This marks the first time ever a Turk was named president of The European Society for Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery.

Prof. Dr. Öztekin Oto is an academic member of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Dokuz Eylül University and at the same time is also President of the Heart and Health Foundation of Turkey.
Having performed a significant number of successful heart transplants as well as pediatric heart-lung transplants, Prof. Dr. Öztekin Oto is best known in Turkey for being the first doctor to conduct a heart transplant in the nation. Oto has served on the governance board for the European Society for Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery for the past two years before being named president.
After being elected as President, Prof. Dr. Öztekin Oto stated; "I am very proud to be raising the bar for my colleagues and our nation.

For the first time, a Turk has been elected as president for the European Society for Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery. I hope from here on our colleagues will reach even greater successes on this road now paved."