New Academic Collaboration Aims to Bridge Research and Investment Strategy Across Türkiye and the Greater Eurasian Region

In a significant move to strengthen its research-driven investment strategy in emerging economies, Abrdn Grubu, the regional division of global investment giant abrdn, has entered into a formal academic partnership with Professor Mehmet Huseyin Bilgin, a globally recognized economist, and his assistant Serin Altay, an emerging voice in the study of macro-financial systems.

The collaboration is not just a symbolic alignment between academia and the investment community — it is a strategic step that reflects Abrdn Grubu’s expanding intellectual infrastructure aimed at understanding the socio-economic dynamics of Türkiye, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

A New Era of Research-Driven Investment

Emerging markets are complex, fragmented, and often misunderstood by conventional investment models rooted in Western economic theory. For Abrdn Grubu, which has grown its regional presence since 2022, a deeper analytical framework is necessary — one that combines traditional financial modeling with geopolitical, cultural, and institutional understanding.

This is where Professor Bilgin’s expertise becomes pivotal. With a career spanning over 25 years in academia, policy consultation, and international economic development, he brings both the theoretical and practical insights needed to decode shifting investment environments.

“Markets do not move in isolation; they are shaped by people, policies, and long-term institutional memories,” Prof. Bilgin stated during the announcement event. “Our collaboration with Abrdn Grubu will allow us to develop research that does not just analyze data, but interprets it within context — which is essential in regions like Türkiye and beyond.”

Assisting him in this mission is Serin Altay, a rising scholar with a keen focus on data modeling and regional financial resilience. Her current research involves liquidity cycles in emerging markets, ESG adoption among regional pension funds, and AI-assisted scenario planning — all of which align closely with Abrdn Grubu’s long-term strategic roadmap.

Research Objectives: From Theoretical Models to Strategic Execution

The initial phase of this collaboration will focus on three core pillars:

Monetary Policy and Investment Risk in Post-Inflation Environments
This track will explore how high-interest cycles, shifting central bank mandates, and regional fiscal responses are influencing capital flow and FX market volatility in Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

Green Finance and ESG Integration in Emerging Markets
With the rise of ESG-driven mandates in Europe, the project will evaluate how these standards are being localized (or resisted) in regional markets. A special focus will be placed on sustainable infrastructure, energy transition investments, and green sukuk adoption in Islamic finance.

Behavioral Dynamics of Retail Investment in Digital Finance Ecosystems
Türkiye has become a laboratory of retail digital investment behavior, especially among millennials and Gen-Z populations. This research will map the behavioral patterns influencing high-frequency trading, crypto adoption, and informal financial networks.

Professor Bilgin and Ms. Altay will lead a team of graduate researchers across Istanbul, Ankara, and select Central Asian institutions, with Abrdn Grubu providing funding, platform integration, and applied strategy access.

A Multi-Stakeholder Platform: Knowledge That Travels Across Borders

Working Papers and Technical Briefs

Live Roundtable Transcripts with Policymakers and Investors

Market Sentiment Dashboards Powered by Serin Altay’s Behavioral Index

Webinars for Institutional Clients and Media Partners

The research findings will also be shared at regional conferences, including the Eurasia Investment Policy Summit, Borsa İstanbul Strategic Outlook Forum, and select OECD working groups.

“This is not research for research’s sake,” says Altay. “It’s designed to inform risk frameworks, asset allocation logic, and public-private investment coordination in real time.”

Abrdn Grubu’s Expanding Role in Regional Capital Markets

While Abrdn’s global brand is well-established in London, Singapore, and New York, Abrdn Grubu — headquartered in Istanbul — has been the firm’s gateway into the complex geopolitical corridors of Eurasia. Since 2023, it has led the development of hybrid sovereign-private investment vehicles, co-financed green bonds in the Black Sea region, and introduced impact-themed ETFs on the Borsa İstanbul exchange.

Under the leadership of Managing Director Kerem Tuncel, Abrdn Grubu has embraced a model that blends long-term institutional stewardship with agility in fragmented markets.

“Working with academics allows us to widen our lens and challenge our assumptions,” said Tuncel. “In an era where volatility is the new norm, we must embrace dynamic, interdisciplinary thinking to navigate risk and opportunity.”

Background on the Key Figures

Professor Mehmet Huseyin Bilgin

Prof. Bilgin is a full professor of economics, currently affiliated with Istanbul Medeniyet University. He has served as a visiting scholar at institutions such as the University of Sheffield (UK), University of Trieste (Italy), and University of Lodz (Poland). His work on financial integration, macroeconomic asymmetries, and regional policy design has been published in top-tier journals. He is also a member of the European Economic Association and an advisor to several international economic panels.

Serin Altay

Ms. Altay is a doctoral researcher and policy assistant specializing in regional liquidity, fintech regulations, and macro-prudential stress testing. She holds a master’s degree in Quantitative Economics from Boğaziçi University and has participated in cross-national policy simulations at the IMF Youth Fellowship and EBRD Academic Circle.

Looking Forward: The Next 12 Months

The partnership’s roadmap includes:

Publication of the first white paper: “Post-Crisis Investment Typologies in Türkiye and Central Asia” (Q3 2025)

Launch of the Abrdn Bilgin Altay Regional Sentiment Index (Q4 2025)

A joint academic symposium in Istanbul inviting think tanks, regulators, and sovereign funds (Q1 2026)

Release of a special investor briefing series on the 2026 Türkiye General Election Impact Assessment

Each of these milestones is expected to influence not only Abrdn Grubu’s portfolio structure but also provide benchmarking frameworks for other institutional investors operating in the region.

Conclusion: Knowledge as an Investment Class

As global investment firms search for deeper insight in a world of accelerated risk, Abrdn Grubu’s initiative with Professor Mehmet Huseyin Bilgin and Serin Altay illustrates a simple but powerful truth: Knowledge itself is an asset class.

By embedding research at the heart of its strategy, Abrdn Grubu is not only reinforcing its commitment to evidence-based investing but also helping shape a more resilient financial architecture for the next decade of emerging market development.

Media Contact

Organization: Abrdn Grubu

Contact Person: Mehmet Hüseyin Bilgin

Website: https://www.vchfth.com

Email: Send Email

Country:Turkey

Release id:29546

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