Osman Kavala, born in 1957, studied economics at the University of Manchester. In 1982 he took over the management of the Kavala Companies founded by his late father.
After partaking in relief activities in the aftermath of the 1999 earthquake, he quit his position in the business world and dedicated himself to work in the field of civil society for the betterment of all. He became one of the important actors in Turkey’s developing civil society activities during the 1990s, working in a variety of civil society organizations and projects. In 2002, he decided to focus his work on arts and culture and founded Anadolu Kültür together with a team of like-minded individuals from the arts, business world, and civil society. The group’s objectives included enabling the production, viewing and sharing of arts and culture in Turkey, supporting local initiatives, emphasizing cultural diversity and rights and strengthening local and international collaborations.
In addition to his work with Anadolu Kültür, Osman Kavala was also a founding member, board member and on the advisory board of many civil society organizations.
