TEDxSırrı Yırcalı Anatolian HS

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Ahmet Rona Yırcalı

  Businessperson

  A. Rona Yırcalı was born in Istanbul in 1944. After graduating from Robert College, he studied Economics and Business Administration at the University of Miami. He is Chairman of Yırcalı Holding, which operates across sectors including energy, food, animal feed, textiles, tourism, and finance. Throughout his career, Yırcalı has held leadership and board positions at prominent institutions including TOBB, DEİK, Balıkesir Chamber of Industry, and Yapı Kredi Bank. He has also contributed to organizations such as the World Turkish Business Council and the Turkish Education Foundation. With decades of experience in business and international cooperation, Yırcalı continues to share his knowledge and experience with younger generations.

• Ali Rıza Çolak

  Retired Ambassador

  Ali Rıza Çolak is a retired ambassador and diplomat who has dedicated many years to Turkish foreign policy and international relations. A graduate of TED Ankara College and Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences, he joined the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1979. Throughout his diplomatic career, Çolak served in Oslo, Beijing, Tokyo, Houston, and Lisbon. He later served as Consul General in Frankfurt, Deputy Director General for Consular Affairs, and Ambassador to Ethiopia and Serbia. He also represented Türkiye as its Permanent Representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Drawing on his extensive international experience and exposure to different cultures, Çolak continues to share his knowledge and perspectives on diplomacy, international relations, aviation, and intercultural communication through talks at universities and various institutions.

• Altuğ Güneş

  Digital trainer/ Writer

  Altug Gunes is an educator and author who creates educational content in the field of physics. He is particularly known for producing physics lessons, problem-solving content, and study materials for students preparing for the TYT and AYT university entrance exams in Türkiye. His educational approach focuses on helping students understand physics by connecting concepts with real-life examples rather than relying solely on memorization. He has also authored and contributed to several TYT and AYT physics question banks, mock exams, and study books published by KR Akademi.

• Oya Hansu Çolak

  BAİKAD’s Chairman of the Board of Directors

  Oya Hansu Çolak is an educator, executive, and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in the aviation industry. She worked at Turkish Airlines as a cabin crew member, senior cabin crew member, trainer, and cabin supervisor, and also served as part of the Presidential Flight Team. After her career in aviation, Çolak turned her focus to education and social entrepreneurship. She is the founder of Hansu Academy and the President of Balıkesir Businesswomen Association (BAİKAD). Her work focuses on women’s entrepreneurship, leadership, communication, personal development, and education. Through educational projects, particularly those supporting children and young people, Çolak aims to help individuals build confidence, express themselves effectively, and discover their potential.

• Yamaç Okur

  Producer/Director

  Yamaç Okur graduated from Boğaziçi University with a degree in Political Science and International Relations in 1998. He was one of the founders of Subtitle Monthly Cinema Magazine, launched in 2001. Between 2003 and 2013, he held various positions at the Mithat Alam Film Center at Boğaziçi University. The films he produced received numerous awards at national and international film festivals. Okur played an active role in establishing the Meetings on the Bridge platform at the Istanbul Film Festival and served as the coordinator of the Antalya Film Forum during its inaugural year. Since 2011, he has served on the Board of Directors of SE-YAP, the Turkish Film Producers Association. In 2015, he joined Ay Yapım as a producer. Throughout his career in cinema and television, he has worked as a producer or executive producer on productions including İçerde, Çukur, Üç Kuruş, Daha,Bizim Büyük Çaresizliğimiz, and Veliaht.

• Yücel Oğurlu

  Academic

  Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu is a jurist, academic, and university administrator. He graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1992 and completed his master’s degree in Financial Law and PhD in Public Law at Marmara University. He began his academic career at Atatürk University and later served as a professor, vice dean, vice rector, and rector at Istanbul Commerce University. From 2013 to 2016, he also served as the Rector of International Sarajevo University. Specializing in administrative law, Oğurlu has conducted numerous academic studies and national and international projects in law, public administration, and education. He has also worked as a visiting faculty member at Tilburg University in the Netherlands and Ahmet Yesevi University. Since 2023, he has served as the Rector of Balıkesir University, continuing his academic and educational work alongside his responsibilities in higher education.