He was born in Sivas in 1968. He graduated from Gazi University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Public Administration in 1992. He is still continuing his graduate education in Gazi University Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Labor Law and Social Security Law.

He started his civil service as a State Personnel Assistant Specialist in the Department of Prime Ministry State Personnel in 1994. In 1997, he was appointed as a State Personnel Specialist by preparing his specialization thesis on the Organization and Duties of the Central Administration in Turkey including a new model proposal for public administration within the scope of the “Restructing of The State”.

In 2002, he was assigned to the Public Procurement Authority to initiate and carry out the establishment, human recources, organization and public procurement secondary legislation studies of the institution. After completing these studies, he was appointed as the Public Procurement Specialist in the same year. He attended trainings on European Union tender applications in Nottingham University in England in 2004 and in Italy in 2006. He examined and finalize over 400 complaints made to the Procurement Authority regarding the tenders, and these decisions were published in the Official Gazette.

He was appointed as the Minister’s Advisor to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources on 27.09.2007 and as the Deputy Secretary on 23.09.2008. He is still in the position of Deputy Secretary in the same Ministry.

Besides this duty, Zafer BENLİ was on these duties:

“Membership of the Board of Directors” in the General Directorate of Soma Electricity Generation Corporation (2009-2011),

“Membership of the Board of Directors” in the General Directorate of Electricity Generation Corporation (EÜAŞ) (2011-2017),

“Membership of the Board of Directors” in the General Directorate of Turkish Hard Coal Corporation (TTK) (2017-2023),

“Chairman of the Board of Directors” in the Coal Enterprises Corporation (KİAŞ) (2017-Present).

Zafer BENLİ, who was appointed as the General Manager and Chairman of the Board of Directors, is married and father of three children.