Biography of Red Crescent President Kerem Kınık: A Last Minute Update on Turkey’s Humanitarian Leader
Kerem Kınık: From Doctor to Red Crescent Chairman
Kerem Kınık, the current Chairman of the Turkish Red Crescent, has a diverse background that includes medicine, disaster management, and music. Born in Malatya in 1970, Kınık grew up in Istanbul, where he spent his entire education life. He earned his medical degree from Istanbul University Istanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1993 and later completed his doctorate in Disaster Medicine at Bezmialem Vakıf University’s Institute of Health Sciences.
Afterwards, Kınık worked as an administrator at the Ministry of Health and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. In addition, he served as a council member in the Istanbul 10th Term Provincial Assembly and as the Chairman of the Health Commission. During this time, Kınık represented Istanbul at the European Union Regional Assembly Health and Social Policies Commission. He also worked as a general manager for various national and international technology companies while continuing to teach at the University of Health Sciences as the Head of the Department of Emergency Aid and Disaster Management.
Kınık has been involved with the Turkish Red Crescent since 2004, where he began as a volunteer. He was later elected as the Deputy Chairman in 2015 before becoming the Chairman in 2016. Kınık also served as a board member of the IFRC International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from 2015 until November 2017, when he was elected as the IFRC Vice President responsible for the Europe and Central Asia Region at the 21st IFRC Legal Meetings held in Antalya.
Aside from his impressive professional background, Kınık is also a musician who plays Turkish folk music instruments and composes as an amateur. He is fluent in English and has an intermediate level of Arabic. Kınık is married to Hatice Öztürk Kınık and has three children and three grandchildren.
Kınık’s varied experience and dedication to the Turkish Red Crescent serve as a great asset to the organization and its mission to help those in need during times of crisis.
