Sakip Sabanci
Encyclopedia
Sakıp Sabancı was a prominent Turkish
business tycoon and philanthropist
.
Born as the second son of a cotton
trader, he worked in all the ranks of his father's business without completing high school
. He was the head of Turkey's largest business conglomerate and 147th richest man on the Forbes
list of the world's top billionaires in 2004. Sakıp Sabancı described himself as such: "I get angry when someone calls me only rich; I am happy with my social personality and my generosity."
Sabancı was among the most colorful personalities in the Turkish business world. After taking over the family business, with his energy, initiative and courage alongside the assistance of his brothers, he carried the Sabancı Group among the world's top companies starting in the 1980s. Sabancı Holding
controls 64 companies, which are involved in textile
s, food
, tourism
, paper
and packing
, automotives, chemicals
, tobacco
, cement
, insurance
and banking. The Sabancı Group also has partnerships with some of the well-known multinational companies, such as Hilton
Group, Bridgestone
, Du Pont, Philip Morris
, Bekaert
, Heidelberg Cement, IBM
, BNP Paribas
, Dresdner Bank
, Carrefour
and International Paper
.
His greatest contribution was to education in Turkey, and he founded the Sabancı University in 1999. His collections of more than 320 Ottoman
and Turkish painting
s, statue
s and more than 400 examples of Ottoman calligraphy
are exhibited at Atlı Köşk (The Equestrian Villa) at Bosporus
in Emirgan, Istanbul, where he and his family lived for years and which was converted into the Sakıp Sabancı Museum
in 2002. Already in 1974, Sabancı family
also founded the charitable
Vaksa foundation
, which runs more than 100 health, education and cultural centers throughout Turkey.
Sabancı was a humorous, folksy figure, who loved the media limelight and rejoiced in being known as "Sakıp Ağa".
He died of kidney cancer
at the age of 71. Sabancı was honored with an unusual state funeral
and was laid to rest at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery
. He is survived by his wife, Türkan, his son Metin, two daughters Dilek and Sevil
and a granddaughter Melissa.
:
and Japanese language
. The royalties
from his books are being donated to Darülaceze (Almshouse
) and Türkiye Spastik Çocuklar Vakfı (Turkey Foundation for Spastic
Children).
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
business tycoon and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Born as the second son of a cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
trader, he worked in all the ranks of his father's business without completing high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He was the head of Turkey's largest business conglomerate and 147th richest man on the Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
list of the world's top billionaires in 2004. Sakıp Sabancı described himself as such: "I get angry when someone calls me only rich; I am happy with my social personality and my generosity."
Sabancı was among the most colorful personalities in the Turkish business world. After taking over the family business, with his energy, initiative and courage alongside the assistance of his brothers, he carried the Sabancı Group among the world's top companies starting in the 1980s. Sabancı Holding
Sabanci Holding
Hacı Ömer Sabancı Holding A.Ş., abbreviated as Sabancı Holding, is the largest industrial and financial conglomerate in Turkey by profit. The holding is owned at about 75% by the Sabancı family, one of Turkey's wealthiest. 3% is owned by the Sabancı University and the Sabancı Foundation. The...
controls 64 companies, which are involved in textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s, food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
and packing
Packing
Packing may refer to:In Mechanical engineering:* Packing, also known as an O-ring or other type of Seal , a term for a sealing materialIn Chemical engineering:* Structured packing, i.e...
, automotives, chemicals
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
and banking. The Sabancı Group also has partnerships with some of the well-known multinational companies, such as Hilton
Hilton Hotels Corporation
Hilton Worldwide is a global hospitality company. It is owned by the Blackstone Group, a private equity firm. As of July 2011 Hilton brands encompass 3,750 hotels with over 600,000 rooms in 84 countries...
Group, Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
, Du Pont, Philip Morris
Altria Group
Altria Group, Inc. is based in Henrico County, Virginia, and is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton, Inc., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. It is one of the world's largest tobacco corporations...
, Bekaert
Bekaert
N.V. Bekaert S.A. is an industrial company, which is one of the BEL20 companies in the index for the Euronext Brussels stock exchange. The company specializes in advanced metal transformation and advanced materials and coatings...
, Heidelberg Cement, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas S.A. is a global banking group, headquartered in Paris, with its second global headquarters in London. In October 2010 BNP Paribas was ranked by Bloomberg and Forbes as the largest bank and largest company in the world by assets with over $3.1 trillion. It was formed through the merger...
, Dresdner Bank
Dresdner Bank
Dresdner Bank AG was one of Germany's largest banking corporations and was based in Frankfurt. It was acquired by competitor Commerzbank in December 2009.- 19th century :...
, Carrefour
Carrefour
Carrefour S.A. is an international hypermarket chain headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world...
and International Paper
International Paper
International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...
.
His greatest contribution was to education in Turkey, and he founded the Sabancı University in 1999. His collections of more than 320 Ottoman
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
and Turkish painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s, statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
s and more than 400 examples of Ottoman calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
are exhibited at Atlı Köşk (The Equestrian Villa) at Bosporus
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
in Emirgan, Istanbul, where he and his family lived for years and which was converted into the Sakıp Sabancı Museum
Sakip Sabanci Museum
The Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum is a private fine arts museum in Istanbul, Turkey, dedicated to calligraphic art, religious and state documents, as well as paintings of the Ottoman era. The museum was founded by Sakıp Sabancı, and was opened in June 2002...
in 2002. Already in 1974, Sabancı family
Sabanci family
The Sabancı family is a dynasty of Turkish businesspeople founded by Hacı Ömer Sabancı, a self-made wealthy trader. Some second and third generation members of the family control today Turkey’s largest and prestigious group of companies, established mostly by the efforts of his son Sakıp Sabancı...
also founded the charitable
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
Vaksa foundation
Foundation (charity)
A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....
, which runs more than 100 health, education and cultural centers throughout Turkey.
Sabancı was a humorous, folksy figure, who loved the media limelight and rejoiced in being known as "Sakıp Ağa".
He died of kidney cancer
Kidney cancer
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the kidney.The two most common types of kidney cancer are renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis...
at the age of 71. Sabancı was honored with an unusual state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
and was laid to rest at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery
Zincirlikuyu Cemetery
The Zincirlikuyu Cemetery is a modern burial ground at the European part of Istanbul, Turkey. It is administered by the Metropolitan Municipality. Many prominent figures from the world of politics, business, sports and arts rest here....
. He is survived by his wife, Türkan, his son Metin, two daughters Dilek and Sevil
Sevil Sabanci
Sevil Sabancı , a member of the Sabancı family in third generation, is a Turkish businesswoman.-Biography:She was born on January 4, 1973, in Istanbul, Turkey as the third child of Sakıp Sabancı, the founder of Sabancı Holding, Turkey’s second biggest industrial and financial conglomerate...
and a granddaughter Melissa.
Honorary doctorates
Sabancı received honorary doctorates from following Turkish and American universitiesUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
:
- 1984 Anadolu Üniversitesi, EskişehirEskisehirEskişehir is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. According to the 2009 census, the population of the city is 631,905. The city is located on the banks of the Porsuk River, 792 m above sea level, where it overlooks the fertile Phrygian Valley. In the nearby...
- 1986 University of New HampshireUniversity of New HampshireThe University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
, New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, USA - 1992 Yıldız ÜniversitesiYildiz Technical UniversityYildiz Technical University is a technical university dedicated to engineering sciences and is one of the most prominent educational institutions in Istanbul, Turkey. The central campus lies within the Beşiktaş district.-History:Yildiz Technical University has a distinguished history which began...
, Istanbul - 1993 Erciyes ÜniversitesiErciyes UniversityErciyes University is a Turkish institute of higher education located in Kayseri, Turkey. As of 4 April 2006, a total of 28,474 students were studying for their bachelors degree and postgraduate studies.-Background:...
, KayseriKayseriKayseri is a large and industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and... - 1997 18 Mart Üniversitesi, ÇanakkaleÇanakkaleÇanakkale is a town and seaport in Turkey, in Çanakkale Province, on the southern coast of the Dardanelles at their narrowest point. The population of the town is 106,116 . The mayor is Ülgür Gökhan ....
-
- Mimar Sinan Üniversitesi, Istanbul
- Girne American UniversityGirne American UniversityGirne American University is located in Kyrenia, a city in the northern area of Cyprus. The university was founded in 1985 as an independent, non-profit institution of American-style higher education. Today, GAU is an international university with campuses in Cyprus, Singapore, UK and US.On-line...
, KyreniaKyreniaKyrenia is a town on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. Internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Cyprus, Kyrenia has been under Turkish control since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
, CyprusCyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... - Trakya ÜniversitesiTrakya UniversityTrakya University , aka University of Thrace, established on July 20, 1982, is a state university located in Edirne, at Turkey's European part Eastern Thrace....
, EdirneEdirneEdirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne... - Istanbul UniversitesiIstanbul UniversityIstanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
, Istanbul- 1998 Southeastern UniversitySoutheastern UniversityLocated in southwestern Washington, D.C., in the United States, Southeastern University was a private, non-profit undergraduate and graduate institution of higher education that lost its accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education on August 31, 2009. The Commission reported...
, Washington D.C., USA - 1999 Çukurova ÜniversitesiÇukurova UniversityÇukurova University has eleven faculties, three colleges, seven vocational colleges, three institutes and twenty six research and application centers...
, AdanaAdanaAdana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia... - 2002 Kırıkkale Üniversitesi, KırıkkaleKirikkaleKırıkkale is the capital of the Kırıkkale Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is located 80 km east of Ankara. According to the 2000 census, the population of the province is 280,834, of which 192,705 live in the city of Kırıkkale...
- 1998 Southeastern University
Awards
He was awarded by various national and international institutions as listed below:- 1979 "Golden Mercury Award" given to successful businessmen.
- 1987 BelgianBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
"Ordre de Léopold II, Commander Class" by Belgian Prince Albert (now King Albert II of BelgiumAlbert II of BelgiumAlbert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
). - 1992 JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese "Order of the Sacred TreasureOrder of the Sacred TreasureThe is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, Golden and Silver Star" from the Japanese Government. - 1997 Turkish "State Medal of Distinguished ServiceState Medal of Distinguished Service (Turkey)State Medal of Distinguished Service is one of the three civil state decorations of Turkey. The medal was established on October 24, 1983 with the Law on Medals and Orders, Act No. 2933...
" by the Turkish President Süleyman DemirelSüleyman DemirelSami Süleyman Gündoğdu Demirel, better known as Süleyman Demirel , is a Turkish politician who served as Prime Minister seven times and was the ninth President of Turkey.-Life:Demirel was born in İslamköy, a town in Isparta Province...
. - 1997 "European Chrystal World Award" from the European Institute for Economy in ZurichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. - 1999 "Businessman of the Year Award" by the FABSIT (Friends of American Board Schools in Turkey) Foundation in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA. - 1999 Turkish "Grand Prize of Culture and Arts" from the Ministry of Culture of the Turkish Republic.
- 2001 Turkish "Industry Technology and Quality Award" by the GYTE (Gebze Institute for High Technology).
- 2001 FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
"Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
" from President Jacques ChiracJacques ChiracJacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
for his contributions to the Franco-Turkish relationships in culture and business.
Books
He wrote books mostly on his experience in business life. Some of them are translated into EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. The royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
from his books are being donated to Darülaceze (Almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
) and Türkiye Spastik Çocuklar Vakfı (Turkey Foundation for Spastic
Spastic
The word spastic is used differently depending on location which has led to some controversy and misunderstanding. Derived via Latin from the Greek spastikos , the word originally referred to a change in muscles affected by the medical condition spasticity, which is seen in spastic diplegia and...
Children).
- İşte Hayatım (This is my life), 1985
- Para Başarının Mükafatıdır (Money is the reward of success), 1985
- This is my life (English) 1988
- Gönül Galerimden (From the galleria of my hearth), 1988
- Rusya'dan Amerika'ya (From Russia to America), 1989
- Ücret Pazarlığı mı ? - Koyun Pazarlığı mı ? (Is it wage bargain or sheep bargain ?), 1990
- Değişen ve Gelişen Türkiye (Turkey, Changing and Developing), 1991
- Daha Fazla İş Daha Fazla Aş (More work, more food), 1993
- Doğu Anadolu Raporu (Eastern Anatolian report), 1995
- Başarı Şimdi Aslanın Ağzında (Success is now in the lion's mouth), 1998
- İşte Hayatım (Japanese), 2000
- Hayat Bazen Tatlıdır (Life is sometimes sweet), 2001
- Sakıpname (Dedicated to Sakıp), 2002
- ...bıraktığım yerden Hayatım; (My life from where I left off), 445 pp, ISBN 975293181-2.
- Her Şeyin Başı Sağlık; (Health first) 176 pp, ISBN 9752932177.