Nihat Zeybekci | |
|---|---|
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| Minister of the Economy | |
| In office 24 May 2016 – 10 July 2018 | |
| Prime Minister | Binali Yıldırım |
| Preceded by | Mustafa Elitaş |
| In office 25 December 2013 – 17 November 2015 | |
| Prime Minister | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Ahmet Davutoğlu |
| Preceded by | Zafer Çağlayan |
| Succeeded by | Mustafa Elitaş |
| Member of the Grand National Assembly | |
| Assumed office 12 June 2011 | |
| Constituency | Denizli (2011,June 2015,Nov 2015) |
| Mayor of Denizli | |
| In office 28 March 2004 – 16 March 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Ali Aygören |
| Succeeded by | Osman Zolan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1961-01-01)1 January 1961 (age 64) |
| Political party | Justice and Development Party (AKP) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Politician, economist |
| Cabinet | 61st,62nd,63rd,65th |
Nihat Zeybekci (born 1 January 1961) is a Turkish economist, politician, amember of parliament forDenizli Province of the rulingJustice and Development Party (AKP) and formerMinister of the Economy.
Nihat Zeybekci was born to Şükrü and Fatma Zeybekci as the youngest of five children in the village of Pınarlar inTavas district ofDenizli Province on 1 January 1961.[1][2] The family earned their living fromtobacco farming, and Nihat helped his parents in his youth.[3]
After studying Business Administration atMarmara University, he received his master's degree in International Relations fromIstanbul University. He also claimed to have conducted further studies in economics atSouth London College in the United Kingdom, but he removed this information from his official resume after it turned out to be false.[4]
He is married and has four children.[2][3]
Zeybekci served as executive for companies inIstanbul and Denizli.[1] In 1994, he founded a textile company. He was elected into the Denizli Chamber of Industry and chaired two terms Denizli Textile and Apparel Exporters' Association.[2]
Zeybekci entered politics at regional level. In the2004 local elections, he was elected Mayor of Denizli from the Justice and Development Party. He was re-elected to the post in the2009 local elections.[1] In 2011, he resigned to run for a seat in theparliament. During this time, he represented his city and country in some organizations for regional administrations at national and international level.[2]
He was elected into theGrand National Assembly of Turkey in the2011 general election as an MP fromDenizli Province. On 26 December 2013, Nihat Zeybekci assumed office as the Minister of Economic Affairs,[3][5] succeedingZafer Çağlayan during Prime MinisterErdoğan's cabinet reshuffle with ten new names that was announced the day before, on 25 December, following the2013 corruption scandal in Turkey.[1][6][7][8][9]
He is considered as a close friend of Erdoğan, who spends his summer holidays together with Zeybekci.[7]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ali Aygören | Mayor of Denizli 28 March 2004 – 16 March 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Economic Affairs 26 December 2013 – 24 November 2015 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister of Economic Affairs 24 May 2016 – 10 July 2018 | Succeeded by Position abolished |
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