Deniz Ova is Director of Istanbul Design Biennial at Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), since 2013. Ova started to lead the International Projects department of İKSV in 2007 and since then she has developed and organised the festivals and events of the foundation in different European cities, acting as the director of the department from 2010 to 2013. Besides the festivals, she has been coordinating the Pavilion of Turkey at the International Art Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia, the artist residency studio “Turquie” at Cité Internationale des Arts, and recently managed the participation of Turkey in the London Design Biennial. Since 2014, she is advisor to the Pavilion of Turkey at the International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia, and has currently been appointed as jury member for the artist residency studio “Turquie”. In 2009, Deniz Ova was assigned to write with General Director of İKSV, Görgün Taner, and academician Deniz Ünsal a critical report on the arts and culture scene in Amsterdam following the nomination of Taner as Art Advisor for the Amsterdam City Council. Before her posts at İKSV, Ova worked as assistant director in several theatre productions at the Stuttgart State and City Theatre, and managed festival events in Stuttgart. Deniz Ova graduated from the University of Stuttgart in Political Science and Linguistics. She is fellow at the Salzburg Global Seminar and Stiftung Mercator “Turkey Europe Future Forum”.