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Family Committee

Family Committee

Family Committee

Family Committee, management mechanism established by Vehbi Koç in 1972. The only committee members were Vehbi Koç and his children, Semahat Arsel, Rahmi M. Koç, Sevgi Gönül and Suna Kıraç. The committee oversaw the development, vision and strategies of Koç Holding, agreeing on final decisions solely between the five members. All committee discussions, without exception, were recorded in official minutes and locked away in a secret safe. Suna Kıraç fulfilled the role of meeting secretary. When necessary, CEOs attended the meetings and informed the members. The essence of the committee was captured in the words of Vehbi Koç: “Argue matters between yourselves and keep your disagreements private. Try to make decisions by consent. When that isn’t possible, you should go with the majority and everyone should comply. Try to prevent any of your issues becoming public.”

Vehbi Koç on the Family Committee...

I was driven to set up the FAMILY COMMITTEE in 1972 by my experiences talking to global companies and families and my subsequent observation that families, companies and peoples unravel because of inner conflicts that arise between their members. I served as chair until March 1984 and worked extremely hard to ensure the committee functioned smoothly. In setting up the committee, my aim was to create a space where matters concerning the family and the wider Koç Community could be discussed, along with various other issues, between either my children and I or just between the children; I wanted decisions to be agreed on or decided by majority and then complied with by all. I left the committee in March 1984 and Semahat Arsel is currently serving as chair. The FAMILY COMMITEE is still running, although not exactly in the form I had wished.
Vehbi Koç, Hatıralarım Görüşlerim Öğütlerim (Recollections, Observations, Counsel), Vehbi Koç Vakfı Yayınları, Istanbul, 1987, p. 16 

POPULAR TITLES

Koç Family

A family of entrepreneurs and philanthropists who played a large role
Koç, Leyla S(adberk)

The first child of Ali Y. Koç  and Nevbahar Koç . 
Koç, Nevbahar

Née DEMİRAĞ, daughter of Turgut Demirağ and Afet Demirağ (later Karacan)
Kıraç, İpek

Director and businesswoman. In addition to her other roles, she is chair of the Koç School
Koç, Esra

The first child of Mustafa V. Koç  and Caroline Koç . 

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Abadan Unat, Nermin

Political scientist who received the Vehbi Koç Award for education in 2012.

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