The Role of Founders in Türkiye’s Business Landscape: Realities of 2025
Leadership Transitions and Institutionalization
Till 2026, a significant trend across Türkiye’s leading holdings and corporations has been leadership transitions and structural reforms. For example, in the Borusan Group, the transition of the CEO position from Erkan Kafadar to Özgür Günaydın marked the maturity phase of the company’s institutionalization journey.
Similarly, Sabancı Holding introduced a portfolio-based management model in its centennial year, transitioning from its previous sector-based structure. CEO Kıvanç Zaimler emphasized that this restructuring aims to strengthen international competitiveness by scaling up ideas and talents that originate from Türkiye. This evolution highlights the strategic shift from founder-led governance to professional management.
Global Success Models of Founders
As of 2025-2026, Türkiye’s wealth map continues to be shaped by companies directly founded or controlled by their original founders. Murat Ülker of Yıldız Holding built a global Turkish food empire with acquisitions such as Godiva and United Biscuits. Meanwhile, Hamdi Ulukaya has become a symbol of Turkish entrepreneurial success in the United States, leading the Greek yogurt market through Chobani.
These examples demonstrate that Turkish founders excel not only in domestic markets but also in international brand building and strategic acquisitions. Another strong example is Mustafa Küçük, who transformed LC Waikiki into a retail powerhouse operating in over 50 countries by focusing on the middle-income consumer segment.
New Generation Founders and Sectoral Transformation
A new generation of founders is reshaping Türkiye’s business elite, particularly in technology and defense. Haluk Bayraktar of Baykar has exemplified this trend with notable achievements in defense technology production and exports. Unlike traditional industrial leaders, these emerging entrepreneurs create value through digital skills and high-tech capabilities, reshaping the framework of modern Turkish entrepreneurship.
Strategic Priorities of Founders
In 2025, the strategic agenda of Türkiye’s business leaders—many of them founders or descendants of founding families—centers around three pillars: responsible brand identity and sustainability, artificial intelligence integration, and effective crisis management.
Transparency and accountability have become defining aspects of modern founder leadership. Consumers increasingly assess not just financial performance but also the social and environmental impact of brands, leading to a new emphasis on sustainable growth and ethical governance.
Professionalization of Family-Owned Businesses
Prominent family-owned enterprises, such as those of the Koç, Şahenk, and Eczacıbaşı families, continue to evolve under second- and third-generation leadership. These successors now operate within professional governance frameworks that ensure long-term wealth preservation and resilience during economic turbulence. This shift marks a fundamental step toward institutional continuity in Türkiye’s corporate ecosystem.
The Influence of the Owner’s Personality on Deals and Partnerships in Turkey
A distinctive feature of Turkish business culture is the significant role played by the company owner or founder in negotiations and strategic decision-making. Even within large corporate structures, key investment agreements, partnerships, and major transactions often require the direct involvement of the business owner or members of the founding family.
The Turkish market is characterized by business relationships built on trust and long-term engagement. Potential partners assess not only a company’s financial performance, but also the owner’s reputation, business ethics, and willingness to develop sustainable, long-term partnerships.
In many cases, final decisions on major contracts are made after face-to-face meetings, underscoring the importance of informal communication and cultural compatibility between the parties. The personal involvement of the founder frequently helps accelerate approval processes, reduce perceived risks, and strengthen mutual trust among deal participants.
For foreign entrepreneurs—particularly those from the CIS region—it is essential to take this aspect of Turkish business into account. Successful partnerships often require not only a well-prepared professional proposal, but also the development of personal relationships with key decision-makers within the company. Understanding the owner’s role in the negotiation process allows foreign partners to adapt more effectively to the Turkish business environment and significantly increases the likelihood of long-term cooperation.
The Founder’s Role in Technological Transformation
Türkiye’s business environment in 2025 reflects a new paradigm in which founders’ visions are operationalized by digital strategy leaders. Roles such as Chief Digital Officer (CDO), Chief Data Officer, and Chief Product Officer are becoming integral to corporate structures. This highlights founders’ recognition of the need for technologically adept leadership teams.
As seen in collaborations like the Turkcell–Google Cloud partnership, founder-led companies are enhancing their digital infrastructures through global technology alliances, reinforcing their ability to compete in the data-driven economy.
Corporate Equality and Diversity Leadership
By 2025, Türkiye’s leading enterprises—often governed by founder families—have embraced equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as strategic advantages rather than mere social responsibilities. The rise of women entrepreneurs and independent business leaders has diversified the country’s wealth landscape, underscoring the growing role of inclusive leadership in driving innovation and competitiveness.
Conclusion
The role of founders in Türkiye’s business world has transformed from hands-on operational leadership to strategic, visionary guidance. The shift toward institutionalization and professionalization enables founders to focus on scaling globally, advancing digital transformation, and promoting sustainability.
Emerging founders in sectors such as defense technology and e-commerce represent the evolving dynamics of Turkish entrepreneurship—where innovation, global mindset, and responsible leadership define the foundation of enduring success.
