The Founding and Honorary President of Borusan Holding, Asım Kocabıyık passed away in Istanbul where he was receiving treatment. With great contributions to the Turkish Industry, Asım Kocabıyık founded Borusan Group and made it one of the leading institutions of Turkey. His funeral was held at Fatih Mosque following the noon prayer on December 29, 2012 and he was buried at the Edirnekapı Martyr Cemetery. In addition to his successes as a businessman, Asım Kocabıyık was especially known for his social responsibility works and philanthropy in education, culture and art.

A life devoted to serving Turkey.
Born in Tazlar village at the province of Afyon in 1924, Asım Kocabıyık’s name is mentioned in parallel with the industrialization adventure of Turkey. Asım Kocabıyık started his business career when he was just a student in 1944 at the İstikbal Ticaret company founded by his father. He started his industrial investments in 1958 by founding the Borusan Boru Sanayii A.Ş. He took the first step towards the modern and corporate Group of today by founding Borusan Holding in 1972. He led Borusan Group for 57 years and turned into a global company operating in the fields of steel, distributorship, logistics and energy with six thousand employees. Kocabıyık transferred his position of chairman of the board of directors to his son Ahmet Kocabıyık in 2001 and became the Founding and Honorary President of Borusan Holding.

As a representative of the first generation of industrialists of the Republican period, Asım Kocabıyık assumed important missions in the development of the Turkish economy and industry and expansion to international markets. He took an active role in leading organizations of the business world, especially in TÜSİAD.

Asım Kocabıyık realized projects in the fields of education, culture and art, through Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation to support the development of the society. Throughout his life, he built many educational institutions as a result of his social responsibility works and philanthropy which he described as a service for his country. These include primary schools, high schools, colleges, faculties and guesthouses for teachers and he offered them to the service of the Ministry of National Education. Our Founding and Honorary President Asım Kocabıyık and his principle of giving back to the society, his diligence, virtuousness, honesty and determination will always guide us, the people of Borusan, in the path we are proceeding with the vision to be always a step ahead.