Some people say that history is doomed to repeat itself; others, that we can learn from our mistakes. In the case of Yapi ve Kredi Bank, headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, both sayings are true. And these lessons have helped the bank to thrive during a period of vast change, which included integration, growth, and a global financial crisis. The learning and development department was able to become a strategic business partner by transforming itself into a corporate university function.