Banu Gürel graduated from Marmara University, Faculty of Economics and started her professional career in 1989 in the banking sector, working as Assistant Manager at Akbank Foreign Exchange Fund Management and, subsequently, at Tekfenbank Fund Management and Securities. In 1996, she transitioned from finance to the real economy, serving as Finance Manager at Merko Food Industry and Trade. In 2004, she joined Aksa Doğalgaz as Financial Director.