Currently the chairman of the Yapı Merkezi Construction Company, Başar Arıoğlu has held several positions in the company since 1990. He has completed the Nene Hatun Tunnels, part of the Istanbul Light Metro where YM was a consortium partner with ABB (later Adtranz and Bombardier) as Deputy Site Manager. He was Deputy GM of Yapı Merkezi during its time as an İzmir Metro Consortium partner with Adtranz (later Bombardier). He was involved with Eskişehir Tramway and Dubai Metro as YM representative in the consortia and JVs. He has served as GM of Yapı Merkezi between 2000 and 2009. Today, he is also board member at the appointed company for the Eurasia Crossing–BOT Project which involves a 3.3km tunnel under the Istanbul Strait at 107 meters below sea level. He has a BS and MS degrees from MIT. He is the author and contributor to several national and international articles and technical papers on construction and tunneling.
Education
1989 - 1991: Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Master of Science, Construction Management
1985 - 1989: Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering
1978 - 1985: Robert College, İstanbul, Turkey
Experience
2015 - present: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Yapı Merkezi Construction
2011 - 2014: Managing Member of the Board of Directors, Yapı Merkezi Construction
2009 - present: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Avrasya Tüneli İşletme İnşaat ve Yatırım A.Ş.
2005 - 2010: Dubai Metro Project, Turkish-Japanese joint venture Executive Board Member
2004 - 2007: ESTRAM, Eskişehir Tram, Consortium Board Member, UITP award
2003 - present: Honorary Consul General of Slovenia, Istanbul
2003 - 2010: General Manager of Yapı Merkezi Construction
1999 - present: Member of the Board of Directors, Yapı Merkezi Holding
1999 - 2002: Deputy General Manager, Construction Works, Yapı Merkezi Construction
1996 - 1999: Board Member, Yapi Merkezi – Wayss & Freytag joint venture
1993 - 1994: Deputy Site Manager, İstanbul Light Metro, Wayss & Freytag – Yapi Merkezi joint venture
Areas of Expertise
What have been the main lessons you have learned in your career and how do you implement them in your management?
I value integrity and honesty above all else. I am very careful not to mislead anyone in any of my business and personal relations.
I also learned that people are indeed the most important assets of any company. Without people, nothing can be achieved. So it is the duty of top management to take care of their people and to always bring in new talent to keep the company growing and improving.
Mentors
I have learned a lot from my father and try to take him as a role model. Of course no two people are alike and each of us have different strengths and talents. So I cannot be like him as much as I want and I have to use my own strengths to achieve things in my own way.
I have also learned a lot from the people I worked with in our company. I can count many of them but will not because I am afraid to leave anyone out. I like learning and listening, so I get a lot from people I work with. I am really grateful to all for their contributions whether big or small.
