Mehmet Demirtaş is the general director of ITEF-Istanbul International Literature Festival. His main education consists of music composition for which he acquired his degree in music theory. After his graduation in France, Demirtas returned to Turkey for a masters degree in Art Management and worked as the events coordinator in Yapı Kredi Culture, Arts and Publishing where he organised events in activities in various branches of art for two years. In 2006, Demirtas set up Kalem Agency with Nermin Mollaoğlu and in 2009 started organising ITEF. In 2011 after establishing Kalem Culture Association together with the festival team, he is currently managing various EU projects as well as other international partnerships along with ITEF.