Ipek is the Director of Columbia Global Centers | Istanbul since its inception in 2011. The Center is working to build collaborative programs and projects that link Columbia University to Turkey, and the Istanbul Center to the eight other Global Centers worldwide. She is educated in Turkey and the United States and holds a BA in Political Science from Amherst College, as well as an MBA and MIA from Columbia University.

Ipek’s career has included investment banking at Deutsche Bank in New York, cofounding Turkey’s pioneer internet communications firm Netwise, authoring opinion columns in leading Turkish newspapers, creating and hosting ‘Global Leaders, a major television program with NTV networks. She has served on the International Advisory Board of Columbia University, Advisory Board of Allianz Turkey, Strategic Advisory Council for the Marseille Center for Mediterranean Integration (World Bank).

Ipek is a member of Greek Turkish Forum, an Eisenhower Fellow and an honorary professor in public relations and communications, as well as having co-instituted an international peace award, The Cem Papandreou award. She has been a founder and board member of leading civil society organizations from Turkey, including GYIAD (business), URAK (competitiveness), KAGIDER (women’s entrepreneurship) and SAHA (contemporary art). Ipek is also a key contributor to two of the oldest educational traditions in Turkey, serving as a Trustee of Robert College of Istanbul and a Trustee of Isik University.