Mustafa’s career in urban planning and cultural and creative industries shows his strong dedication. Graduating from the Department of City and Regional Planning at Middle East Technical University in Ankara in 2008, he continued his academic journey with a master’s degree in European Spatial Planning and Regional Development from Sweden in 2010. Upon returning to Türkiye, Mustafa dedicated seven fruitful years to the North Anatolia Development Agency (KUZKA), where he played a pivotal role in regional and spatial planning, sustainable development, and the implementation of impactful projects.

Undeterred by the demands of his professional life, Mustafa pursued further academic endeavours during his tenure at KUZKA. His pursuit of knowledge led him to start doctoral studies in urbanism at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. In 2019, he successfully defended his thesis on cities, creativity, and solidarity, earning him the title of Doctor.

In 2017, Mustafa transitioned to the Istanbul Development Agency, assuming key leadership roles as the Coordinator of the Creative Industries Results-Oriented Programme and the Head of the Culture and Creativity Unit. Here, he took regional development initiatives and crafted strategic policies and mid-term programmes for creative industries, and developed EU projects and annual grant programmes.

In 2023, Mustafa embarked on a new chapter in his career, co-founding Culture Unleashed to pursue his dreams. Concurrently, he has served as a lecturer at Istanbul Bilgi University since 2022, imparting his knowledge and expertise to the future cultural leaders.

Beyond his professional endeavours, Mustafa remains deeply committed to promoting diversity and creativity on a larger scale. As a member of the Digitaliazation Sub-Working Group of the Expertise Committee on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions under Turkish National Commission for UNESCO  and a delegate of the Cities & Regions Network under EIT Culture & Creativity, he continues to shape policies and initiatives that uphold these values with utmost integrity and diligence.