Akan has 17 years of work experience in advertising, marketing strategies, brand management and market research. He was the head of the strategy and planning department at Gray Istanbul advertising agency and a member of the global strategy council of Gray Group Worldwide. Akan was among the 12 strategists who led the global council. He was a member of the Advertising Self-Regulatory Board. He was also a jury member of the Red, Felis and Effie awards. He has received a golden Effie several times, including for Turkey’s best product launch and the most effective social responsibility campaigns.

Akan founded the FutureBright and Behavior Institute in 2012. Today, both companies are among the fastest growing companies in Turkey with over 400 brands in their portfolio. He also provides personal consultancy to the biggest brands in Turkey. He teaches consumer behaviour at Bilgi University Brand School. He founded ZMET Institute in 2016 and became the ninth global partner of Olson Zaltman & Associates.