CEFTUS at 15: Turkey’s London Bridge and an Unforgettable Evening at Grosvenor Square

The 15th CEFTUS Annual Excellence Awards Gala Dinner brought together some of the most prominent figures from Turkey and surrounding regions on 21 June 2026, at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square. Members of Parliament, ambassadors, business leaders, academics and civil society representatives gathered for an occasion that went well beyond ceremony — it was a reckoning with fifteen years of bridge-building between Britain and Turkey.

What Is CEFTUS?

CEFTUS — the Centre for Türkiye Studies — was established in London in 2011, with the backing of the then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and cross-party support. Its purpose was clear: to build dialogue between Turkey and the United Kingdom, and to bring together academics, policymakers, business people and civil society under one roof.

Fifteen years on, the organisation has more than fulfilled that ambition. Through Brexit and beyond — through the most complex periods in the bilateral relationship — CEFTUS maintained its independence and impartiality. Its parliamentary meetings, published reports and annual events, which draw thousands of attendees, have established it as one of London’s most substantive civil society institutions.

Ibrahim Dogus: The Architect

To understand CEFTUS is to understand Ibrahim Dogus. He arrived in London in 1994, aged 14, and built his life from the ground up — beginning as a dishwasher before becoming a restaurateur and, eventually, one of the most influential community leaders in England. The owner of Troia, Westminster Kitchen and Cucina, Dogus has never stopped engaging with politics alongside his business career.

A long-standing Labour Party figure, he stood for Parliament in London and Westminster in 2017, and in West Bromwich East in 2019. He was elected to Lambeth Council in 2018 and became Mayor of Lambeth in 2019, before being re-elected in Waterloo and South Bank in 2022.

Dogus maintains productive relationships with both the current Labour government and its predecessors — a network that extends from the Prime Minister’s office to local government, giving Turkey-rooted communities a genuine channel into the British political system. On matters ranging from bilateral trade and visa policy to preparations for COP31, CEFTUS and its founder have played a significant lobbying role.

CEFTUS is not his only vehicle. The British Kebab Awards and SME4Labour are further expressions of the same bridge-building vision. The Kebab Awards, which might look light-hearted, have brought figures from Jeremy Corbyn and Sadiq Khan to Angela Rayner and numerous ministers to the same table — and in doing so have become one of the most genuine examples of cross-community dialogue in the capital.

The Awards: A Portrait of a Community

Twenty-three categories featured at this year’s gala — a number that reflects the breadth of contribution made by Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot communities across British life. Winners were selected through public nomination and public vote.

Lifetime Achievement

• Kerim Yıldız — Decades of service to the community, leaving a lasting mark across generations
• Ibrahim Ahmet — Sustained, enduring contribution and leadership across business and community life

Honorary & Director Awards

• Baroness Meral Ece — Distinguished public service in the House of Lords and long-standing advocacy for community rights
• Feryal Clark MP (MP for Enfield North) — Pioneer in representing the Turkish community in the UK at parliamentary level
• Yashar Ismailoglu — Commitment to strengthening inter-community relations and advancing UK-Turkey dialogue
• Unmesh Desai AM — Outstanding contribution to public life through service, diversity and inclusion
• Prof Brad Blitz — Original contributions to academia, public policy and international dialogue

Business & Entrepreneurship

• Ali Keskinbicak — Entrepreneurship Award: Visionary leadership, innovation and exemplary business performance
• Yasemin Sönmez — Businesswoman of the Year: Exemplary leadership in advancing women’s entrepreneurship and sustained success
• Ibrahim Umut — Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Innovative business model and rapid growth that inspires the next generation
• Ersin Bedir — Finance, Mortgage, Accountancy & Banking: Outstanding contribution to the financial sector and community-focused leadership

Restaurant & Hospitality

• Resul & Mehmet Koksal — Restaurateurs of the Year: Exceptional entrepreneurship and excellence in customer experience
• Kemal Aslan — Restaurateur of the Year: Outstanding leadership in the food sector and a distinctive customer experience

Law & Academia

• Ruken Suphandağ — Legal Excellence Award: Outstanding contribution to the legal profession and commitment to justice
• Dr Latif Tas — Academic Excellence Award: Original contributions to research and scholarship advancing cross-community understanding

Culture, Arts & Media

• Kaya Mar — Culture and Arts Award: Cultural contribution through political cartooning and artistic practice on the international stage
• The Amargi — Media Excellence Award: Impactful journalism, powerful storytelling and a commitment to connecting communities

Community Service & Advocacy

• Erim Meto — Dedicated service to the community and leadership that drives positive change
• Peray Ahmet — Making a meaningful difference through determined and supportive leadership
• Dr Mohamed Moustafa — Community Engagement: Building meaningful bonds between communities and a commitment to positive impact
• Özcan Yörük — Advocacy and Social Justice: Sustained campaigning for equality and justice, inspiring leadership for communities
• Turkish Cypriot Community Association — Community Organisation of the Year: Decades of dedicated work sustaining community life and a genuinely inclusive approach

Kaya Mar: The Quiet Power of Political Art

Among the evening’s awards, the Culture and Arts prize awarded to Kaya Mar merits particular attention. Mar has published work in the Guardian, the Independent and other leading British outlets, and ranks among the strongest practitioners of political cartooning in the country. His award confirmed what is increasingly evident: communities rooted in Turkey and the surrounding region are making their mark not only in business and politics, but in the cultural life of Britain itself.

The Amargi and the Value of Independent Media

The decision to award the Media Excellence prize to The Amargi was equally significant. Diaspora media in this country operates under considerable pressure — smaller advertising markets, limited resources, the dual obligation of serving a specific community while reaching a broader readership. To produce independent, original journalism under those conditions is a genuine achievement, and the award signals that the community now understands the value of its own media infrastructure.

Fifteen Years On

When CEFTUS was founded in 2011, the relationship between Turkey and the United Kingdom looked very different. Brexit arrived. Governments changed. Global crises came and went. And CEFTUS remained — not merely surviving, but growing stronger and more visible with each passing year.

Free trade negotiations between the UK and Turkey are now under way. In November 2026, Turkey will host COP31, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, with global attention turning to Antalya. That CEFTUS marks its 15th anniversary at this particular moment speaks to how accurately it read the need it was founded to address — and how much further that work has still to go.

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Event Details
15th CEFTUS Annual Excellence Awards Gala Dinner
21 June 2026 · 17:00–23:00
London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square · Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 6JP