About Us

PROF. DUYSAL AŞKUN

SENIOR MARKETING & MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT / FOUNDER of MATCH

Dr. Duysal Aşkun is a business consultant, psychologist and a scholar who has extensive experience in both clinical and organizational settings. Her expertise and articles are about business strategy, business ethics, entrepreneurship, go2market strategy for US market and organization development.

Duysal received her BA in Psychology and MA in Clinical Psychology from Bogazici University, and received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. She also graduated from Zicklin School of Business-CUNY and Teacher’s College, Columbia University.

Duysal started her career working in a multi-national company (Colgate-Palmolive) in 2000, and since then, she served many local and international organizations, global brands and start-ups to help them become a better version of themselves by designing and implementing consultancy and training programs according to the needs of her clients. In terms of start-ups. Duysal designed and managed two cohort accelerator programs for more than 20 entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

After earning her doctorate degree in Organizational Behavior in 2007, Duysal started teaching at universities while also starting up her own company Smart Solutions in training and consulting. She is currently teaching business and psychology courses as an Adjunct Faculty at Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, at New York City College of Technology (CUNY) Social Sciences Department and CUNY Baruch College. She published in reputable journals such as Journal of Business Ethics, Current Psychology, European Management Review, and Management Research Review.

Mehmet Ata CEYLAN

MATCH VICE PRESIDENT

Ceylan completed his undergraduate education at Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Electrical and Electronics, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department. He completed his Master’s Degree (Master) at the Institute of High Technology (GYTE), and then completed the Modern Business Management (MBA) Program at Marmara University.

Ceylan, who has more than 23 years of experience working in Energy – Environment, Industry, International Projects and multinational companies, is also a Board Member of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), a Member of the Executive Board of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) Business Council and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) He served as the Chairman of the Energy Committee.

Traveled to over 40 countries and participated in over 500 international fairs and conferences on energy and environment like WEC (S. Korea), IFAT (Germany, China), REW, ICCI, GRC (Geothermal, USA), E-world Energy & Water (Germany), PowerGen (Germany).

In addition to energy and environmental projects, Ceylan offers Investment & Project Management Consultancy Services, International Partnerships & Cooperation Consultancy Services, Support Services for Investors or Project Owners and International Business Relations & Communication Support Services.

Esra Akcebe

LEGAL PARTNER

Esra Akcebe studied at Baskent University with her successful scholarship. She is an attorney with 12 years of experience working alongside the manager of international companies and holdings. Esra specializes in commercial, arbitration, mediation, maritime, investment and besides these immigration law. She has experience in management legal and business consulting, leading companies and practicing areas of especially drafting and viewing international contracts, providing legal solutions. Having Collaborated with the legal team to review and solidify contractual terms, organizing and approving the resolutions of general assembly and board of companies in all process. Esra got a manager position as a company lawyer in large war ships, shipbuilding and construction companies and contributed to the successful conclusion of the projects.

Esra also has different awards and experiences, one of them is a finalist at a project competition about artificial intelligence at the Istanbul Technical University. It was a great rank for a new entrepreneur awarded by KOSKEB and ITU.

Esra has article award of Acquisition International Global Media which is the biggest finance magazine in the United Kingdom. The article’s subjects are regarding legal infrastructures of foreign investments. (The juridical infrastructure for foreign investors in Turkey was published in the Acquisition International Global Media Limited, The voice of Corporate Finance /November 2013/p.46).

Esra is also founding member of blockchain in Turkey and junior partner of tradechamber.us and in addition, she is an international lawyer under the American Bar Association.

CATHERINE SCHULLER

HONORARY ADVISOR

Catherine Schuller is a former Ford model and size advocate as one of the first plus-size models in the industry in the ’80s.  She was an Editor of the highly acclaimed MODE Magazine, the first Vogue executed full-figured magazine, and produced touring shows and trained editors to promote the magazine with Mode on the Road helping to bring the subscription audience to 4 million between the years 1997-2001 and secure the plus woman as a fashion icon in her own right.  She created Catherine Schuller Enterprises LLC which has grown to comprise several entities all serving the diversity, inclusivity, accessibility and sustainability aspects of the fashion industry.  She produces Runway the Real Way and joined NYC Fair Trade Coalition as an advocate member and started teaching Sustainability at LIM College as well as designing a plus-size design program for FIT called The Business of Curves.  Catherine joined forces as Curator and Creative Director with Executive Producer, Pamela Privette, to create hiTechMODA: Fashion Forward Innovation now in its third season at National Geographic’s Encounter space. In 2018 she created the sustainable segment of hiTechMODA entitled ReGen Runway: Planet. People. Purpose.  With designers, accessories, makeup, and even backstage catering all eco-friendly.

TUĞÇE UĞURLU, ESQ.

LEGAL ADVISOR

Tuğçe is an attorney qualified to practice law in Istanbul and New York. After graduating from Istanbul German High School, Tuğçe studied law, international relations, and political science at Yeditepe University with full state scholarship. Graduating from law school in 2007 with magna cum laude, she worked at one of the most prestigious Turkish law firms until 2011, where she concentrated her work on international finance and foreign investments.

Tuğçe started her master of laws (LL.M.) degree at Stanford Law School in 2011 as a Fulbright scholar. She focused on International Economic Law, Business, and Policy at Stanford. After completing her master, Tuğçe had the opportunity to work with Cherie Blair CBE QC in Washington, D.C. where she consulted on structuring international finance deals. After returning to Istanbul, Tuğçe worked at several international law firms until 2018 and continued to deepen her understanding of corporate, securities, and finance laws.

Coming from a corporate law background, Tuğçe combined her corporate experience with commercial, civil, and criminal litigation starting from 2015. Litigating in Turkey and in the U.S. gave her a valuable insight as to the nature of legal conflicts and how to resolve them. Due to her enthusiastic search for new perspectives in the legal profession, Tuğçe worked as an adjunct instructor at Yeditepe Law School, teaching a 3rd- year mandatory course entitled “U.S. Company Law” on corporate laws and practices of New York and California states between 2017-2018.

Tuğçe established Interhub Legal with business hubs in Istanbul, New York, and New Jersey in 2019, and she is currently advising Turkish, European and American companies, start- up’s and individuals concerning business set-ups, contractual matters, corporate restructurings and business compliance on both sides of the Atlantic.

ESRA ŞİMŞEK

COMMUNICATION MANAGER

Esra graduated from Istanbul Technical University, Department of Architecture. During her education, she completed her internships at Rönesans Holding, URBAR Architecture and, Urbanization Office and, ITU UYG-AR. She studied at Politecnico di Milano within the Athens Program. She also participated in workshops in the fields of architecture and design and worked collectively on social, cultural and environmental issues. There are first prizes in the design solutions provided for companies such as KALE and ARTELLA in domestic competitions. After graduation, she worked as a volunteer in the IKSV Istanbul Design Biennial Department, conducting communication tasks to ensure coordination between the field and the management team, and gained experience in exhibition works. She makes an effort to actively take part in social practices with the environmental parameters that guide her design concept and continues to work as a communication consultant within our company.