From Electronics to Business Management
Semerci was born and raised in Turkey, where he also obtained his academic education. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bogazici University in Istanbul, and then went on to complete his post-graduate degree in Management at Marmara University.
Early Career
Entering the Field of Global FinanceSemerci’s career in finance also began in Istanbul, where he worked for two years as a portfolio manager and equity trader for Turkinvest. His international career path started in the early 1990’s when he relocated to Geneva, and not long after to London. In 1992 he began working for Merrill Lynch where he focused on European emerging markets and specialized in derivatives and fixed income investments.
In 2002 Osman was promoted to Head of Merrill Lynch’s Fixed Income Trading Department in Pacific Rim, which meant a move to Tokyo to oversee operations in Japan, Asia as well as Australia. His innovative style and strategies caught the attention of the press and financial markets. As a result, in 2005 and 2006 Euroweek Magazine and Financial News listed him among the top 100 rising stars of the European financial sector. In 2006 he was promoted again, becoming Global Head of Fixed Income, Commodities and Currencies (FICC). In this role he was responsible for all the firm’s global trading and sales activities in fixed income, commodities, currencies, principal investments and real estate.
Osman went on to become Merrill Lynch’s Co-President of Global Markets and Investment Banking in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and served on the company’s Global Operating Committee. He received several awards and honours during these years, including Financial News’ #1 Capital Market Banker (2005), Business Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in European Business (2006), and the Financial News’ Top 100 In European Finance (2007).
After 16 years at Merrill Lynch, Osman joined Duet Group, a global alternative asset investor with over $5.5 billion in assets. He was appointed CEO and Managing Partner of the company and oversaw its rapid expansion and significant increase in assets. In 2011 he left the group to become Managing Partner and CEO of EMEA Capital, a boutique investment firm he had founded in 2008. Based in London, EMEA Capital specializes in financial markets, private equity, and real estate investments. Under Semerci’s leadership, it has expanded to include several global assets and is represented across Europe.
In 2015, while maintaining his role at EMEA Capital, Osman Semerci briefly stepped into the role of COO at GemCorp in order to assist former colleagues of his lead the company’s startup process. GemCorp is an asset management firm that invests in emerging markets.