Today is a very sad day, as we celebrate one of our most beloved colleagues, but we do it in her absence.

Filiz, to all who knew her, was both a powerhouse and a soft touch. She was wise and resourceful, she had all the answers, called things exactly like she saw them, held people accountable and was never intimidated – by anything or anyone. But she also always had the time and the curiosity to know each of us personally, she remembered the names of the people we love, she took care of our plants and left little thoughtful gifts on our desks, and she was restless in inspiring and motivating us to participate in the company’s charitable actions. She was also immensely proud of her daughter, and we all got to know her too through Filiz’s stories. For a lot of us, she made the Düsseldorf Studio our home. Filiz was not someone you passed in the hallway without looking over to her to talk or give her a smile. The place she leaves empty will never, never be filled, but we hope, in some way, she knew how much she meant to us as people, as a family, as a team, as a company.

The number of those of us who would want to say something about Filiz is probably too high to count, but please find below just a few thoughts from some of our colleagues.

“Everyone knows what Filiz meant to me. She was like my older sister, always helpful, and in stressful moments, a soothing influence. She knew when I was sad and tried to put a smile back on my face. We lived so many moments together, most of them incredibly fun. I am so sad and I really can´t believe that she will never come back into the Studio. I will miss her so much! Huzur incinde yatsin. ;(“ – Fouad Belfdil

“It feels like yesterday when Filiz called me to organize my first meeting with Thilo back in the early wake of Deloitte Digital. In the subsequent 8 years she helped me and many, many others to navigate the sometimes complex Deloitte waters. Always with a smile, always with lots of patience. I remember how excited she was when we won the project at Arcelik, and how much she helped us to understand local customs and the occasional bureaucratic hurdle. We had already agreed to sit together when she was back from her holidays, and I honestly cannot accept that this is not going to happen. As the saying goes: the best go first. Rest in peace Filiz, you meant the world to us!” – Florian Theurich

“Meeting Filiz in the Studio in Düsseldorf was always like coming home. No matter how much stuff she had on her desk (mostly my stuff), she was always there for a chat, giving me a cozy feeling. Often about our business lives, more often about our private lives, families and friends. She always strengthened my backbone and very often protected me from myself, never mincing her words. I am already missing all of this.” – Tim Hagemann

“To me, Filiz was synonymous with the Düsseldorf Studio. Since the day I joined, she immediately found a place in her heart for me, able to read my mood directly from the look on my face, reaching out without fail to ask if everything was alright. I know she did this for each and every one in her “flock”, just imagine the size of her heart. Regardless of what kind of support I needed, Filiz would put on her headset, launch into a Skype call and get the problem solved, the question answered, or the food organized, never saying “No, not now”. The hole she leaves behind cannot be filled and will be a reminder for me of the great person I have lost.” – Ronaldo van Hellemont

To remember and honor her, we can all perhaps do something for those less fortunate in the coming weeks – Filiz was a powerful advocate for both underprivileged children and women.

Filiz. Whether it was a friendly word, a wake-up call or an unrequested kindness, you made us better. Thank you.