Robert Yüksel Yildirim

Born in Sivas, Turkey in 1960, Robert Yuksel Yildirim is a businessman and a graduate of Oregon State University.

With a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Istanbul Technical University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University, he began his career in California as a design and project engineer at Paceco Corporation, which manufactured container-handling cranes. He worked at Paceco for five years.

After 10 years of studying and working in the United States, Robert Yuksel Yildirim returned to Turkey in 1993. He joined the management board of the family-owned company and was responsible for its first international achievement: the direct importation of coal from Russia. In 1997, the Yildirim Group of Companies moved its headquarters to Istanbul. Robert Yuksel Yildirim continued to lead the Group’s new initiatives and in 2008, it made its first international acquisition in Sweden.

The Yildirim Group of Companies has grown to become a global force in international trade. The company operates in 9 sectors and 51 countries on 5 continents. Today, the Group is among the leading companies in port management, maritime industry, metals and mining, coal and coke, fertilizers and chemicals and continues to acquire chrome mines, ferrochrome plants, ports and terminals. Lloyd’s List ranks Robert Yuksel Yildirim among the top 50 global leaders in the maritime industry, Drewry lists him as one of the top 20 global leaders in port operations. Containerization International ranks Mr. Yildirim among the top 10 most powerful people in container shipping. Robert Yuksel Yildirim is also among the top three leaders of the global chromium industry.

Robert Yuksel Yildirim is the President and CEO of Yildirim Group of Companies, a Board Member of CMA CGM Group, a Member of the Board of Trustees at Garip & Zeycan Yildirim Foundation and Chairman of Foreign Economic Relations Board's (DEIK) Turkey-Kazakhstan Business Council.