Turkey's Accession to the European Union

Director, Foreign Policy Program

Mensur Akgun is the director of TESEV's Foreign Policy Program. Prior to receiving his PhD in International Relations from Bosphorus University, Dr. Akgun studied at the Middle East Technical University and the University of Oslo. He has worked as a professor at the Marmara and Kültür Universities and has contributed to the dailies Yeni Yüzyıl, Yeni Binyıl, and Finansal Forum. He has written extensively on the issues concerning Turkish foreign policy.

Chairman, Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation

Can Paker is the Chairman of the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) and serves on board of various civil society organizations including Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation in Turkey, Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), and Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts IKSV. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of Sabanci University. Dr. Paker recently retired from Turk Henkel as Chairman and Director General.

Program Officer

Ayşe Yırcali joined TESEV as a program officer in 2001 and is responsible for coordinating several research projects. Since June 2004, she has been the acting director of Communications and Institutional Relations. Prior to joining TESEV, she worked in the research department of Global Securities Inc. as a financial analyst, covering several sectors of the Istanbul Stock Exchange.