Asım Kocabıyık was born in 1924 in the village of Tazlar, Afyon. After completing primary school in Afyon, he continued his education in Istanbul, attending middle and high school there. He graduated from Istanbul University’s Faculty of Economics in 1947 after finishing Istanbul Erkek High School. In 1944, while still a student, he stepped into the business world as a founding partner and board member of İstikbal Ticaret A.Ş. He worked at İstikbal, the first company of the Borusan Group, for 57 years—49 of which he served as chairman of the board.

Married with three children, Asım Kocabıyık was awarded an honorary doctorate by Uludağ University in 2007. He was also a recipient of the State Distinguished Service Medal and was honored with the title of "Knight" by the Italian government.

Dedicated to the principle of giving back to society, Asım Kocabıyık was a passionate advocate for education. In Gemlik, where he had investments, he built a fully equipped educational facility in 2006, which was inaugurated as the Asım Kocabıyık Vocational School. To enhance social opportunities for students, the Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation replaced an old cultural center, originally part of the Sunğipek complex, with a new one on the same campus. This new facility was officially opened on December 3, 2012, as the Asım Kocabıyık Cultural Center.

Seeing his contributions to education as a "debt to his country," Asım Kocabıyık did not wish to be referred to as a "philanthropist." The founder and honorary chairman of Borusan Holding, he passed away on the evening of December 27, 2012.


Vocational School Opening Ceremony (November 14, 2006)




Asım Kocabıyık Cultural Center Opening Ceremony (December 3, 2012)