Mag names Sabancı as top businessman

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet

Ali Sabancı. AA Photo

Ekonomist, a weekly Turkish economy magazine, has selected chairman of Pegasus Airlines Ali Sabancı as the “Businessman of the Year” for a second year in a row.

Temel Kotil, the general manager of Turkish Airlines, and Serpil Timuray, the chief executive of Vodafone Turkey, shared the “Most Successful Professional of the Year” award.

The growth of the local aviation industry led to Sabancı and Kotil’s success in the Ekonomist’s traditional survey of “The Businesspeople of the Year in Economy,” daily Hürriyet said. A total of 792 candidates were involved in the survey across six categories.

Sabancı was chosen for his efforts to grow his fleet despite strong competitors.

Kotil shines in making the Turkish Airlines one of the top air carriers across the world. Timuray was chosen for increasing both revenues and the number of subscribers to Turkey’s second biggest mobile operator.

The head of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA), Tevfik Bilgin, was chosen as the “Public Servant of the Year” for playing a big role in the stability of the local banking sector despite the eurozone woes.

Ümit Boyner, the head of Turkish Industry & Business Association (TÜSİAD), came in first in the “Civil Society Leader of the Year,” also for a second consecutive year.

Similar to last year, nominated entrepreneurs hailed from the food and hospitality sector.

The “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” was Canan Özdemir, a partner of House Café. Özdemir has adapted “professional discipline” in the cafe chain, Ekonomist said.

Chairman of Altınmarka, Birol Altınkılıç, was chosen as the “Male Entrepreneur of the Year.” Kahve Dünyası, a local coffee shop chain of 88 shops, is one of Altınmarka’s brands. The company has lately launched in London’s Piccadilly Circus.