Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • ITEC
    • International Elastomer Show
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Goodyear's global footprint would get strategic boost with Cooper Tire deal
      Goodyear-Cooper Tire deal 'a transactional milestone'
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      Yokohama sets ambitious goals through 2023
    • Goodyear's global footprint would get strategic boost with Cooper Tire deal
      Goodyear-Cooper Tire deal 'a transactional milestone'
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
    • USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
      ASC seeks presenters for fall convention
      Birla Carbon again recognized for sustainability efforts
      Carlisle TyrFil out with new recycling technology
    • Zeon receives pair of ISO certifications
      Trinseo taps K.D. Feddersen to supply soft-touch elastomers
      New products: MonTech offering customized bale cutters
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Ohio firm focuses on making better masks in U.S.
      U.S. to increase NBR, make gloves using Defense Production Act
      Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled for 2022
      Tire Technology Expo canceled for 2021
    • 9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Goodyear promotes Chris Helsel, expanding his global technology, operational role
      Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Dana Inc. hires Byron Foster in executive role
    • 9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
      Conti recalling 94,000 LT/SUV tires
    • Column: Discussions of race, equality may mean uncomfortable moments
      Column: Business trips possible because of essential workers
      Editorial: Associations see opportunity for progress under new administration
      Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
    • Studying RPA ASTM methods for detecting compound quality differences
      Damage mechanism in oil and gas formulations during downhole testing
      Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Starrett expands field-of-view for multi-sensor vision system
      New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
      New products: 3M introduces new durable, pliable medical adhesive
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Goodyear's global footprint would get strategic boost with Cooper Tire deal
      Goodyear-Cooper Tire deal 'a transactional milestone'
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
      Yokohama sets ambitious goals through 2023
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Sri Trang Gloves starts major capacity expansion
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
      Combined Goodyear-Cooper Tire company has tire tech, sustainability edge
      Helixtap launches new digital marketplace for rubber
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Labs of the Future: How to Choose a Laboratory Information Management System in 2021
      Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Selectâ„¢: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2021 International Latex Conference Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Women in Tire & Rubber
August 06, 2020 09:00 AM

Women in Tire & Rubber: Elif Duz

Rubber & Plastics News
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    Profiles of the inaugural class members of Rubber & Plastics News' Women in Tire & Rubber will appear daily through Aug. 21. Edited profiles of the entire class were published in the July 27 issue of RPN.

    Elif Duz

    Sales Manager Turkey, Middle East & North Africa

    Cabot Corp.
    Location:
    Istanbul, Turkey

    Education:

    Bachelor's, Mechanical Engineering, 2007, Bogazici University, Turkey

    Executive MBA, 2016, Koc University, Turkey

    Career highlights:

    I started my career in the plastics industry as a research and development intern for DuPont in Switzerland for six months and I continued as a marketing intern for DuPont in Turkey for another six months. After my studies finished in 2007, I joined DuPont as a sales and marketing manager. In 2012, I started working for Sabic Turkey as sales and key account manager. After I completed my Executive MBA in 2016, I joined Cabot as sales manager responsible for the Turkey, Middle East and North Africa regions, and this is how I got acquainted with the rubber industry and carbon blacks.

    Associations you belong to or actively participate in:

    I actively participate in exhibitions or industry events that are taking place in Europe, namely DKT, Rubbercon and K Trade Fair. These events are providing unique opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with members of the rubber industry, which has always been valuable for me.

    What drew you to the rubber industry, and what has made your career in the industry rewarding?

    Spending 10 years in the plastics industry, it was not an easy decision to move to a new industry. I can say that I was mainly drawn into the rubber industry by Cabot Corp. I was inspired by how Cabot is committed to the rubber industry with the vision to be the most innovative, respected and responsible leader. Since then, I see the rubber industry being very versatile and dynamic, so I think being part of it has advanced my career as a sales professional.

    What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

    My territory includes Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and North Africa countries. Apart from geographical distances, there are social and cultural differences between these countries, and women remain less likely to participate in the business environment than men. I managed to increase Cabot's participation in these countries since 2016, resulting in a higher number of customers and higher sales volume, which I consider as my greatest achievement.

    What do you count as your biggest failure and what has it taught you?

    I am not sure if failure is the right word, but there are things that I would have done differently in the past. When we find the right way to deal with them, I believe, mistakes provide a great opportunity for learning.

    Who or what inspires you?

    I am inspired by people who can maintain their work-life balance. Although it seems simple, it requires awareness and great effort.

    Who were your career mentors, and what role did they play?

    I had excellent mentors throughout my career, some were my managers and some were my peers in the sales organization. Open and active dialogue with them has helped me deal better with complex situations and uncertainties. They motivated me to ask more questions and come up with new ways of doing things. This only is possible when you have mutual trust, and I am thankful to them for their attitude.

    What is the best advice you have ever received?

    Maya Angelou quoted "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." And I think this is the best advice I have ever received, not only for business matters but also for our personal lives. Everything in life is about experiences, and we must ensure we treat our business partners fairly and respectfully, even when we have different opinions or when we have conflict of interest.

    If you were CEO of a company, what would you do first?

    I think diversity and inclusion is key to economic growth and it is essential for the future of our society. I am proud that Cabot is among the companies that signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Pledge. If I were CEO of a company, I would focus on the same and try to foster an environment where all employees feel respected and confident to achieve more.

    What would you tell someone considering a career in the rubber industry?

    I would tell that although the rubber industry is considered to be conventional and mostly associated with tires, it evolves rapidly in line with market needs. And, while tires are at the core of the industry, rubber is everywhere in our daily lives and this is very fascinating.

    In your opinion, what needs to be done to encourage females to pursue STEM-related careers?

    Starting from my childhood, I always had an interest in science and mathematics and I studied engineering at university. My internship in R&D and marketing helped me finding out my careers aspirations and I was lucky to have mentors throughout the journey. I believe companies and organizations should offer internships for STEM-related jobs and have mentorship programs encouraging females to be proactive, persistent and brave.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • ITEC
      • International Elastomer Show
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION