Deniz Torcu
Educator, writer & cultural strategist
exploring how language, migration & globalization shape the future.
I work with universities, forums, and global organisations to design learning experiences, lead DEI initiatives,
and bring complex ideas about globalisation, democracy, and identity into public conversation.
My work bridges higher education, gender equity, and the stories we inherit across borders and languages.
Talks & panels
I speak regularly on globalisation, diversity, AI & the skills revolution, and cross-cultural communication.
My talks connect economic realities with lived stories of migration and identity.
Recent highlights
TEDx · language, migration & identity
Redesigning Blueprints
TEDxIE Madrid talk on how languages function as emotional and cultural blueprints, how multilingual lives
complicate neat national stories, and how we can redesign inherited narratives in a globalised world.
TEDxIE Madrid
Watch the TEDx talk
Podcast · global mindset
Global Mindset in a Fragmented World
Conversation about what it means to build a global mindset today: learning across borders, navigating uncertainty,
and rethinking mobility, privilege, and responsibility in times of crisis.
Cadena SER · podcast episode
Listen to the episode
See more talks & panels ↓
Importance of future-forward education
Turkish Educational Foundation (TEV)
Women Pioneering Tech-Driven Change
Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society
AI, Education & HR: Embracing the Skills Revolution
Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society
Cross-Cultural Communication & Inventing a Global Self
Junior Chamber International Türkiye
Embracing Digital Student Engagement
GMAC European Conference
Women in Diplomacy: How to Become a Glocal Leader
IE Business School
What I talk about
In my talks and panels, I explore how economics, culture, gender, and language intersect
in people’s lives and careers, from macro questions about globalisation and democracy to the micro-psychology
of belonging and voice.
- Designing inclusive education & careers : women in finance, STEM, and leadership.
- Women pioneering tech-driven change : how women are shaping AI and digital transformation.
- AI, education & the workforce : what the skills revolution means for institutions, workers, and learners.
- Cross-cultural communication : working and leading across borders and languages.
- The global economy through a humanities lens : how stories and culture shape economic choices.
- How languages shape how we think and act : emotional blueprints, code-switching, and multilingual lives.
- History, diversity & real change : what the past can still teach us about inclusion and power.
- The power of education : education as a vehicle for social mobility, agency, and voice.
Work & Ideas
I write, speak, and translate at the intersection of culture, economics, democracy, and belonging.
My work connects data on global markets and migration with stories from everyday life.
Articles, essays & public voice
Selected writing on migration, markets & democracy
Literary translation & cultural work
Translation, memory & post-Ottoman worlds
I translate between Turkish and Spanish, focusing on migration, feminist perspectives,
and post-Ottoman / Mediterranean identities. My translations bring Latin American and Spanish voices to Turkish-speaking
readers and appear across the Spanish-speaking world.
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Metáfora: 24 imágenes de la historia de la filosofía, Merlín Alcalde, Pedro Alcalde —
Metafor: Felsefe Tarihinden 24 Imge
See book
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Lo que esconde tu nombre, Clara Sánchez —
Limon Yapraklarının Kokusu
See book
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Around the World in 80 Days, Jules Verne —
Seksen Günde Devr-i Âlem
See book
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En los zapatos de Valeria, Elísabet Benavent —
Yüksek Topuklar: Karışık İlişkiler
See book
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La sangre de los inocentes, Julia Navarro —
Kayıp Mürid.
See book
See more translations ↓
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Las batallas en el desierto, José Emilio Pacheco —
Çöl Savaşları.
See book
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Valeria en el espejo, Elísabet Benavent —
Yüksek Topuklar: Kararsız Kalpler.
See book
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El principio del placer, José Emilio Pacheco —
Boynu Vurulmuş Ay.
See book
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De Ernesto al Che, Carlos “Calica” Ferrer —
Arkadaşım Ernesto’dan Kumandan Che’ye.
See book
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El regreso del joven príncipe, A. G. Roemmers —
Genç Prens’in Dönüşü.
See book
Published in & partnered with
About
I’m an educator, writer, and cultural strategist working at the intersection of globalisation, higher
education, and identity. My work is rooted in economics, but equally shaped by migration stories, languages, and everyday
questions of who gets to belong.
Professional story
I serve as Executive Director of Specialized Masters at IE Business School, where I design and lead programs
that prepare students for a world shaped by technology, diversity, and global markets.
My experience spans regional recruitment, cultural diplomacy, and program design, working with partners
across Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. I enjoy building bridges between institutions, disciplines, and people.
Alongside my administrative work, I teach and speak about globalisation, democracy, diversity, AI, and language,
and write for public outlets that bring social science and humanities debates into broader conversations.
Roots, languages & what drives me
I grew up between Turkey, Europe, and the Mediterranean, in a family marked by migration, displacement,
and multilingualism. Georgian, Turkish, German, Greek, Spanish, and English have all been present in different ways,
sometimes as home, sometimes as distance.
These layered roots made me curious about how language shapes emotion, memory, and identity: why we feel
different in different tongues, how families negotiate loss and transmission, and how multilingual lives challenge neat
national stories and economic categories.
I’m also a mother to a multilingual child, which makes all of this very concrete: every day involves
decisions about which language to use, which stories to pass on, and how to honour past migrations while creating new forms
of belonging.
Degrees & programs
- BA in Economics – Istanbul University
- MA in Spanish Language & Literature – Istanbul University
- MA in EU Studies – Istanbul University (abandoned)
- MA in International Relations – IE School of Politics & Global Affairs
- PhD in Humanities (in progress) – University of Salamanca & Instituto Universitario Ortega-Marañón
- Short course in Social Anthropology – University of Oxford
Languages
- Turkish — Native
- Spanish — Full professional
- English — Full professional
- Greek — Full professional
- German — Professional working
- Italian — Limited working
Selected certifications: Sustainable Business Strategy · Geopolitics of Europe · The Science of Well-Being ·
leadership and DEI programs.
Professional story
My work moves between higher education leadership, global markets & diplomacy, and writing & translation —
always with an eye on how global trends feel in people’s everyday lives.
Higher education & leadership
Executive Director of Specialized Masters
IE Business School · Madrid
- Lead a portfolio of specialised master’s programs shaping the future of marketing, communication, and strategy.
- Design programs at the intersection of business, technology, and social impact in a global economy.
- Collaborate with faculty and leadership to turn diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing into concrete learning journeys.
Global markets & diplomacy
From scholarships to cultural diplomacy
Turkey · Europe & Central Asia · Global
- Built regional recruitment strategies connecting students with international education opportunities.
- Collaborated with institutions such as UNESCO and cultural organisations on education & heritage projects.
- Advised initiatives linking culture, education, and policy in global forums.
Writing, translation & teaching
Author, translator & educator
Migration · diversity · globalisation & identity
- Publish articles on migration, democracy, gender, and global markets in The Conversation, Telos, and other outlets.
- Translate literary works that explore migration, feminist perspectives, and post-Ottoman identities.
- Teach courses on globalisation, business & media, and cross-cultural communication at IE University.
Selected organisations I’ve taught or collaborated with
Teaching & programs
My teaching connects business, social sciences, and the humanities. I invite students and executives to reflect on
how culture, power, and language shape the way we work and lead across borders.
Teaching philosophy
Courses draw on debates about globalisation, inequality, and democracy, asking how economic structures and
narratives translate into everyday experiences at work and at home.
I design learning experiences that are rigorous, reflective, and grounded in real-world complexity. Case discussions, critical
reading, and lived experience all play a role in connecting personal histories with global structures and debates.
I also facilitate initiatives such as Google’s #IamRemarkable, empowering underrepresented voices to speak
openly about their accomplishments and reframe how we think about leadership, confidence, and visibility.
Courses & workshops
- Globalization, Business & Media : how global political and economic dynamics shape markets, narratives, and organisations.
- Cross-Cultural Communication : language, identity, and culture in organisational life.
- Leading with Diversity : diversity, equity, and inclusion as a leadership practice.
- Well-Being in Practice : translating well-being science into everyday leadership and learning.
- Human Rights & Social Inclusion : connecting human rights frameworks with voice, representation, and policy.
Fellowships & recognition
A selection of fellowships, scholarships, and DEI leadership roles that have shaped my work across
higher education, public discourse, and global initiatives.
DEI leadership, fellowships & recognition
- Rising Talents Fellow — Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society.
- Regional DEI Lead & member of the IE Global Women’s Board — designing and launching DEI campaigns on women in finance, STEM, and leadership.
- Google #IamRemarkable Facilitator — supporting women and underrepresented groups in claiming their achievements.
- Turkish Educational Foundation (TEV) Scholarship — support for academic excellence and leadership potential.
- IE Fellows Program — recognition for leadership and impact in higher education.
Mentorship
I am an active mentor to young professionals and students who want to become global citizens — people who
understand how culture, politics, and economics shape everything that surrounds us and who want to act with responsibility and curiosity.
Supporting future global citizens
I mentor scholarship recipients, first-generation students, and early-career professionals as they navigate international studies,
career transitions, and cross-border moves. Mentoring conversations often touch on identity, class, and belonging as much as on CVs and applications.
I participate in mentoring initiatives with organisations such as the Turkish Educational Foundation (TEV) and
Inspiring Girls, helping young people imagine futures that cross borders and disciplines.
