Mr Ilhan Nebioglu

Born into a distinguished Istanbul publishing family, active since the 1940s, Ilhan Nebioglu has overseen the publication of a wide range of books, particularly Turkish translations of influential international works. He was educated at the German Lycée and Robert College in Istanbul before studying Economics at the University of Freiburg, Germany, under Hayek, the Nobel Laureate. He later completed a thesis on “educational planning and policy in Turkey “in Germany and then under the supervision of Mark Blaug at London University.

Having moved to London over forty years ago, Ilhan’s professional career spans publishing, journalism, banking and finance. He held senior roles in investment banking at Kleinwort Benson and Standard Bank and oversaw the establishment of branches of Garanti Bank in both London and Moscow. He later directed the privatisation of a bank in the Balkans in collaboration with the EBRD and IFC. He has also served as Chairman, Board Member and Managing Director across a wide range of sectors and companies in the private sector.

Driven by a long-standing interest in international affairs and cultural history, Ilhan compiled  and published “The International Who’s Who of the Arab World”. He travelled to all eighteen Arab countries  and worked in collaboration with respected scholars Albert Hourani, Peter Mansfield and Malcolm Kerr, as well as the diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi.

Ilhan’s current research at St Antony’s College focuses on the Turkish diaspora. He aims to produce a comprehensive reference work that explores the cultural, socioeconomic and political identity of Turkish communities abroad.

Ilhan Nebioglu draws on the cultural and intellectual heritage of both East and West to bring a distinctive transnational perspective to his academic, professional and philanthropic work.

Selected affiliations and initiatives

– Founder of the Divan Club (established 2005), a cultural  platform where British “turcophiles” including writers, artists and scholars meet twice a year to explore the shared history and culture

– long standing Member of Europa Nostra, and Committee member of  the conservation and heritage society since the 1980s, instrumental in securing Turkey’s membership and facilitating conservation awards for heritage protection projects

– UK Steering Committee Member of TATLIDIL,   together with Jack Straw, the Turkish-British Business Forum (2009–2018), established by UK Prime Minister David Cameron and the President of Turkey

– Board Advisor to the Turkish Chair at the London School of Economics