As Turkish entrepreneurs perform well in Iraq, the Iraqis will have more confidence in Turkish contractors than in some European company they do not know. – Husnu Ozyegin
I tell foreign companies that come here… ‘Don’t see Turkey as a country of 770,000 sq km and $800bn gross domestic product. This country has the potential to do so much business in the surrounding countries.’ – Husnu Ozyegin
Start small; get to know the landscape. We take risks but not major risks. We always started with small capital – €4m in Holland, $10m in Russia – and as we get to know the landscape of a country, we think about other businesses. – Husnu Ozyegin
There are companies with management and companies with money. You can always find money. Management is the key to success in any business. – Husnu Ozyegin
European and American banks are conservative in the sense that they don’t come at their full strength to markets where we are; that leaves us an opportunity to be successful. – Husnu Ozyegin
I was not only a billionaire but the richest man in Turkey. It’s a great feeling, but your responsibilities increase. – Husnu Ozyegin
There are many businesses that are born and die. A university is supposed to live forever. – Husnu Ozyegin
I’m giving away 2 percent of my net income every month. I don’t think Bill Gates is doing that. – Husnu Ozyegin