Born in Istanbul on November 19, 1956, Cuneyd Zapsu completed his primary education in Munich. Graduating from the German High School Istanbul he studied Business Administration at the Istanbul University and Economics at the Ludwig Maximillian University, Munich.

His business life began in 1977 at family-owned Azizler Holding's various companies, where he held managerial and Board Member positions. In 2001, Mr. Zapsu decided to pause his long business career in favor of becoming one of the founders of the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti).

In the period that followed (2001-2008) he served as Special Assistant and Information Coordinator to Party Chairman R. T. Erdogan, as well as serving in the highest tier of the party: The Central Decision Board.

In March 2008, Mr. Zapsu resigned from all active duties in the party and returned to the business world. Right after he founded Cuneyd Zapsu Consultancy Inc., a company that provides international investment and management consulting services (as of December 2015, Cuneyd Zapsu Consultancy Inc. serves 8 Global Companies in Senior Advisor capacity and 22 Global and Turkish Companies on project basis). Additionally, Mr. Zapsu is owner or main shareholder of several companies such as Balsu Gıda Inc, one of the leading hazelnut processors and exporters in the world.

Mr. Zapsu served as the President of the Istanbul Exporters Association from 1987-2001, was a member of International Investors Association (YASED) from 1989-2006 and a member of the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) between 2000-2015. The Founding Chairman of the Hazelnut Promotion Group founded in Ankara in 1997, Mr. Zapsu also served as the Founding Co-Chairman of the World Hazelnut Council, New Jersey, between 1997-2001. After serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the International Treenut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), Reus Spain, between 1996-2001, he then served as its president between 2001-2007 and remains a member of its Executive Board.

Mr. Zapsu has been a member of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TUSIAD) since 1986, is a Board Member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Turkish-American Business Council and Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Turkish-German Business Council.

Mr. Zapsu is a Founder and member of the Supervisory Committee of the Young Lives Foundation (GHV), on the Board of Trustees of the Antalya International University, the Board of Directors of the German High School Association (ALD) and a member of the Advisory Board of Istanbul University School of Business Administration Alumni Association. He serves as the Senior Advisor of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Founding Member and Vice Chairman of the Public Policy and Democracy Studies Association (PODEM).

Between 1987-2004, Mr. Zapsu received the annually gold plate trophies and medals for the "Best Exporter of Turkey" Award bestowed by The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Istanbul Chamber of Industry and Undersecretary of Foreign Trade. In 2007, forservices in the development of relations between Germany and Turkey, Mr. Zapsu received the Federal Order of Merit from the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2015, the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress (INC) honored Mr. Zapsu with Golden Nut Award.