About

Having worked at cement company Çimentaş Group since 1998, Kayhan Karabayır has an almost unrivalled understanding of his company’s vast operations. Established in 1950 as the first cement factory in the Aegean Region, Çimentaş is today one of the most prominent cement companies in Turkey and is strategically located in the country’s largest and emerging domestic markets. Over the course of his 19-year association with the company, Karabayır has been involved on a number of its landmark developments. Some of the larger deals he has worked on include the purchase of a 98% stake in the company by major Italian cement producer Cementir Holding in 2001, the acquisition of assets located in the Thrace region by Çimentaş in 2005 and the acquisition of Elazığ Çimento in 2006 which gave the company access to the Southeast Anatolian market. Operating in a highly regulated market, Karabayır is credited by nominators for helping Çimentaş Group navigate local domestic laws and maintain its high annual production capacity.