|
Mr. Egemen Bagis was elected to the Turkish parliament in November 2002 as a member of the Justice and Development Party, also known as the AK Party. Besides representing Istanbul in the parliament, he serves as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Turkish prime minister.
As a top advisor, Bagis has been playing a key role in the AK Party's dedicated reform drive in Turkey towards robust democracy, the protection and expansion of individual freedoms, a liberal market economy, the rule of law, and Turkey's global integration. Bagis has also been instrumental in keeping statesmen, international fora, and the media informed of developments in Turkey.
Mr. Bagis's official responsibilities include:
- Member of the Turkish Parliament, representing Istanbul
- Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister;
- Chairman, NATO-PA Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations;
- Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Delegation, NATO Parliamentary Assembly;
- Chairman, Turkey-USA Inter Parliamentary Friendship Caucus of the Turkish Parliament (the counterpart of the Turkey Caucus in the US Congress);
- Advisory Board Chairman, Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Initiative.
As a patron of the arts, he is among the founders of two museums: the Istanbul Modern and the Santral Museum of Art & Industry. Also, he is an honorary board member of the Siirt Solidarity Foundation.
An active member of the Turkish-American community within the US, Bagis formerly served as the president of the Federation of Turkish American Associations, the New York based umbrella organization of Turkish-Americans. He enjoys the distinction of being the only president thus far elected to two consecutive terms by unanimous vote. He has also served as a member of the Advisory Board on Turkish Citizens Abroad, a government body.
Bagis was born in Bingol, Turkey, in 1970. His family originates from the neighboring province of Siirt, where his father once served as mayor.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Human Resources Management as well as a Master of Public Administration degree, both from the Baruch College of The City University of New York. He is married to Beyhan N. Bagis, and they have two children.
|
|
