Cem Eriş was born in 1967, İstanbul-Süleymaniye. He graduated from MSU-Faculty of Architecture with honour. He completed his master's degree at YTU-Institute of Science, Department of Restoration between 1990 and 1992. He worked in private sector as an architect untill 1993. After he completed his military service between 1993 and 1994, he took duty in Istanbul Metropolitan Site Sub-Field Construction Plan of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality-Directorate of City Planning, between 1994 and 1997. After working at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality-Directorate of Investment Planning between 1997 and 1998, Eriş left his position to open up a private architecture bureau.

In 2003, he was appointed as a presidency representator commission member to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism-Istanbul 1st Branch Commission of Protecting Culture and Inhabitants of Nature. By 2005, he still keeps up with his work as a member at the Istanbul IV. protection of Culture and Inhabitants of Nature Brach Commission, and since 2008 he has been member in District Committee of Istanbul Renewal Areas Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection.  Eriş is married with two children, and he has been serving as the Director at the Directorate of Historical Sites Protection since 2007.