Ambassador Atay was born in 1977 in Ankara.

He graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of International Relations in 1997.

Ambassador Atay joined the Turkish Foreign Ministry in 1997 and held positions of Head of Department and Deputy Director General. He served at Turkish Embassies in Chisinau and The Hague, NATO HQ International Staff and Turkish Permanent Delegation to NATO. He was the Turkish Consul General in Vienna between 2013-2017.