“Why are you always the BEST? and it is perhaps this sentence by a classmate which summarizes the common feeling of those who know him well.”
Melih Arat, “Leaders of Change” 2001 (BÜ ’80 Yearbook)

“Yılmaz, you are a student that I admire and appreciate very much. If you continue to work this way, you will grow to be a person with whom your family and nation will be proud of.”
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Primary School Principal Eşref Yıldırım, 1967

“Yılmaz is the best…”
Don Barry, Organizer of American Schools Math Contests, TAC, 1976

“I have never known anyone who has both such a wide range of skills and such depth of knowledge and understanding in each.”
W. Walker, RAND Corporation, 1984

“He plans his time well. He schedules appointments in advance and sets aside periods of time when he is working on specific topics. He works long and hard hours, but I have never seen him in a time crunch that could have been avoided by proper planning.”
J. Chaiken, RAND Corporation, 1984

“With his superb academic background and broad experience in both the private and public sectors, he will be an invaluable asset for our continued efforts to increase the competitiveness of the Turkish economy.”
Adnan Kahveci, in a letter written to the World Bank President Barber Conable, 1988

“Dr. Argüden is a very hard-working, fast-thinking, trustworthy individual who is always true to his word.”
Dündar Aytar, “The Story Behind Privatization” 1995

“I interpret the work you have done as pure leadership. To achieve quality, to create value, to be productive, to introduce change, to make a difference by assuming responsibility… These must be incorporated the daily mantra of our country and our citizens.”
Kamil Yazıcı, 2002

“I believe that KalDer is the most influential quality management organization in Europe, and Yılmaz is a serious player on the national scene.”
Bob Stone, President Clinton’s Energizer in Chief for Reinventing the Government, 2002

“You have achieved a ‘management guru’ status, and I congratulate you for sharing your deep experience with your books.”
Bülent Eczacıbaşı, 2007

“You are not only a career idol and a great mentor, but also one of the foremost thought leaders in Türkiye. During my career at Rothschild I have witnessed first hand the admiration and respect you have gained from all segments of the Turkish business world. I wish to express my gratitude for the opportunity to learn from you.”
Selman Ruso, 2010

“Your work and success has not only transformed your clients, but also influenced the destiny of Türkiye and improved quality of life.”
Ömer Karahan, for the 20th anniversary of ARGE Consulting, 2011

“Your book is a tour de force that comes along only very rarely and reflects the remarkable experiences of many kinds by a well known and widely respected modern day renaissance thinker and leader.”
John H. McArthur, Dean Emeritus Harvard Business School, 2011

“You are a pioneer and truly a productivity miracle.”
Georg Kell, Head, UN Global Compact, 2011

“You can expect to learn something new each time you greet him”
Serpil Yılmaz, Haber Türk, 2013

“You are a marvelous role model for business people.”
Tijen Çidam, 2014

“Your relentless energy and creativity continue to produce incredible initiatives…”
Cengiz Solakoğlu, 2014

“Thanks for your tremendous leadership and contribution to the governance of UN Global Compact that has been absolutely critical to the development of the Networks.”
Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, 2014

“You are a ‘new thinker’ and combining that with the ability to make things happen is a rare breed.”
Paul Druckman, CEO Integrated Reporting, 2015

“Just like Peter Drucker, the most important thought leader of his time who continued to strive for the better until his last day, Dr. Argüden continuously strives to improve quality of life. He demonstrates thought leadership, motivates and enables others to think, to ask questions, and to share wisdom for a better world.”
Murat Yeşildere, Egon Zehnder, 2018

“Dr. Argüden is a living legend, an icon of ethical business and superior management.
I always learn something new and insightful from him.”
Usman A. Ghani, Management Consultant, USA 2020
(MIT Sloan School & Harvard graduate)

“An excellent idea by one of the world’s leading experts on governance: ‘A day for each SDG’ to leverage natural allies in the cause.”
Kashyap Kompella, 2020

“I appreciate and congratulate your goodwill and achievements. Your unique and prominent work is making tremendous contributions to our country. Kudos to you and your team.”
Murat Ülker, 2021

“Dr. Argüden, the name who brought ‘Quality’ to Türkiye is now striving to improve quality of governance in public, private, non-profit, and international institutions to instill a culture of trust in our DNA.”
Abbas Güçlü, 2023

“As we congratulate the Argüden Governance Academy on its 10th anniversary, I think it’s worth remembering the genius of Yılmaz Argüden in selecting governance as the most important leverage, essential to the proper execution of projects and the running of organizations. I wish the Academy many more years of successful operation and contribution to ‘Building a Better World’.”
Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, 2024

“Congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the Argüden Governance Academy. I’m very honored to be associated with it and to have witnessed its journey over the past ten years—it has been quite a journey. Reaching about 100,000 people, engaging 6,000 graduates during this time, and producing over 100 publications… You should be proud of having made a real impact. Happy to see that.”
Paul Polman, 2024

“The Academy is a pioneering institution that changes the thinking of organizations around the world.”
Prof. Mervyn King, 2024

“I am very proud to be a part of the Argüden Governance Academy. The Academy makes a significant impact on society and trust. On its 10th anniversary, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team.”
Prof. David Beatty, 2024

“I celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Academy, which has pioneered the development of a good governance culture in Türkiye while making intellectual contributions to global developments. I wish them continued success in their valuable work.”
Ahmet Cemal Dördüncü, 2024

“I trust Yılmaz for any responsibility he takes on, as he will do a great job, properly.”
Prof. Üstün Ergüder, October 24, 2024