Hüsnü Özyegin
Encyclopedia
Hüsnü Özyeğin is a Turkish
businessman in the finance
sector who created his own fortune. He is owner of FIBA Holding, a group of mostly finance companies in Turkey. He has a net worth of $US3 billion as of 2011.
Özyeğin was born in 1944 in İzmir
, Turkey. He graduated 1963 from the Robert College
in İstanbul
and claims that he went to the U.S.
with just a thousand dollars in his pocket. There, he studied civil engineering
at the Oregon State University
in Corvallis, Oregon
, USA, receiving a BS
degree. Being more interested in finance, he attended the School of Business at the Harvard University
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
and obtained an MBA.
Following his return back home after three more years in the USA, Özyeğin was offered a post in Pamukbank, which belonged to his schoolmate, Mehmet Emin Karamehmet
. In 1977, at the age of only 32, he was appointed general manager of this bank and he held this position until 1984. Then he transferred to Yapı ve Kredi Bankası
to become its general manager, a much larger bank in Turkey acquired that year by the same friend.
Özyeğin led Yapı ve Kredi Bankası until 1987, when he decided to establish his own bank, the Finansbank
at the age of 43. He expanded it to a bank with more than 200 branches operating in nine countries out of Turkey, mostly in Europe
. He later founded several finance companies and brought them under the Holding Fiba, which has around 8,500 employees in 20 companies. In 1996, he entered the retail business purchasing the supermarket chains Gima, Endi, Spar and Greens. Furthermore, Özyeğin signed a franchising contract with the British
retail chain Marks & Spencer
, and then purchased also the Sakura Bank.
In 2005, Özyeğin sold the supermarket chain named GIMA to Sabancı Holding
, and acquired in exchange the five-star hotel Swissotel
in İstanbul from its Japan
ese owners. In April 2006, he sold 46% of the shares of the Turkish branch of Finansbank
, which is worth of 2.774 billion USD, to National Bank of Greece
, the largest and the oldest commercial bank in Greece
. He is expected to remain the bank’s chairman of the board of directors for two more years.
The non-Turkish part of Finansbank was placed under the Dutch holding and rebranded into Credit Europe Bank. Özyeğin is the main shareholder and board member of this bank. At the end of 2008, Credit Europe Bank N.V. employed over 6,000 professionals working in the euro-zone countries Belgium, Germany, Malta and the Netherlands as well as in China, Dubai, Russia, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine, serving more than 3 million customers worldwide.
Özyeğin was awarded the "Businessman of the Year" in 2000 by the Turkish magazine "Ekonomist".
Özyeğin University
located in Istanbul, Turkey was founded by the Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation. Its establishment was approved by Foundation Act No 5656 published in the Official Gazette No 26526 on May 18, 2007.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
businessman in the finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
sector who created his own fortune. He is owner of FIBA Holding, a group of mostly finance companies in Turkey. He has a net worth of $US3 billion as of 2011.
Özyeğin was born in 1944 in İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
, Turkey. He graduated 1963 from the Robert College
Robert College
Robert College of Istanbul , is one of the most selective independent private high schools in Turkey. Robert College is a co-educational, boarding school with a wooded campus on the European side of Istanbul between the two bridges on the Bosphorus, with the Arnavutköy district to the east, and...
in İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and claims that he went to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with just a thousand dollars in his pocket. There, he studied civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
at the Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, USA, receiving a BS
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree. Being more interested in finance, he attended the School of Business at the Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
and obtained an MBA.
Following his return back home after three more years in the USA, Özyeğin was offered a post in Pamukbank, which belonged to his schoolmate, Mehmet Emin Karamehmet
Mehmet Emin Karamehmet
Mehmet Emin Karamehmet is a Turkish businessman. He is the Chairman of Turkey's Çukurova Holding conglomerate and is the richest man in Turkey with a personal fortune estimated at US$4 billion....
. In 1977, at the age of only 32, he was appointed general manager of this bank and he held this position until 1984. Then he transferred to Yapı ve Kredi Bankası
Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi
- History of Yapi Kredi A.Ş :Yapı Kredi is the first nationwide private bank in Turkey, established in 1944, and positioned as the fourth largest privately-owned and by asset size in Turkey, with interest in credit cards, assets under management, non-cash loans, leasing, factoring, private pension...
to become its general manager, a much larger bank in Turkey acquired that year by the same friend.
Özyeğin led Yapı ve Kredi Bankası until 1987, when he decided to establish his own bank, the Finansbank
Finansbank
Founded in 1994 in Amsterdam, Credit Europe Bank N.V. has grown towards a top 10 position in the Netherlands with a total balance of Euro 10 billion as per end of 2010. The bank is under full supervision of the Dutch Central Bank, named De Nederlandsche Bank. Credit Europe Bank is focused on trade...
at the age of 43. He expanded it to a bank with more than 200 branches operating in nine countries out of Turkey, mostly in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He later founded several finance companies and brought them under the Holding Fiba, which has around 8,500 employees in 20 companies. In 1996, he entered the retail business purchasing the supermarket chains Gima, Endi, Spar and Greens. Furthermore, Özyeğin signed a franchising contract with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
retail chain Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
, and then purchased also the Sakura Bank.
In 2005, Özyeğin sold the supermarket chain named GIMA to 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...
, and acquired in exchange the five-star hotel Swissotel
Swissôtel
Swissôtel Hotels and Resorts is a group of hotels pitched at the higher end of the hotel market. The chain currently includes 28 properties in 15 countries....
in İstanbul from its Japan
Japan
Japan 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 owners. In April 2006, he sold 46% of the shares of the Turkish branch of Finansbank
Finansbank
Founded in 1994 in Amsterdam, Credit Europe Bank N.V. has grown towards a top 10 position in the Netherlands with a total balance of Euro 10 billion as per end of 2010. The bank is under full supervision of the Dutch Central Bank, named De Nederlandsche Bank. Credit Europe Bank is focused on trade...
, which is worth of 2.774 billion USD, to National Bank of Greece
National Bank of Greece
The National Bank of Greece is the oldest and largest commercial banking group in Greece. The group has a particularly strong presence in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean...
, the largest and the oldest commercial bank in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. He is expected to remain the bank’s chairman of the board of directors for two more years.
The non-Turkish part of Finansbank was placed under the Dutch holding and rebranded into Credit Europe Bank. Özyeğin is the main shareholder and board member of this bank. At the end of 2008, Credit Europe Bank N.V. employed over 6,000 professionals working in the euro-zone countries Belgium, Germany, Malta and the Netherlands as well as in China, Dubai, Russia, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine, serving more than 3 million customers worldwide.
Özyeğin was awarded the "Businessman of the Year" in 2000 by the Turkish magazine "Ekonomist".
Özyeğin University
Özyegin University
-History:The university was founded by the Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation, and its establishment was approved by Foundation Act No 5656 published in the Official Gazette No 26526 on May 18, 2007....
located in Istanbul, Turkey was founded by the Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation. Its establishment was approved by Foundation Act No 5656 published in the Official Gazette No 26526 on May 18, 2007.