Speakers
Lâl Denizli
Mayor of Çeşme
Çeşme Mayor Lâl Denizli became the first female mayor of the district in 2024. She develops Çeşme with infrastructure, education and environmental projects. She supports women's cooperatives with ÇEŞKA, contributes to early diagnosis with cancer screenings. She leads the way for women's economic and social empowerment.
Aya Chebbi
Feminist Activist, Diplomat, and African Union Advocate
Aya Chebbi first gained recognition durAya Chebbi first gained recognition during the Tunisian Revolution through her political blogs, quickly making her voice heard globally. From 2018 to 2021, she served as the youngest diplomat in the African Union Commission Chairperson’s Cabinet and was featured in numerous prestigious lists, including Forbes Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women. She initiated the African Union’s largest youth-led campaign, Youth Silencing the Guns, empowering young people to have a say in the peace and security agenda. Her work centers on peace, youth participation, and gender equality, and she continues to mobilize young people across the continent around peaceful movements guided by the principle of Pan-Africanism.
Benjamina Karić
Mayor of Novo Sarajevo
She is a Bosnian politician and lawyer born in 1991. She served as the 39th mayor of Sarajevo between 2021 and 2024, and was elected mayor of Novo Sarajevo in 2024. She has a double major in law and history, and at the age of 27, she became the youngest doctor of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the first doctor of classical Roman law in the post-war period. Karić, who has more than 50 academic publications, has been a member of the Social Democratic Party since 2009 and served as the party's vice-president since 2019.
Huri Şahin
Mayor of Rijswijk
Huri Şahin, born in 1975, is a Dutch politician who has been serving as the mayor of Rijswijk since December 12, 2022. As the first Dutch mayor of Turkish descent, Şahin previously served as the director of Stichting Lokaal Rotterdam and was a member of the Dutch Council for Public Administration (Raad voor het Openbaar Bestuur). During her tenure as mayor, she has been actively involved in combating violence against women and addressing femicide, initiating various efforts to enhance women's safety in Rijswijk.
Prof. Feride Acar
Academic, Women’s Rights Activist
Prof. Feride Acar served as a faculty member and Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Middle East Technical University (METU) between 1976 and 2015, where she taught courses on political sociology and social movements. In 1994, she became the Founding Chair of METU’s Master’s Program in Gender and Women’s Studies, where she also offered graduate-level courses on women’s human rights in international contexts. Throughout her academic career, Prof. Acar has played an active role in the negotiations, drafting, and monitoring of numerous key international documents on women’s human rights and gender equality. These include the Beijing Platform for Action (1995), the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (1998–1999), and the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention (2009–2010). She was elected to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) for the terms 1997–2005 and 2010–2018, and served as its Chair between 2003 and 2005. Prof. Acar was also Turkey’s sole delegate to the Council of Europe’s Ad Hoc Committee on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (CAHVIO), which negotiated and drafted the Istanbul Convention. Following its entry into force, she was elected President of GREVIO (2015–2019), the independent expert body monitoring the implementation of the Convention. Prof. Acar continues to participate in academic and civil society activities as a speaker.
Aylin Aslım
Musician, Songwriter
Aylin Aslım is a strong female voice who began her music career in the punk-rock and alternative scene and has incorporated social issues into her art with her words and stance over the years. She draws attention with her albums as well as her activist stance on violence against women, freedoms and human rights. Aslım, who has become an inspiring figure especially among women's movements and youth, has become the voice of those who want to make change possible through culture and art.
Nazan Moroğlu
Women’s Law Expert
Nazan Moroğlu, Turkey’s first expert in Women’s Law, is one of the leading figures in the struggle for women’s rights. A graduate of Istanbul University Faculty of Law, Moroğlu completed her master’s degree in Women’s Law at the same university, preparing the thesis “Woman’s Surname,” which stands as the first academic study in this field.
Having taught the course “Women’s Human Rights Law” for many years at Yeditepe and MEF Universities, Moroğlu is the founding president of TÜBAKKOM (The Union of Turkish Bar Associations Women’s Rights Commission), a founding member of EWLA (European Women Lawyers Association), and the Coordinator of the Istanbul Women’s Organizations Union.
Buket Uzuner
Writer
Buket Uzuner is a writer, biologist, and climate activist born in 1955 in Ankara, Turkey. She graduated from the Department of Biology at Hacettepe University and conducted environmental science studies in Norway, the USA, and Finland. Uzuner is known for her novels, short stories, and travel writings, often focusing on themes such as women, nature, and the climate crisis. With her series titled The Nature Quartet, she blended Turkish mythology with ecology, becoming a pioneer in environmental literature. Her works have been translated into more than ten languages and have received both national and international awards.
Nilüfer Aktan
Commercial Manager of Air France–KLM Turkey
Nilüfer Aktan, has over 20 years of experience in the aviation sector and serves as the Commercial Manager of Air France–KLM Turkey. Her professional career begins with general management, sales and marketing activities; especially global brand management and commercial strategies are different. Aktan makes meaningful contributions to both commercial relations and women's empowerment in the field of openness with her disciplined approach, analytical perspective and thinking ability.
Işınsu Kestelli
President of the Izmir Commodity Exchange & Founder of Agrilink & Agritrade
Işınsu Kestelli began her professional career as an assistant at Raks Foreign Trade. She then gained experience at a textile dye company affiliated with DYO and worked as the General Manager’s assistant at Turyağ. Rising from entry-level positions to the directorship of the department she worked in, she joined the Istanbul team during the Turkish Henkel – Turyağ merger. Later, Kestelli founded the company Agritrade. In 2007, she was elected Chair of the Board of the Futures and Options Exchange (VOB), and in 2009, Chair of the Board of the Izmir Commodity Exchange (İTB). In addition to being Turkey’s first female Exchange Chair, she also became the first female Board Member in the most recent elections of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). Kestelli has also contributed to social responsibility projects, among which the nationally exemplary “My Mother Beat Cancer” project stands out. Through this sustainable and measurable initiative, she continues to touch the lives of thousands of women across Turkey.
Mine İlhan
Entrepreneur
Mine İlhan, born in Aydın Buharkent and a graduate of Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, began working at her father’s poultry farm. At the age of 25, following her father’s passing, she took over the farm’s responsibilities. She modernized the facility, transforming it into a fully automated operation with a capacity of 200,000, producing its own feed, and equipped with a 2,000-ton corn storage silo. She established a sustainable structure surrounded by 1,000 olive and 270 fig trees. The farm, operated by female employees, is an export-oriented business in Aydın and the only poultry farm in Turkey managed by a female entrepreneur. In 2017, İlhan was recognized in Garanti Bank’s “Women Entrepreneurs Making a Difference in Their Community” ranking, continuing to prove that women can succeed in every field.
Çağla Kubat
Actress, Professional Windsurfer
Çağla Kubat, one of Turkey’s multifaceted female figures, is an inspiring name who combines academic discipline with a passion for sports. Graduating from Istanbul Technical University’s Mechanical Engineering Department as an honor student, Kubat has crowned her academic success with numerous achievements in the world of sports.
As a professional windsurfer, Kubat has secured countless championships in Turkey and worldwide, proudly representing her country by becoming the World Slalom Champion in 2013. Her passion for sports has made her not only an athlete but also an educator and a pioneering figure; through the “Çağla Kubat Windsurf Academy” she established in Alaçatı, she continues to contribute to the development of young female athletes.
Azade Apa Triolet
National Athlete and Coach
Azade Apa Triolet is a national equestrian athlete who has proudly represented both Turkey and the Middle East. Beginning her equestrian career with Turkish Championship titles in 2002–2003, she joined the national team in 2004 and represented Turkey at the FEI Balkan Championships in Romania. After briefly pausing her sports career to pursue law, Triolet returned to equestrian sports, competing in numerous national and international show jumping tournaments. Since 2016, she has represented Turkey in the Middle East, adding new achievements to her career with victories such as the Qatar Hathab 2022–2023 Season Championship and a top placement at the Marshoud Show Jumping Championship in Kuwait. Holding both Level 1 and Level 2 Coaching Certificates from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), she has also coached youth and young adult teams under the Qatar Equestrian Federation. Continuing her academic and technical development in equestrianism, Triolet has strengthened her expertise through training and education at institutions and universities in Turkey, Kuwait, Oman, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Sanem Oktar
Serial Entrepreneur, Angel Investor
Sanem is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. She was selected as one of the Top Ten Women Entrepreneurs of Türkiye in 2010. She was awarded as one of the Women Entrepreneurs of Year 2019 by Enterprising Women Magazine in USA. She has a vast experience in communication and marketing as building brands, integrated database and digital marketing. Having worked for leading local and international brands in various sectors of Türkiye in communication, sales and marketing consulting, her numerous work and projects have been awarded many times. She has been active member of KAGIDER, the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey since 2010 and has volunteered in many women empowerment projects as leader, mentor or participant. Between May 2015 and May 2019, she served as the President of KAGIDER. She has also been a member of W20 Steering Committee. She joined Entrepreneurs Organization in 2013 and she is the president of EO Türkiye. She is married and has two daughters.
Eylül Görmüş
Reader, TV Host
Eylül Görmüş graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Political Science and International Relations. Driven by a lifelong passion for literature, she began writing and illustrating in this field. Since March 2021, she has contributed book reviews to KAFA magazine, and since November 2023, she hosts the weekly TV program Pandora's Curiosity on Bloomberg HT, where she interviews figures from the cultural and arts world. She also conducts author interviews for K24, co-produces the weekly podcast 1 Book 1 Film 1 Thing with Tuğçe Arslan Üçer, runs a monthly book club with in-depth discussions, and shares her literary reviews on her personal website, eylulgormus.com.
Rümeysa Çamdereli
Born on February 21, 1989, in Diyarbakır, Rümeysa Çamdereli graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2013 and earned her Master’s in Women’s Studies at Istanbul University in 2019. She is a feminist researcher and human rights advocate working on gender equality, freedom of belief, and cultural representation. Focused on increasing the public visibility of Muslim women and producing knowledge to transform societal norms, she develops impact-driven strategies within civil society. Çamdereli is a founding member of Havle Women’s Association and currently serves as Research Director at YADA Foundation.
Şengül Akçar
Founder of KEDV
After studying Civil Engineering and completing a Master’s in Public Policy at Boğaziçi University, Şengül Akçar worked for four years on a housing project for low-income groups before founding the Women’s Labor Foundation (KEDV) in 1986. Since then, she has led the foundation in developing and implementing strategies aligned with women’s needs and local, national, and global agendas.
Münteha Adalı
Entrepreneur, Investor, Social Impact Strategist
Münteha Adalı is an entrepreneur, investor, and social impact strategist. She began her career in 1996 by managing Güvensan Facility Services and has since contributed to gender equality, entrepreneurship, and youth initiatives through organizations like KAGİDER, TOBB, PWN Istanbul, and Habitat Association. In 2013, she co-founded Turkey’s first female-focused investment platform, Arya Women Investment Platform, supporting women entrepreneurs. Adalı received the IWEC International Women Entrepreneur Award in 2017, founded Social Factory in 2018, launched the Arya GSYF Impact Fund in 2023, and in 2024 initiated the Social Impact Summit under the motto “Seeking Equality from Inequalities.” She was also recognized as the Best Entrepreneur of the Year by Istanbul Kültür University.
Figen Baz
Entrepreneur
Born in Izmir, Figen Baz is a leading female entrepreneur in the healthcare sector. She co-founded Duymer Hearing Devices with her spouse, Opr. Dr. Mehmet Baz, growing it from a small hearing center into a nationwide brand with over 100 branches. Duymer also serves as the distributor for international hearing device brands in Turkey. Baz co-founded Ekol Hospital, which later evolved into Bazekol Health Group, providing high-standard healthcare with hundreds of physicians and thousands of healthcare professionals. Through her strategic and financial leadership, Baz is recognized for sustainable growth and societal impact in healthcare. She continues to lead Bazekol Health Group and Duymer Hearing Centers.
Şirin Payzın
Journalist
Since 1993, Şirin Payzın has worked as a reporter, TV program producer, host, and writer. She has contributed to political programming and broadcasts on Show TV, ATV, CNNTÜRK, and HalkTV, and continues her journalism career through digital media.
Sezin Mızraklı Avalin
Executive and Speaker
Sezin Mızraklı Avalin is a business leader, consultant, and keynote speaker with 25 years of B2B sales and marketing experience in the Telco and IT sectors. A Boğaziçi University Economics graduate, she completed the MIT Leadership Development Program in 2017 and held leadership roles at Microsoft, Turkcell, Türk Telekom, Gartner, and Teleperformance. Avalin shares her professional expertise blended with personal experience in national and international forums. Her keynote, “How to Be a Resilient Person: Rising Stronger from Challenges,” inspires audiences to embrace change and emerge stronger from difficulties.
Işıl Ergincan
Activist
During her Erasmus internship in France, Işıl Ergincan participated as a product designer in the Precious Plastic project and later brought it to Turkey, founding the Plastic Lab project. Plastic Lab organizes workshops in schools and institutions, raising awareness about sustainability and plastic while providing participants hands-on experience in creating products from plastic waste. As a green influencer on social media, Ergincan shares sustainable living practices and inspires people to make small but effective changes for a greener world.
Şule Aydın
Journalist
Şule Aydın combines journalism and digital content production with humor that reflects social memory. Through her series This Week in the Asylum, she critiques mainstream media narratives using dark humor and irony, creating a unique digital voice. She uses humor both as a form of resistance and as an invitation for critical thinking.
Hadiye Kalkavan
Sculptor
Born in 1973 in Istanbul, Hadiye Kalkavan graduated from Marmara University’s Art Education program and trained in sculpture under Berika İpek Bayrak. She has worked as an instructor and director at a Fine Arts Preparatory Course affiliated with the Ministry of Education. Kalkavan has maintained a long-term practice in her Kalamış studio and participated in numerous exhibitions and fairs. Focusing on young girls in her sculptures, she creates figures in clay, later casting them in polyester or bronze at different scales, aiming to highlight the power and joy of girls as a force for societal improvement.
Yasemin Şefik
Narrator, Writer
Yasemin Şefik first gained recognition on Turkey’s major radio stations, including Süper FM, Pal FM, and Best FM, with her award-winning program Hitnoz. She later transitioned to stage performances with stand-up shows such as I Don’t Talk Behind Your Back and Ne Münasebet, and continues with bi nevi Barbarella. In addition, she produces TV programs and podcasts, integrating stage and digital media through her talk show Uyduruk Sonlar at BKM Uniq and on YouTube. She is also a founder of Episode magazine and has authored four books. In 2025, her new project, the documentary Heard Cities, premiered on Bein İzTv and Tod TV.
Öykü Yalçın
Digital Content Creator
Motivated by the motto “No country should remain unseen at sunset,” Öykü Yalçın has been creating travel and lifestyle content since 2017. After graduating from Dokuz Eylül University and completing an MBA at Yıldız Technical University, she transitioned from corporate life to focus on digital media and advertising. Selected among eight participants from Turkey for Meta’s Creators of Tomorrow program, she provides social media consulting internationally from Dubai while continuing her dual career as a content creator and consultant.
Beyza Doğuç
Meta-Artist and Musician
Beyza Doğuç, a graduate of Ankara University’s Faculty of Communication, specializes in interdisciplinary work across music and visual arts. She merges music, technology, and storytelling to create innovative projects, having released over 40 songs and more than 100 compositions on social media. Doğuç produces thematic albums and has incorporated AI-based technologies in live performances since 2021, using tools like TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine, and Blender to create interactive stage visuals responsive to sound. Her 2024 short novel Koda explores human, nature, and technology relations through an AI-controlled character.
Gülsultan Doğan
Angel Investor, Mentor
Gülsultan Doğan graduated from Middle East Technical University in Business Administration, holds a master’s in Healthcare Management, and completed the Harvard Business School OPM program. She began her career in healthcare insurance and health informatics before founding MCAN Health in 2015, a globally recognized health tourism brand. She also established Alana Polyclinic, delivering high-quality healthcare to international and local patients. Doğan completed her EO Turkey presidency in July 2025, leaving a lasting impact in civil society. As an active angel investor and mentor, she supports innovative ideas and encourages the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Didem Duru
General Manager, Cisco Turkey
Didem Duru began her professional career by contributing at an executive level in the finance and technology sectors. She has held senior management positions in national and international organizations such as Finansbank, IBM, and Dell; and particularly at Dell, she stood out as a leader developing customer experience–focused strategies across the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Since 2019, she has been serving as the General Manager of Cisco Turkey, playing an active role in the localization of digital transformation policies and their integration with corporate strategies. In addition, Duru is also an active figure in civil society: she is Co-Chair of the Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG), a Board Member of the Turkish Informatics Industry Association (TÜBİSAD), and a founding member of the Women in Technology Association (WTECH), where she contributes to initiatives aimed at increasing women’s representation in technology and supporting the development of young professionals.
Pelin Dilara Çolak
Philosopher
With an academic background in philosophy and art history, Pelin Dilara Çolak is a content creator who brings academic philosophy into the public sphere through media and collectives. She is pursuing her graduate studies at King’s College London. Since 2018, she has been producing accessible philosophical content on YouTube and various podcast platforms, building one of Turkey’s largest intellectual digital communities. As part of her project “Journey in the Footsteps of Philosophy,” she has traveled to more than 20 countries to conduct field research on Eastern philosophies. In 2022, she founded The Philosophy Works, a creative studio in London that provides media production and corporate consultancy services.
Yağmur Çoban
Environmental Engineer
Environmental Engineer Yağmur Çoban is a creative entrepreneur focused on storytelling and community building, working on meaningful production and ethical consumption. Through her initiatives Local Makers and The North Fox, she forges solidarity-based connections between local producers and consumers. Centered on ecology, social justice, and women’s labor, her work generates not only products but also hope, memory, and transformation.
Bedia Büyükgebiz
Lawyer
Bedia Büyükgebiz is a lawyer, human rights advocate, and civil society actor who plays a guiding role in times of social crisis. Since childhood, she has volunteered in numerous civil society organizations, contributing to platforms focused on public good. In the 2023 elections, she also stepped into active politics as a parliamentary candidate. Büyükgebiz aims to transform her legal expertise into a collective struggle, not only in courtrooms but also in the public sphere, standing with those whose voices are silenced.
Tuğçe Arslan Üçer
Content Creator
After graduating from Galatasaray University with a degree in Business Administration, Tuğçe Arslan Üçer worked in marketing and brand management for various local and global companies, later providing strategic communication consultancy across sectors. Combining her passion for cinema with her expertise in marketing, she currently leads culture- and media-focused creative projects and marketing operations at MUBI Turkey. She is also the co-producer and content creator of the podcast series 1 Book 1 Film 1 Thing, which explores literature and cinema, driven by her interest in psychology, new media dynamics, and digital storytelling.
Nihan Çumralıgil
Video Content Creator
After graduating from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Western Languages and Literatures, Nihan Çumralıgil began her career in digital marketing, where she worked for 10 years before transitioning fully into content creation. She produces content on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, originally focusing on fashion, beauty, and books. Over time, her channels evolved into platforms with a more activist voice, shaped by current realities. Today, she continues creating content, often balancing between lighthearted topics and pressing social issues.
Şirin Aktaş
CIO
A graduate of Computer Science and Engineering at Hacettepe University, Şirin Aktaş began her career in 2000 as a Network Engineer at Garanti Technology. She later held managerial positions at Koç.Net and Turkcell before joining Unilever in 2013 as IT Manager, where she went on to serve as Regional IT Director for Turkey, Central Asia, and Iran, as well as Digital Council Leader. In 2021, she became CIO and Board Member at Edenred, and in 2025 she was appointed IT & Data Director for Turkey, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Iran at Danone. With over 25 years of experience, Aktaş shapes strategies in digitalization, data, and technology management.
Gülsün Gönültaş Akhisaroğlu
IT Director
After completing her undergraduate studies in Computer Engineering at Ege University and a master’s at Dokuz Eylül University, Gülsün Gönültaş Akhisaroğlu earned an MBA at Istanbul Bilgi University. With over 30 years of experience, she has held senior IT leadership roles at major global and national companies including General Motors, Chevrolet, BMC, SOCAR, and Hayat Holding. Throughout her career, she has bridged technology and business strategies, guiding organizations through digital transformation. Since February 2022, she has served as IT Director at Aydem Perakende and Gediz Perakende, leading projects that accelerate the digitalization of the energy sector. She views digital transformation as not only technological but also a cultural shift, focusing on preparing teams for the future.
Yağmur Uraz
Athlete
Yağmur Uraz’s interest in football began at a young age on the streets and was transformed into a professional career through the trials of Gazi University Women’s Football Team. Uraz played for the team for eight years before transferring to Ataşehir Belediyespor in 2011, during which she also represented Turkey in both the U-19 and senior national teams. A graduate of Gazi University’s Faculty of Sports Sciences, Uraz experienced championship success at Beşiktaş after her time at Konak Belediyespor. At Galatasaray, she became the top scorer. For the past three seasons, Uraz has been playing for Fenerbahçe, serving as team captain, and in her first season she earned the top scorer title. In her second season, she reached the milestone of her 300th career goal, becoming the first player to achieve this feat. In addition to her football career, Uraz is also pursuing her academic career, currently undertaking a master’s degree in Movement and Exercise Science.
