Our Founder

ALAEDDİN ASNA 1940-2015 We will never forgot him.

Professor Asna graduated in 1961 from the Department of Economics of the Ankara University Political Science Faculty, then completed his graduate studies in 1964 at the Department of Communication Arts of the Michigan State University in the USA.

Starting his career as a radio broadcaster at the state broadcasting company, TRT, he also worked as a journalist at the newspapers, Yeni İstanbul and Vatan. After completing his military service at the Department of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of National Defense, he worked at the State Planning Organization, and the General Directorate of the Family Planning of the Ministry of Health. In addition, he was the Director of Public Relations at Koç Holding, a leading conglomerate in Turkey.

In 1974, he founded Turkey’s first public relations company, A&B, and worked there until 1995. Under the management of Asna, A&B has provided public relations consultancy to nearly 200 national and international companies and organizations. In 1991, he received International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden Globe Award. Due to his increasing workload at the Marmara University’s School of Communication, he withdrew from the company partnership and management in 1995, and concentrated only on his educational responsibilities. Asna continued to serve at A&B Communication as an executive board member and consultant until his demise on 4 August 2015.

He pioneered the establishment of the Public Relations Association in 1972 and served as its founding president. The association changed its name to Public Relations Society, where he became an honorary board member.

From 1968 onwards he taught public relations, advertising, personal relations and journalism at the Vocational Schools for Journalism-Press of Ankara University, Istanbul University, Anadolu University, Mimar Sinan University, Ege University, Marmara University and Ankara Faculty of Law, Banking and Commercial Law Institute. He became a professor in 1999 at Marmara University Faculty of Communication, where he taught since 1993 and also served as dean for a term. As instructor and thesis advisor, he took part in the graduate and doctoral programs of Istanbul and Marmara University Social Sciences Institutes.

Prof. Dr. Asna was member at Turkish Journalists’ Society Advisory Board, International Advertising Association (IAA) Management Board and Istanbul Mülkiyeliler Foundation Management Board. Furthermore he contributed as a member of the PEN Writers Association, Turkish History Foundation, International Public Relations Association (IPRA), International Public Relations Network (IPRN), Press Council, Mülkiyeliler Society and Family Planning Association.
His poems and stories were published in the magazines Varlık and Türk Dili. His poetry book Sandaldaki Adam (Man in the rowboat), which received an award from the German Cultural Association in 1974 was published. He authored many books, hundreds of articles and notices in the field of public relations and personal relations. His books got into international bibliography.

His Books

Radio and Education (Radyo ve Eğitimi reproduced by the State Broadcasting Company, TRT General Directorate, 1964)

Public Relations (Halkla İlişkiler, published by the Turkey and Middle East Public Administration Institute, Ankara, 1969)

Public Relations (Halkla İlişkiler published by the Istanbul Financial and Commercial Sciences Academy Nihat Sayar Foundation, Istanbul, 1973)

Human Relations for Bankers (Bankacılar İçin Beşeri İlişkiler, published by the Ankara University Faculty of Law Banking and Commercial Law Institute, Ankara, 1974)

Public Relations (Halkla İlişkiler by Başaran Printing, Istanbul, 1976)

Human Relations for Bankers (Bankacılar İçin Halkla İlişkiler, published by the Association of Bankers, Ankara, 1980)

Public Relations (Osmanlı Printing, Istanbul, 1983)

Public Relations / PR (Halkla İlişkiler PR Sabah Books, Istanbul, 1997)

Public Relations (Halkla İlişkiler, Der Printing, Istanbul, 2003)

First There was Communication (Önce İletişim Vardı, Derin Printing, 2003)

Memoirs of a PR Professonal (Bir PR’cının Meslek Anıları, Media Cat Publications, 2004)

Public Relations in Theory and Practice (Kuramda ve Uygulamada Halkla İlişkiler, Pozitif Printing, 2006)

Communication is Life, A Book about Alâeddin Asna (İletişim Hayattır, Alâeddin Asna Kitabı, Interview by Deniz Gökçe İnceoğlu, İş Bank Cultural Publications, Istanbul, 2009)