Aydin Dogan Famous Turkish entrepreneur Country: Turkey

1. Biography of Aydin Dogan
2. Early Life and Education
3. The Dogan Group
4. Petrol Ofisi A.S.
5. Sponsorship and Media

Biography of Aydin Dogan

Aydin Dogan is a renowned Turkish entrepreneur and the owner of a major company. He is a billionaire, with a personal fortune of approximately $1.6 billion according to Forbes, which includes him in the list of the world's wealthiest and most influential individuals.

Early Life and Education

Dogan was born in Kelkit, a city in one of the Turkish provinces. After completing high school, he enrolled in the Academy of Economics and later studied at the Commerce School in Istanbul from 1956 to 1960. The Commerce School eventually evolved into one of the top universities in Turkey, known as Marmara University.

The Dogan Group

After his studies, Aydin began to enhance the Dogan Group, a trading conglomerate that has since developed into an alliance of numerous large companies. One of the most prominent companies under the Dogan Group is Petrol Ofisi. As the largest oil and gas enterprise in Turkey, Petrol Ofisi A.S. (PO) holds a market value of over $3 billion.

Petrol Ofisi A.S.

Established in 1941, Petrol Ofisi was initially state-owned and involved in the importation, refining, and distribution of petroleum products. On June 24, 2000, the company was privatized, and a majority of its shares were acquired by Dogan Holding. However, following the involvement of Austrian oil company OMV, Dogan Holding's influence in Petrol Ofisi A.S. (PO) slightly diminished. Currently, the president of Petrol Ofisi is Melih Turker.

Petrol Ofisi A.S. (PO) operates 3,300 technical service stations, approximately 5,000 dealers, two lubricant blending plants, twelve terminals, and employs around 1,600 people. The company produces various oil and gas products, including leaded gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), lubricants, and industrial oils.

Sponsorship and Media

Petrol Ofisi has been a sponsor of various events, such as car races and yacht competitions. Since 2006, it has actively sponsored Formula One racing. Additionally, Dogan's companies include several media outlets, such as newspapers like Hurriyet and Milliyet, as well as television channels including Channel D, Star TV, and CNN Turk.