Ali Güreli graduated from the Faculty of Business Administration at METU (Middle East Technical University). He is the Founder and Chairman of Contemporary Istanbul, under whose leadership the fair has become one of Istanbul’s most prestigious art events. Considered the foremost art fair of the region, Contemporary Istanbul has continuously expanded its strong global position and improved the international standing of both Turkish collectors and artists since 2005.
Preceding Contemporary Istanbul, Ali Güreli founded and was the Chairman of the first contemporary art fair in Turkey “Art Istanbul” from 2001 to 2005. The founding partner of Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC), Güreli was its Vice-chairman from 1993 to 2002 and played a key role in its management board. One of the founders of TÜROB (Hotel Association of Turkey), Güreli served as the President of the association from 1994 to 2001 and was the Board Member of The Marmara Hotels group from 1989 to 2002.
Currently the Chairman of the Board of The Sofa Hotels & Resorts, Board Member of The Turkish Tourism Investors Association (TYD) Güreli is also Executive Committee Member The Tourism Development and Education Foundation (TUGEV) . Ali Güreli has a great passion to enhance the position of Istanbul as a cultural and intellectual hub where multiple dynamics embracing the Middle East and Europe converge. His entrepreneurial energy and enthusiasm spread across a wide array of projects to encounter new opportunities and development possibilities.