I was born in 1970 in Istanbul.
I am a graduate of Galatasaray Lisesi, a high school which represents a tradition of education that is more than five centuries old. My university education was in another tradition of education, Boğaziçi University, where I received a BS degree in Industrial Engineering and a Ph.D. in Economics. My advisor was Murat Sertel, a great scientist and a friend whom I owe a lot and miss a lot.
Following the completion of my Ph.D. in 1998, I developed my whole professional career at Istanbul Bilgi University, a young but distinguished higher education institution of Turkey. There, I have been the founding director of the Murat Sertel Center for Advanced Economic Studies which I believe to be a center of excellence in mathematical social sciences. I have also served as the rector of my University between 2011 and 2015. Since October 2015, I am a director of research at CNRS, working at LAMSADE, Université Paris Dauphine. On the other hand, as a member of the board of trustees of Istanbul Bilgi University, I maintain my ties with my institution, which was my first love.
I am a member of the Grand Lodge of Turkey of which I have served as the Grand Master between 2010-2013; as well as of Galatasaray Sports Club of which I have served as the spokesperson of the board between 2021-2022.
I am married to Ipek Özkal Sanver and have two children, Defne and Erdem Sanver.
