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.

Esra Akcebe

LEGAL PARTNER

Esra Akcebe graduated from the Faculty of Law with a full scholarship. She has 12 years of experience as a lawyer, working closely with executives of international companies and organizations. Her expertise includes commercial law, arbitration, maritime law, investment law, and human rights.

Esra has strong experience in legal and business consulting, focusing on drafting and reviewing international contracts and providing practical legal solutions. She has worked with legal teams to ensure clear and fair contractual terms, organized and approved company board and general assembly resolutions, and managed the legal aspects of business operations.

She has also held leadership roles as a company lawyer for major shipbuilding and construction companies, contributing to the successful completion of large-scale projects.

In addition to her legal career, Esra has received awards and recognition for her work. She was a finalist in an artificial intelligence competition at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), where she was acknowledged as an innovative entrepreneur by KOSGEB and ITU.

Her article, The Legal Framework for Foreign Investors in Turkey, was published in Acquisition International Global Media, a leading finance magazine in the UK (The Voice of Corporate Finance, November 2013, p. 46).

Esra is  a junior partner at TradeChamber.us, and also  an international associate of 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.