ISTANBUL - Sakip Sabanci, Turkish leading businessmen and the Executive Board Director of Haci Omer Sabanci Holding, died at age 71 in Istanbul on Saturday. Sabanci family`s doctor Hasan Insel said that Sakip Sabanci, who was receiving treatment at the American Hospital in Istanbul, died at around 5.55 a.m. on Saturday and stated, ``we decided last week that Sabanci should have medical treatment at the hospital. He lost his life as his heart and respiration ceased.`` Sakip Sabanci was hospitalized on March 30 due to common cold and celebrated his 71st birthday two days ago. Sabanci was born in Akcakaya village of central province of Kayseri on April 7, 1933. He started to work as a trainee in Akbank, which is now one of companies of Sabanci Holding, in 1948. Sabanci got married with his aunt`s daughter Turkan Civelek in 1957. He started to work as assistant of director general at BOSSA textile factory. Sabanci became the Chairman of Executive Board of Adana Chamber of Trade and Industry in 1964. Sabanci and his brothers established Haci Omer Sabanci Holding and became the Chairman of the Executive Board of the holding in 1967. Sabanci Holding moved from Adana to Istanbul in 1974. Sakip Sabanci had cardiac operation in Houston, the United States, in 1981. He had another cardiac operation in Houston in 1989. Sakip`s brother, Ozdemir, a member of the board of Sabanci Holding, was shot dead in a terrorist attack in his downtown Istanbul office in 1996. Sakip Sabanci was honored by state medal of merit in 1997. Sabanci`s one kidney was excised in a medical operation in the United States. He started to serve as chairman of executive board of Turkish Industrialists` and Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) in 1986. Sabanci worked as the chairman of Haci Omer Sabanci Foundation which set up more than 100 education, health, sports and cultural facilities throughout the country. According to Forbes list, Sakip Sabanci was the richest man of Turkey with his assets amounting to 3.2 billion U.S. dollars. Sabanci holdings` more than 60 companies are involved in tourism, textiles, food, autos, tobacco, chemicals and banking, and had sales of 5.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2002. Akbank, Akcansa, Ak Sigorta, Brisa, Bossa, Cimsa, Kordsa, Olmuksa, Sabanci Holding, Sasa and Yunsa companies are among Sabanci Group. Sabanci Holding has partnerships with some of the world`s top companies such as Bridgestone, Du Pont, Toyota, Philip Morris, Kraft Foods International, Bekaert, Heidelberg Cement, IBM, BNP, Dresdner Bank, Carrefour and International Paper. Sabanci`s companies are as follows: ``Sabanci Holding, Akbank, Sabanci Bank (Britain), Sabanci Bank (Guernsey) Inc., BNP-AK-Dresdner Bank (Germany-France), BNP-AK-Dresdner Financial Leasing, Ak Investment, Ak Investment Partnership, Ak Portfolio Management, Aksigorta, Ak Retirement, Aknet, Brisa, Dusa International LLC (United States), Sakosa, Carrefoursa, Diasa, Teknosa, Beksa, Enerjisa, DuPontSA B.V., Pilsa, Insa, Marsa, Gidasa, Akcansa, Cimsa, Oysa Cement, Exportaciones Sabanci (Spain), Karcimsa, Temsa, Bossa, Yunsa, Universal Trading (Jersey), Exsa (UK) Inc. (Britain), Holsa Inc. (United States), Sabanci Telekom, I-Bimsa, Olmuksa, Donkasan, Tursa, Philsa, Philip Morrissa, Toyotasa Marketing, Akkardansa.`` Sabanci never lost his rural accent and his sense of humor and his philanthropy, endeared him to millions who called him Sakip Aga. Aga means landlord or master in Turkish. Sabanci, who wrote 14 books, contributed millions to education in Turkey and set up a university named after the family. He was a passionate collector of art and his collection of paintings, statues and Ottoman calligraphy are exhibited at the longtime family villa overlooking the Istanbul Strait, which was turned into the Istanbul Sabanci Museum two years ago.

(EÖ-BRC) 10.04.2004