Turkish Mehmet Emin Karamehmet is the chairman of Cukorova Holding conglomerate. As of March 2013, he has an estimated net worth of $2.4 billion and listed #613 in the Forbes World’s Billionaires List. Born on April 1, 1944 in Tarsus, Mersin, Turkey, he is one of the most influential and successful businessman in Turkey with a record of several returns after failures. He graduated from Robert College and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dover College, Kent, UK. After graduation, he returned to his hometown in Tarsus and established his first company. He started to get more involved in the family business in the next years.

Mehmet Emin Karamehmet2

Mehmet also initiated his own company, Cukurova Holding, a conglomerate with interests in packaging, chemical, finance, construction, defense, telecom, and media. He now owns a share in Turkcell, the biggest GSM mobile phone operator and the only Turkish company publicly traded on the NYSE. This constitutes the largest share of his wealth. His Russian partner in the company, Alfa, laid a claim to 13.8% shares of Turkcell by alleging that Karamehmet failed to pay his $1.35 billion debt. In January, the UK’s Privy Council ruled that Karamehmet’s company should keep its shares but should play Alfa the debt owed on the pledged shares. A new court will rule on the amount to be paid and the conditions of payment. The amount is expected to be around $2 billion. His shares in Genel Energy, which produces oil in Northern Iraq, lifted his fotrtune.

List of Companies (As Chairman):

  • Cukurova Group (since March 11, 2010)
  • Çukurova Holding A.S.
  • Genel Sigorta
  • BMC
  • Cukurova Havacilik
  • Cukurova Sanayi
  • Ompas Otomotiv
  • Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S (September 30, 1993 to February 2010)
  • Banque de Commerce et de Placements SA

List of Companies (As Director):

  • Cukurova Group (March 11, 2010)
  • Banque de Commerce et de Placements SA
  • Cukurova Insaat Makinalari A.S
  • Turk Medya
  • Çukurova Jeneratör and Çimsatas
  • Phonetime Inc. (2007 to November 2009)
  • Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS

List of Companies (Worked At):

  • Turkcell Holding
  • Digital Platform
  • Turktell Uluslararasi Yatirim Holding
  • Turktell Bilisim
  • Global Bilgi Pazarlama
  • Tellcom
  • BMC Sanayi
  • Noksel
  • Paper Group
  • Çukurova Kimya
  • Endüstri Holding
  • Hobim
  • Baytur Insaat
  • Beltel Telekomünikasyon
  • Pozitron Medya Hizmetleri