Ömer Torlak was born in 1961 in Istanbul. He finished Pertevniyal High School in 1978. In 1982, he graduated from İstanbul University Faculty of Business Administration. He got his master’s degree from the İstanbul University Department of Marketing in 1984, and his doctorate in 1991. Between 1986 and 1996 he worked in the private sector.

Torlak has published numerous articles, papers, books and chapter contributions to books in the fields of marketing strategy, consumer behaviors, marketing ethics and marketing history in both international and national platforms, and his studies has been widely referenced.

He started his academic career in 1996, as an assistant professor at Kırıkkale University, Faculty of Business Administration. In 1999 he was appointed to the Business Administration Department of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Eskişehir Osmangazi University as an assistant professor, where he became an associate professor in 2002 and a professor in 2007. 

Torlak, after serving as Chairs of various Departments, was appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of Çankırı Karatekin University between 2009 and 2011, and of Eskişehir Osmangazi University between 2011 and 2012. In 2012, he was appointed as the Rector of KTO Karatay University and served in that capacity until March 2015. Prof. Dr. Ömer Torlak was appointed as the President of the Competition Authority by the Council of Ministers in 2015.

Torlak served as a member of the Science Board of TÜBİTAK between May 14, 2016 and July 17, 2018. He is married, with 3 children.