After graduating from the Department of Graphic Design of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Marmara University, she started her career as a graphic designer at RPM Advertising Agency. In 1989, she worked in Beymen Status Magazine under the art direction of Gulizar Cepoglu. After completing an internship on publishing design in England, she continued as a senior graphic designer in the art department of Güneş Newspaper. Between 1991 and 1993 she worked as art director at Star TV advertising & publicity department and subsequently won the Graphic Design Association Award for her catalogue design. She continued her career as an assistant art director in Gülizar Çepoğlu Graphic Design Company and participated in many corporate ID and editorial design projects that were regionally and internationally awarded. After two years of working at Hurriyet Newspaper and Marie Claire Magazine as art director, she also briefly worked at Select Advertising Agency.

Sema Obuz joined Demirden Design as both creative director and partner while also participating in the establishment of the ilio brand.