Deniz Köken

Born in Ordu in 1964, Mr. Deniz Köken graduated from the Faculty of Economics of Anadolu University, then held various posts in the banking sector between 1984 and 1994. At the 1994 local elections, he was elected as a Municipal Councilor, and served as Deputy Mayor of Eyüp Municipality for ten years, with his mark on successful projects for Eyüp Sultan. For two terms, he served both as a district councilor, and metropolitan councilor, and a member and chair of Budget and Tariff Commissions in both councils.  In those years, he also engaged in social activities as the President of Eyüp Sports Club, a founder member of Eyüp Musical Foundation and a founding-member of Service Foundation for People of Ordu. At the 2004 local elections, he was elected for the third term as a metropolitan councilor from Kâğıthane district. That same year, he took up the position of Deputy Secretary-General of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality. He implemented constructional projects to make Antalya a world city as well as important matters of family, children, elderly and people with disabilities, home care in the context of social municipalism.  Following the 2009 local elections, he was posted as the Secretary-General of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality where he oversaw the preparation of the city for Winter Universiade 2011. Mr. Köken served as the Secretary-General of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality from 2014, as well as the President of Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone and the President of Gaziantep Basketball Sports Club. He accomplished notable work of raising subprofessionals through ASMEK in Antalya, ESMEK in Erzurum and GASMEK in Gaziantep, and promoting social and cultural activities. Presiding over municipal sports clubs at metropolises, he implemented such projects as “a sportsperson from every home” to engage all youth in sports. He contributed to the success of basketball, wrestling and track teams in national and international contests. Standing as a mayoral candidate for Eyüpsultan district from AKP, he was elected the mayor at the March 2019 local elections, and still serves in that capacity.