ISTANBUL.- Özlem Yalım Özkaraoğlu, Director of the first Istanbul Design Biennial organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), is handing over her duties to Deniz Ova, Director of International Projects at İKSV.

Özlem Yalım Özkaraoğlu who has been the Director of Istanbul Design Biennial since 2010, will continue to contribute to the biennial as consultant and a member of the Istanbul Design Biennial Advisory Board, while pursuing her own projects in the field of design. Deniz Ova, who has worked for İKSV since 2007, has been appointed as the new director of the biennial.

Born in Germany, Stuttgart, Deniz Ova graduated from the University of Stuttgart in Political Science and Linguistics. After working as an assistant director in several theatre productions at the Stuttgart State and City Theatre, she started to work for the management and organisation of festival events in Stuttgart. Her first hospitality management was during the Şimdi Stuttgart festival in 2005 which brought her in touch with the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV). In 2007 she moved to Istanbul to lead the international projects department of İKSV and since then she has developed and organised the festivals and events of İKSV in European cities. (Co-productions for the 400th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Turkey, 2012; Şimdi Now Sweden and Denmark, 2011; Anna Lindh Foundation Head of Network Turkey co-coordination and events; Spot On: Turkey Now, Vienna 2009; Turkey at one Glance. Excerpts from Life and Culture, Vienna 2008, the Frankfurt Book Fair Guest of Honour, Turkey Department of Music and Performing Arts, 2008). Besides the festivals she coordinates the Pavilion of Turkey at the Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale and the artist residency studio “Turquie” at Cite International des Arts. In 2009 Deniz Ova was appointed to write with Görgün Taner and Deniz Unsal a critical report on the Arts and Culture scene in Amsterdam following the nomination of Görgün Taner as Art Advisor for the Amsterdam City Council. Deniz Ova, Director of International Projects in İKSV since 2010 has been appointed as the director of the Istanbul Design Biennial in 2013.

Graduated from METU Department of Industrial Design, Özlem Yalım Özkaraoğlu has worked in Bursa for 6 years in her own design and architecture company as director. She worked as “design and project manager” in modular exhibition and design company in Akın Nalça/Terminal between 2001 and 2003, and as the project director of a design center project between 2003-2004. In 2004, she started to work as a freelancer as a design consultant. She took part in leading design activities and projects, both local and global. (ADesign fair, IDW competition jury, Frankfurt Tendence Lifestyle - ”design from east to west” exhibition, Marketingist design exhibitions, İMMİB – İTO – AYSAD design competitions, NTV – Turk Mucit 'Turkish Inventor' competition, various design and trend seminars and exhibitions) She founded “d.o.T. designers of Turkey” in the beginning of 2005 in order to support the promotion and marketing potential of Turkish designers globally. Between 2005 and 2007, she undertook the creative idea, concept design and activity management of “FESORIENT, International Ethnic Design Lifestyle and Fashion Festival". The designer also created and presented OBJECULT and AQUAGALATA projects, which are registered on her name; and worked as the creative director of TRENDSHOW 2007 event. In order to continue on with her work in the corporate field, she worked full-time as “director of product development” and “director of design and brand” at KOLEKSİYON MOBİLYA (furniture) for 2 years. Özkaraoğlu was on the "The Most Creative 50 Turks" list prepared by the Turkishtime magazine in both 2011 and 2012.

The first edition of Istanbul Design Biennial organised by İKSV and co-sponsored by Eren Holding, Koray Group of Companies, Vestel and VitrA was visited by 44,600 people. Together with its parallel events and exhibitions, Istanbul Design Biennial met an audience of approximately 115,000 viewers.