İş Dünyasına Ömür Verenler: Abdullah Kiğılı

I swear, if I were 25 years old, I would wear a suit only once a year. When Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came into power, we did great business and made serious money. Not only me, but everyone earned money. In the evening, Fenerbahçe had a basketball game against Galatasaray, and Can Bartu played basketball and beat Galatasaray. I have never experienced greater pleasure in my life, and I never forget it.

After graduating from Istanbul High School, I was preparing for university exams, aspiring to become a civil engineer. However, my father fell seriously ill with cancer, and the doctor gave him six months to live. With my brother in pharmacy school and my sister in institute, I had to step in. The family decided I should take over the store, so I entered business life in 1965. It was difficult not to study, but today, I have created a brand over 60 years, becoming a leading men's clothing brand in Turkey. I started with a small 100-square-meter store with five employees, and now I manage 180 stores and 1,900 people.

In 1971, Osman Boyner, the owner of Altın Yıldız, called me. He had established Beymen, Turkey's first ready-to-wear factory, and was looking for someone to sell the suits. I was recommended, and we met. After an hour of conversation, we shook hands and agreed. I started selling Beymen suits in my Beyoğlu store. In 1973, Osman offered me a partnership, and I opened the first Beymen store as a partner, selling suits. So, when people mention Abdullah Kığılı, they think of suits.

The one who brought innovation to Turkey was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He dressed so elegantly that it's impossible not to admire him—coats, suits, waistcoat suits, tails, smoking jackets. In the 1930s and 1935s, Turkey embraced these innovations thanks to Atatürk. Even today, you see his pictures; think of how people were dressed 100 years ago, and he taught society.

If I were 25 again, I'd wear a suit only once a year. People now prefer comfortable jackets, sportswear, t-shirts, jackets, sport pants, and jeans with elastic cuffs. The transformation is rapid, and with Turkey's young population, sportswear is hugely popular, breaking sales records. Until 1980, there were daily protests and clashes between left and right, and we had to close shops early due to fear. After the 1980 coup, Turgut Özal came to power and abolished the Turkish Currency Protection Law, which had made it illegal to carry foreign currency. This brought relief and opened up opportunities. Turgut Özal is from Malatya, and we know each other as family. He pushed me into politics, and I worked in the Anavatan Party for five years until 1989, when I left and never returned to politics. I never did business with the state; I never sold to or bought from the state. I built my own empire, and when asked for my opinion, I gave it. Despite many offers to enter politics, I declined. Today, I look at those who are involved and see that many names from 30 years ago are gone, and we might not see current names in another 30 years. Storms come and pass, and interventions always show that it's wrong for business people to enter politics—it always creates crisis.

We just need to choose where to go. Today, Turkish brands cannot enter France, England, Spain, or Germany, but all Balkan countries are open markets. Start with Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, etc., and then the East—Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and down to Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah. We can dominate all these places, and indeed, Turkish brands have significant investments there. Kığılı has six stores in Azerbaijan, three in Uzbekistan, and we're expanding in Turkmenistan and Baghdad. The best money was made during Turgut Özal's and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's times—everyone earned money. The two periods of my life were under Turgut Özal and Erdoğan.

I don't dwell on past regrets or future doubts; 'regret' is not in my vocabulary. I rarely make mistakes because I stick to what I know. The problem in Turkey is that people form partnerships over dinner tables in businesses they don't understand, leading to losses. I always did what I knew, never entering energy or construction. I expanded my business from 4-5 people to 1,900 employees. Aziz Yıldırım, a close friend, asked me to head Fenerium in 2009, as it was in a difficult state. I agreed on the condition that he wouldn't interfere. I took over, closed down existing stores, opened 65 new ones, and achieved record turnovers of 100 million, introducing various products. After seven years, I returned to my own business, but I helped Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş. Fenerbahçe pioneered retailing in Turkey.

We beat Rize, and on the way back to Trabzon Airport, the bus driver almost drove off the cliff. It's a miracle we survived, as it remains unsolved who tried to harm us. Fenerbahçe's path is often blocked, and we need unity. Once, in a match against Beşiktaş at Dolmabahçe Stadium, Can Bartu played football in the afternoon and basketball against Galatasaray in the evening, winning both. He was a great footballer and basketball player, and we became friends. He laughed when I mentioned it, proud of his versatility.

Young people often say they want to work less and get rich quickly, but such a system doesn't exist. You can't work less and earn more; it's over. Now, you have to work hard, earn less, and spend less.

I have a happy personality and a happy marriage. I have a marriage of about 30 years, children, grandchildren, and a happy family home. What could be more beautiful? I live life drop by drop.