:
Yasin Kasa is an accomplished Maritime Executive and Senior Country Director with capabilities honed in a firm acknowledged as a global leader in the provision of maritime safety and firefighting equipment. A natural leader, seasoned with kickstarting growth, client engagement, market penetration, implementing innovative market strategies and process management. He has a proven ability to architect profit in expanding and contracting regions, seizing the opportunity to boost bottom-line outcomes with customer-centric sales processes providing competitive advantage.

His recent positions include:
Account Director, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment AS, 2019–2020
Senior Director – North Asia (Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan), VIKING Life-Saving Equipment AS, 2018–2019
Senior Commercial Director – Region Asia & Middle East, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment AS, 2018
Country Director – Turkey, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Lebanon, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment AS, 2008–2017
Managing Partner, Antares Maritime Ltd., 2005–2009

Fluent in the Turkish and English, Yasin holds an MBA from Henley Business School at the University of Reading and has completed the VIKING Global Management Development Program at the Copenhagen Business School. He holds Marine Engineering qualifications from Istanbul Technical University’s Maritime Faculty and is a Licensed Ocean-Going Marine Chief Engineer.

I started my professional career at our family company Halil Yılmaz Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi (HYM) in 2003.

HYM Lime Technologies has the ability to manage the whole process of a lime production plant project from the initial feasibility study to setting the plant into operation. Within the field of equipment, our main area of expertise is the production of Vertical Double and Single Shaft Lime Kilns, High Temperature Shaft Kilns, Lime Hydration Plants, Lime Milk Preparation Plants, and Vertical Roller Mills. However, our specialties and production capacities are not limited to these areas.

I served and gained experience in the Mining, Iron, Steel, Sugar and Construction sectors at HYM. Now, I utilize my experience in the Mining and Metallurgy department of the YSK.