The river Tara, flowing primarily through Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, served as the namesake for the entrepreneur who moved from Skopje to Turkey in 1942. Adapting to reduced family circumstances during his youth, he worked as a night translator at a textile factory while completing his studies at the Şişli Terakki High School.
Foundation and Industrial Growth
After graduating from Istanbul Technical University in 1954 with a civil engineering degree, he spent three years managing construction sites. In 1957, he co-founded the ENKA contracting company alongside his brother-in-law, Sadi Gülçelik. The enterprise expanded into a global conglomerate managing projects across 45 countries, with 396 completed works totaling $40 billion in contract value. Domestically, the company executed 124 projects valued at $7 billion. ENKA also became a significant electricity producer in Turkey, with energy production contributing over half of the company’s $3.5 billion annual revenue.
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Beginning in 1984, he facilitated the entry of Turkish firms into the Soviet market. By 1988, he secured contracts for renovating the Petrovski Arcade and building the Moscow Hospital. Beyond commercial interests, he became a regular attendee of the World Economic Forum starting in 1973. In 1988, his efforts helped facilitate a meeting between Turgut Özal and Andreas Papandreou, which established formal dialogue between Turkey and Greece. He chaired the Turkish-Greek Business Council until 2004 and the Turkish-Japanese Business Council from 1986 until 2000.
Philanthropic Legacy and Educational Support
In 1983, he established the 33,600-square-meter Sadi Gülçelik Sports Complex in Istinye, naming the facility after his former business partner to foster sports, arts, and education through the ENKA Foundation. The complex includes an open-air theater seating 1,000, an auditorium for 600, and an art gallery. He also expanded educational access by opening ENKA Schools in 1996 and an institution in Adapazarı in 1999, which provides free housing and scholarships. In 2008, he added the Kocaeli ENKA Anatolian Technical and Vocational High School to his foundation's initiatives.
Fast facts
- Born: 1930, Skopje
- Died: 2018, Istanbul
- Education: Istanbul Technical University, 1954
- Company founded: ENKA, 1957
- Burial site: Ulus Cemetery
- Spouse: Lale Ataman
- Business Statesman Award: 2016
Questions readers ask
What is the scale of the company he founded?
Enka İnşaat ve Sanayi A.Ş. has completed 396 projects in 45 countries with a total contract value of $40 billion.
What role did he play in Turkish-Greek relations?
He was instrumental in initiating an official bilateral dialogue in 1988 and chaired the Turkish-Greek Business Council for 16 years.
Achievements
- Educated at Istanbul Technical University
- Worked as civil engineer, industrialist and businessperson
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