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Sanat Şehri Olarak İstanbul | Ali Güreli | TEDxKoçUniversity

644 views · Published 22 January 2015 · 17:44 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2015 · Nonprofits & Activism

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This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Ali Güreli TEDxKoçUniversity sahnesindeydi!

Ali Güreli, Chairman and founder of “Contemporary Istanbul” graduated from the Faculty of Business Administration at METU (Middle East Technical University).

Under Güreli’s leadership, Contemporary Istanbul has become one of Istanbul’s most prestigious international art events. Presently “Contemporary Istanbul” ranks among the most significant organizations staged in Turkey. Between 2001 and 2005, before “Contemporary Istanbul”, Ali Güreli founded the first contemporary art fair in Turkey; Art Istanbul.

Güreli, himself a collector, has close relationships with the art world, collectors and investors along with local and central authorities, business circles and the media, thus has become an influential figure both at national level as well as internationally. He continues to expand his work by developing new art projects contributing to the growth of the art realm with parallel projects such as CI Editions, CI Magazine and international exhibitions. He also engages in investments and real estate development projects in the Istanbul and Bodrum regions.

A founding partner of Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC), Güreli was its Vice-Chairman between 1993 - 2002 and played a key role in its board of management. Between 1989 - 2002, he was the Board member of The Marmara Hotels group.

Presently Chairman of the Board of The Sofa Hotels & Resorts, Güreli is one of the founding members of the Turkish Hotels Association, having served as its Chairman between 1994 - 2001. Currently, Güreli is the Honorary Chairman of the association.

Güreli is also the founder and Chairman of IKON Events Inc., a pioneer company specialized in the organization of events and conventions (since its inception in 1991). IKON has played a major part in placing İstanbul on the map of global convention tourism. IKON has undertaken in Korea, the EXPO 2012 Yeosu Turkey Pavilion project with an innovative “Design-Build-Operate” contract in parallel with “Encounters: Turkish Contemporary Art in Korea”; an exhibition organized in Seoul by “Contemporary Istanbul”.

Ali Güreli has a great passion for the idea that Istanbul can be a cultural and intellectual hub where spheres of influence embrace the near east and Europe. His entrepreneurial energy and enthusiasm spreads across his different projects, brings him to encounter new opportunities and new development possibilities.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

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