Ali Nihat Gökyiğit, founder of Tekfen, passes away
Ali Nihat Gökyiğit, one of the founders of Tekfen Holding, one of the leading companies in Turkey, has passed away. Gökyiğit is also known as the founder of TEMA, the Turkish Foundation for Combating Erosion, Afforestation and Conservation of Natural Assets, on September 11, 1992, with his friend Hayrettin Karaca.
WHO IS ALİ NİHAT GÖKYİĞİT?
Ali Nihat Gökyiğit was born on February 23, 1925 in Artvin. Gökyiğit studied at Robert College and completed his higher education in civil engineering at the University of Michigan. After returning to Turkey, he founded Tekfen Holding, which would later become one of Turkey’s largest companies, with his friend Feyyaz Berker from Robert College.
Social Responsibility Activities – Memberships of Foundations and Associations / Professional Organizations
TÜSİAD, Member of the Board of Directors (3 years)
Honorary Consul of Georgia and Kyrgyzstan
Chairmanship of the Turkey-CIS Business Councils (10 years)
Turkey’s representative of the Black Sea Business Council (10 years)
DEİK (Council for Foreign Economic Relations), Member of the Board of Directors (15 years) and Honorary Member
TEMA (Turkish Foundation to Combat Erosion, Forestry and Conservation of Natural Assets), Founder and Chairman of the Board (Initiated the first projects of the Tema Foundation for the environment, protection of natural assets and rural development, as well as their nature-friendly production series, sponsoring them.Development Project” was awarded at the Johannesburg World Summit Conference.)
The 50-hectare Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanical Garden, which he built in Istanbul on behalf of his wife, is being developed as an education and research center.
Gökyiğit, who is an active member of many internationally operating organizations related to water, energy, environment and natural goods, was the founder and co-chair of the “Story of the 3 Seas” Energy Conference that takes place every year in Istanbul.
The Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra, which he founded by bringing together musicians from 23 countries of the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, one of the most problematic geographies in the world, became one of the most important cultural activities in the service of peace. world.
Gökyiğit, who was awarded Honorary Georgian Citizenship by Çukurova, Boğaziçi and Gazi Osman Paşa Universities, Akdeniz University Environmental Service Award and “Honorary Doctorate” degrees, was honored with the Distinguished Service Medal of the State in 1997.