Who is Yıldırım Azizoğlu? The BİTES general manager
Quick answer: Yıldırım Azizoğlu has been the general manager of BİTES, a subsidiary of Turkish defense electronics manufacturer ASELSAN, since October 2025. Born in Ankara in 1974, Azizoğlu graduated from Kabataş High School for Boys and then from the Electronics and Communications Engineering department of Istanbul Technical University. He held management posts at Ziraat Teknoloji, Turkish Airlines and Borsa Istanbul, Turkey’s stock exchange; in the seven years before BİTES he served as Information Technologies Director at ASELSAN. He took over the post from Cemil Sağıroğlu, who had run the company since December 2023.
Education and career
According to the resume reported in the trade press, Azizoğlu built his career in information technology. He held senior management posts in roles ranging from state banking technology to aviation and capital markets infrastructure, and completed international professional certification programs along the way. His seven years as a director at ASELSAN also brought experience in corporate information technology management at defense industry scale.
| Organization | Field of duty | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ziraat Teknoloji | Information technology | Not officially disclosed |
| Turkish Airlines | IT management | 5 years |
| Borsa Istanbul Group | IT management | 3 years |
| ASELSAN | Information Technologies Director | 7 years |
| BİTES | General Manager | October 2025 – present |
The company he took over
BİTES, the company Azizoğlu now heads, is a software house founded in 2005 on helicopter simulation work packages that made its first exports to Germany, Airbus D&S, the Middle East and Sikorsky between 2012 and 2018. The company came under the ASELSAN umbrella in 2019; in October 2023 all shares passed to ASELSAN. Today’s portfolio includes the ATOK tactical operation kit, the TAZI robot, simulators and avionics software services; the company’s official website also lists a field of work on platform cyber security for KAAN, Turkey’s national combat aircraft program.
His appointment to BİTES
According to trade publications dated October 6-7, 2025, Azizoğlu took over as general manager of BİTES from Cemil Sağıroğlu at a handover ceremony, at which he presented Sağıroğlu with a plaque for his contributions. The appointment was the first general manager assignment made from within the group after ASELSAN took full ownership of the company in October 2023; Azizoğlu came to the post directly from his directorship at ASELSAN.
His first period in office
One of Azizoğlu’s first public statements came after the International Anatolian Phoenix-2026 exercise held in Konya in April 2026. In an Anadolu Agency report on the use of the ATOK tactical operation kit at the exercise, Azizoğlu said that the successful results obtained in exercises applying real combat scenarios showed that the company’s solutions were proving themselves in the field. During this period the company took part in the SAHA Istanbul fair of May 2026 at the ASELSAN Pavilion. Placing a manager with an information technology background at the head of a product company is read as a choice consistent with the software-weighted BİTES portfolio; the company published no strategy statement regarding the appointment.
The chain of general managers at BİTES
The company’s management has changed more than once over the past three years. Uğur Coşkun, who had led the company since its founding period, left the post in November 2023 by decision of the board; in reporting his departure the trade press said Coşkun had served as general manager for a long period, a length that does not match the 2005 founding date announced by the company. He was first replaced on an acting basis by board member Erinç Albayrak. In December 2023, Cemil Sağıroğlu, founding director of the Software Technologies Research Institute of TÜBİTAK BİLGEM, Turkey’s national research council, became general manager. During Sağıroğlu’s roughly two-year tenure, a graduate of Boğaziçi University’s computer engineering department, the company presented its four-legged robots at the IDEF 2025 fair and unveiled TAZI to the public. Azizoğlu took over in October 2025.
The management changes coincided with the period in which ASELSAN turned the company into a wholly owned subsidiary. With all shares passing to ASELSAN in October 2023, the governance of BİTES came to be set by its parent; Sağıroğlu came from the public research ecosystem, while Azizoğlu came directly from the ASELSAN management ranks. The company’s activities during this period can be followed in the export file and the product guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Yıldırım Azizoğlu?
An information technology executive born in Ankara in 1974; general manager of BİTES since October 2025.
Where did Azizoğlu study?
Kabataş High School for Boys and the Electronics and Communications Engineering department of Istanbul Technical University.
Where did he work before BİTES?
At Ziraat Teknoloji, Turkish Airlines (5 years), Borsa Istanbul (3 years) and ASELSAN (7 years, as Information Technologies Director).
Who was the previous general manager?
Cemil Sağıroğlu between December 2023 and October 2025; before him Erinç Albayrak on an acting basis, and for many years Uğur Coşkun.
When did the appointment take place?
According to the trade press, the handover took place in the first week of October 2025.
What certifications does Azizoğlu hold?
The trade press reports that he completed international professional certification programs; the names of the certificates have not been officially disclosed.
Sources and verification note
- https://ssbulten.com.tr/gundem/detay/bitesin-yeni-genel-muduru-yildirim-azizoglu–5272 — appointment and resume (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://defensehere.com/tr/bitesin-yeni-genel-muduru-yildirim-azizoglu-oldu/ — appointment, career stops (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://ictmedia.com.tr/haber/biteste-yeni-genel-mudur-yildirim-azizoglu-goreve-basladi — handover details (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/atok-uluslararasi-anadolu-ankasi-2026-tatbikatinda-performansiyla-one-cikti/3910342 — statement in his capacity as general manager (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://www.savunmasanayist.com/biteste-genel-mudur-degisikligi-karari/ — 2023 management change (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://www.c4defence.com/bites-savunma-genel-mudurlugune-erinc-albayrak-vekaleten-atandi/ — acting period (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
The years given for Azizoğlu’s terms of office rest on resume accounts in the trade press; the company has not published a detailed curriculum vitae. Information that could not be verified has not been included.
