Umut Arıcan Digital Transformation Director M.Sc., PhD.C Captain RPA, AI & Intelligent Automation

CV

About Me

About Me

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I am a digital transformation executive working at the intersection of business, technology and data. I currently serve as Digital Transformation Director at Arkas Maritime Group, where I lead ARMA – a greenfield ERP and digital core platform designed and delivered over an eight-year program. Today ARMA operates as the group’s digital backbone across more than twenty countries, ~2,000 users and 30+ integrated modules, enabling end-to-end logistics and support operations on a single enterprise platform.

My career started at sea. After graduating from the Turkish Naval Academy with a dual background in Deck and Industrial Engineering, I sailed as a 3rd Captain and gained first-hand experience of maritime operations, safety, uncertainty and teamwork. I then combined this operational perspective with Industrial Engineering studies at Istanbul Technical University and moved into roles in business processes, project management, procurement and executive reporting. These positions helped me understand how value is created (and sometimes lost) in everyday work and how difficult, yet necessary, real change can be.

My core belief is that repetitive, low-value work should be automated so that people can focus on analytical, creative and higher-impact contributions. This belief drives my focus on AI, machine learning, RPA and intelligent agents, as well as on modernising business intelligence with tools like Power BI. In practice, I have led initiatives that remove more than a thousand hours of manual work per month in head-office processes and helped build a broader digitalisation culture across the organisation.

Alongside my corporate role, I pursue a PhD in Maritime Studies at Istanbul Technical University, with research centred on digital transformation, ERP, automation and organisational change in asset-heavy industries. I treat academic work as a global knowledge base to be translated into real systems, methods and tools. Through international journal articles and book chapters, I try to connect rigorous research with practical implementation and share what we learn with both practitioners and the academic community.

With a background as an industrial engineer, captain and doctoral-level researcher in maritime digital transformation, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective that is not limited to a single sector. I am deeply curious by nature, motivated by continuous learning, and interested in how large organisations can become more intelligent, more automated and, at the same time, more human in the way they work.

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Experience
Education
Skills
Experience
Arkas Line Maritime Group
Digital Transformation Director
Jul 2023 – Present
ARMA Project Manager (+Product Owner)
May 2018 – Present
Business and System Management Manager
May 2018 – Jul 2023
System and Process Development Manager
Nov 2017 – May 2018
Procurement Specialist
Apr 2014 – Nov 2017
Procurement Assistant Specialist
Oct 2012 – Apr 2014
Planet TOURISM
Project Consultancy
Jun 2010 – Sept 2010
YASA Holding
Oceangoing Watchkeeping Officer (3rd Officer)
Feb 2010 – Jun 2010
Ekinoks Elektronik Oylama Sis.
Co-Founder
May 2008 – Jul 2009
Eloysis Elektronik Oylama Sis.
Project Leader
Aug 2007 – May 2008
Education
Istanbul Technical University
2021 - ...

Degree Name: PhD Candidate
Field Of Study: Maritime Study

Istanbul Technical University
2015 - 2017

Degree Name: Master’s Degree
Grade : 4.0
Field Of Study: Maritime Transportation Engineering

Thesis Subject: Analytic hierarchy process and TOPSIS based approach towards international container transshipment port selection: Application of Mediterranean Region

Istanbul Technical University
2010 - 2012

Degree Name: Faculty of Management
Grade : High Honour Degree
Field Of Study: Industrial Engineering

Thesis Subject: A multidimensional risk analysis of merchant vessels passing through Bosphorus

Turkish Naval Academy
2002 - 2006

Degree Name: Maritime Faculty
Grade : Highest degree
Field Of Study: Industrial Engineering

Thesis Subject: Optimization of Sea Mine-sweeping, Hunting, and Laying Operations of Defense Industry

Skills
CORE SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Digital Transformation

RPA, AI, ML and agent-based Automation

ERP Platform & Program Leadership (ARMA)

Enterprise IT Management

IT/ERP Governance & Budget (20+ Countries)

Data Analytics & PowerBI / BI Modernization

Process Design, Digitalization & Standardization

Product Ownership & Requirements Management

Agile Delivery (Scrum / PO)

Project & Portfolio Management

ADDITIONAL STRENGTHS
Technical leadership

Coaching

Creative problem solving and innovation mindset

Blockchain and cryptocurrency

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My Projects

My Projects

ARMA ( ARKAS Maritime Application )

ARMA is a greenfield ERP and digital core platform designed and delivered for Arkas Maritime Group as one of the sector’s most comprehensive digital transformation initiatives. Built over an eight-year program and still evolving, ARMA consolidates multiple legacy systems into a single enterprise platform supporting end-to-end logistics and support operations across more than twenty countries, ~2,000 users and 30+ integrated modules.

As Digital Transformation Director and program lead, I have been responsible for the full lifecycle of ARMA – from initial concept and process analysis through solution design, budgeting, implementation, user acceptance testing and go-live, and now continuous improvement. In this role I sit between business and IT as product owner, shaping core operational and financial processes, defining the digital operating model and translating complex requirements into scalable, resilient solutions together with cross-functional technology teams.

The platform provides a unified backbone for booking, documentation, equipment and move management, finance, terminal and inland logistics workflows, while balancing group-wide standards with local regulatory and business needs in each country. Around ARMA, we have also introduced RPA, AI/ML and AI agent–based automation, as well as Power BI–driven business intelligence and data governance practices, eliminating thousands of hours of manual work and enabling more transparent, data-driven decision-making.

Automation
Decision & Support
AI Prototyping
Performance
AUTOMATION
Annual Budget Consolidation (Rule-Based)

Consolidated annual budget line items into a single standardized structure using rule- driven controls for repeatable, auditable planning cycles.

Keywords: Process Automation; Data Governance; Standardization; Audit Trail; Executive Reporting
IT Budget Standardization and Mapping

Normalized heterogeneous IT budget inputs into one unified dataset through mapping logic and automated validation checks.

Keywords: Data Integration; Process Automation; Data Governance; Standardization; Audit Trail
Executive KPI Pack Automation

Generated a standardized executive KPI pack on demand by consolidating multiple operational and financial inputs into a single leadership-ready output.

Keywords: Executive Reporting; KPI Management; Process Automation; Data Governance; Performance Management
Operational Time Performance Analysis

Produced standardized on-time and waiting-time analytics outputs from raw operations reports to speed up recurring performance analysis.

Keywords: Process Automation; Data Quality; Performance Management; Operational Excellence; Monitoring & Alerts
Operations Reporting Automation

Digitized and standardized recurring operations reporting (daily/weekly/monthly) by automating repeatable steps and enforcing KPI consistency.

Keywords: Digital Transformation; Process Automation; Standardization; KPI Management; Executive Reporting
Container-Level Regulatory Matching (MRN)

Automated container-level regulatory reference matching with exception handling to reduce manual reconciliation and improve documentation accuracy.

Keywords: Compliance Automation; Data Quality; Process Automation; Audit Trail; Data Governance
ETS Reporting Automation

Standardized ETS calculation logic and automated report generation to deliver consistent compliance outputs with traceable steps.

Keywords: Compliance Automation; Process Automation; Standardization; Audit Trail; Data Governance
Operational Log Analysis and Classification

Transformed high-volume operational logs into categorized, actionable intelligence to improve triage and recurring issue visibility.

Keywords: Data Quality; Monitoring & Alerts; Standardization; Operational Excellence; Performance Management
Document and Data Quality Improvements

Improved upstream readiness by standardizing PDFs, flagging data outliers, and producing structured meeting decision/action summaries.

Keywords:Data Quality; Process Automation; Standardization; Data Governance; Operational Excellence
Decision & Support
Service-Level Profitability Analysis

Automated service-level profitability breakdowns (monthly/quarterly) to enable faster diagnostics and consistent performance narratives.

Keywords: Process Automation; Data Governance; KPI Management; Executive Reporting; Performance Management
Depot Stock Visibility and Short-Term Forecast

Delivered multi-location equipment stock visibility and 4-week forecasting signals to support proactive planning and risk mitigation.

Keywords: Real-Time Visibility; Decision Support; Predictive Analytics; Monitoring & Alerts; Operational Excellence
Voyage Cost Scenario Analysis

Enabled fast voyage cost scenario comparisons with standardized inputs and what-if outputs to speed up network planning decisions.

Keywords: Decision Support; Optimization; Performance Management; Data Governance; Operational Excellence
Cost Allocation Model

Built a transparent cost allocation model using structured drivers and weighting logic to improve internal decision confidence.

Keywords: Decision Support; Data Governance; Standardization; Executive Reporting; Performance Management
Executive Summary Standardization

Standardized executive summaries to make long reports decision-ready by focusing on KPIs, exceptions, and actions in a consistent format.

Keywords: Executive Reporting; Standardization; Performance Management; KPI Management; Digital Transformation
Slot Capacity Monitoring and Alerts

Standardized slot capacity tracking with thresholds and early-warning alerts to enable proactive planning decisions.

Keywords: Standardization; Monitoring & Alerts; KPI Management; Decision Support; Operational Excellence
Service and Invoice Control View

Standardized critical service and invoice controls into a single-screen view with validation rules to improve process safety.

Keywords: Standardization; Data Governance; Audit Trail; Operational Excellence; Workflow Automation
AI Prototyping
AI-Based Intelligence Briefing Automation

Automated an AI briefing pipeline that aggregates, deduplicates, categorizes, and summarizes content into a publish-ready Word report.

Keywords: Knowledge Management; Generative AI; LLM Applications; Process Automation; Executive Reporting
Smart Mail and News Digest

Reduced information overload by summarizing and prioritizing high-volume mail/news streams into concise digests and tracking views.

Keywords: Knowledge Management; Generative AI; LLM Applications; Self-Service Analytics; Digital Transformation
Internal News Aggregation Portal

Built a categorized web portal prototype that aggregates news with searchable metadata to improve discoverability and awareness.

Keywords: Knowledge Management; Digital Transformation; User Experience (UX); Product Discovery; Rapid Prototyping
Web-Based AI Assistant Design

Defined a production-ready web AI assistant blueprint including scope, guardrails, governance needs, and measurable operations.

Keywords: Product Discovery; Generative AI; LLM Applications; Data Governance; Audit Trail
AI-Assisted Expense Processing

Prototyped receipt-to-expense automation by extracting structured fields and enabling a streamlined submission and approval flow.

Keywords: Workflow Automation; Generative AI; Data Quality; Digital Transformation; User Experience (UX)
Fuel Consumption Prediction and Route Optimization (ML)

Built an applied ML demo for fuel consumption prediction and optimization scenarios to support efficiency and planning decisions.

Keywords: Machine Learning; Predictive Analytics; Optimization; Decision Support; Digital Transformation
AI-Assisted Candidate Screening

Prototyped AI-assisted CV screening that produces structured candidate summaries, fit indicators, and Q&A-ready snapshots.

Keywords: Generative AI; LLM Applications; Process Automation; Data Governance; Product Discovery
Web and Product Prototyping Initiatives

Delivered rapid prototypes and MVP-ready flows to accelerate stakeholder alignment and product roadmap definition across initiatives.

Keywords: Product Discovery; Rapid Prototyping; Digital Transformation; User Experience (UX); Data Governance
Performance
Transit Time Reliability (Planned vs Actual)

Built a planned-vs-actual transit time reliability layer with KPI definitions and drill-down views to expose promise accuracy gaps.

Keywords: Control Tower; Reliability Analytics; KPI Management; Performance Management; Operational Excellence
Service-Level Profitability Dashboard

Delivered an interactive profitability dashboard across service and time dimensions to support faster executive performance reviews.

Keywords: Business Intelligence; Self-Service Analytics; KPI Management; Executive Reporting; Performance Management
Schedule Reliability and Delay Analysis

Quantified schedule reliability and delay patterns with diagnostic views to support targeted operational improvement initiatives.

Keywords: Reliability Analytics; KPI Management; Performance Management; Operational Excellence; Monitoring & Alerts
Port Call and DA Performance Monitoring

Enabled live port-call performance monitoring through filterable dashboards that highlight anomalies, bottlenecks, and trend signals.

Keywords: Business Intelligence; Real-Time Visibility; Performance Management; Monitoring & Alerts; Operational Excellence
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my publications

My Publications

Chapter 1: Gemi İşletmeciliğinde Mevcut Teknolojiler ve Gelecek Perspektifleri
Chapter 11: Denizcilikte Sürdürülebilir Dijital Dönüşüm

Oct 22, 2025 - Gemi İşletmeciliği ve Yönetimi – Efe Akademi

Chapter 5: Dijital Deniz Ticareti ve Deniz Ulaştırmasında Dijitalleşmenin Etkileri

May 23, 2025 - Deniz Ulaştırması ve Yönetiminde Güncel Konular – Efe Akademi

Chapter 13: Denizcilikte Robotik Süreç Otomasyonları: Metal Yaka

Dec 5, 2022 - Deniz İşletmeciliği ve Yönetiminde Güncel Yaklaşımlar

Chapter 15: Employee Loyalty and Motivation in the Maritime Industry

Nov 22, 2022 - Maritime Wellbeing

Forecasting COVID-19 impact on RWI/ISL container throughput index by using SARIMA models

Jan 24, 2021 - Maritime Policy & Management

A new rule-based integrated decision making approach to container transshipment terminal selection

Jul 27, 2018 - Maritime Policy & Management

An Interval-Valued Hesitant Fuzzy Approach For Fcm: An Example For Root Causes Of Human Errors In Shipping Accidents

Aug 24, 2016 - FLINS

The Differences and Similarities between the Ship Waste Tracking Regulations of Turkey and Particular European Union Member Countries

Aug 8, 2016 - ICESEM

A Decision Approach For Prioritizing Factors Affecting Vessel Crew Satisfaction Using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Aug 4, 2016 - ISAHP

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project

Image Project

  • Client : Envato
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : php, html, css, javascript
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Slider Project

  • Client : Themeforest
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : php, html, css, javascript
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Youtube Video

  • Client : Photodune
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition
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Local Video

  • Client : Videohive
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : Adobe After Effects, Movie Maker
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project

Image Project

  • Client : Graphicriver
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : Adobe Photoshop, Gimp
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project

Image Project

  • Client : Activeden
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : Adobe Flash, Paint
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project

Image Project

  • Client : 3D Ocean
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : 3DS Max, Adobe Photoshop
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project

Image Project

  • Client : Audiojungle
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere
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project

Image Project

  • Client : Audiojungle
  • Start Date : 02/11/2017
  • End Date : 02/08/2018
  • Used Technologies : Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere
Preview