Brazer Bozlak (born February 25, 1989) is a Swedish entrepreneur,

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, and the founder and CEO of Urban Italian Group, a restaurant group known for its Italian dining concepts across

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

and Spain.

Early life and education

Bozlak was born in Turkey and raised in Sweden. He pursued higher education in architecture, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the

Academy of Art University The Academy of Art University (AAU, or ART U), formerly Academy of Art College and Richard Stephens Academy of Art, is a private for-profit art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded as the Academy of Advertising Art by Richard S. ...

and a Master’s degree in Construction Management from

California State University The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a Public university, public university system in California, and the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest public university system in the United States ...

Career

Bozlak started his career in 2012 as an architect intern at Erdem Architects. He worked with the

design director A design director (also called Director of Design) is a position found within the software development, web development, product design, advertising, media, automotive or movie industries. It may be useful in other product focused organizations ...

at a nationwide waterfront competition in Turkey. In 2015, Bozlak joined Skanska USA as a

project engineer Project engineering includes all parts of the design of manufacturing or processing facilities, either new or modifications to and expansions of existing facilities. A "project" consists of a coordinated series of activities or tasks performed by ...

. He left the company in 2016 to enter the restaurant business. In 2017, Brazer Bozlak founded Urban Italian Group, transitioning from a background in architecture to the restaurant industry. The group operates 11 Italian-themed restaurants under the Basta and Florentine brands in Sweden and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, serving over 1.5 million guests annually. The company is expanding its portfolio with two new concepts, Villa Valentina and Giorgio's, as part of its continued growth. Bozlak plays an active role in the Urban Italian Group's operations, contributing to areas such as

interior design Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...

, concept development, and

strategic planning Strategic planning is the activity undertaken by an organization through which it seeks to define its future direction and makes decisions such as resource allocation aimed at achieving its intended goals. "Strategy" has many definitions, but it ...

. His focus on creating cohesive dining environments and business sustainability has contributed to the group's prominence within Scandinavia's hospitality industry.

Awards and recognition

Bozlak’s Urban Italian Group’s rooftop restaurant in Stockholm was awarded "Best Rooftop Restaurant in Europe" at the World Culinary Awards. The group is also recognized for its philanthropic efforts, including donating €50,000 to support earthquake relief efforts in Turkey in 2023.

Philanthropy

Urban Italian Group, under Brazer Bozlak's leadership, has been involved in various charitable activities. In response to the 2023 earthquake in Turkey, the group donated €50,000 to aid

disaster relief Emergency management (also Disaster management) is a science and a system charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actu ...

efforts. Bozlak has also encouraged others in the restaurant industry to contribute to similar causes, highlighting the role of businesses in supporting communities during crises.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bozlak, Brazer 1989 births Living people Academy of Art University alumni California State University alumni