Koç Holding

Koç Holding

Vehbi Koç (1901 - 1996) stepped into the world of trade at the age of 16, in 1917, in Ankara, after convincing his father to open a grocery store. This small business, which marks the first steps of the Koç Group of Companies of the day, witnesses the World War I and the War of Independence, and starts to grow at a steady pace after the proclamation of the Republic. With Ankara, a small Anatolian city, being named the capital of the Republic in 1923, construction activities gather momentum in this region. Vehbi Koç expands its business by adding construction materials and hardware to its portfolio. Vehbi Koç completes the registration process for this store, which was named after his father, on May 31, 1926, with the name Koçzade Ahmet Vehbi. This is the date Koç Group of Companies is born and is considered to be the company’s official date of establishment. This was when Turkey was just out of the War of Independence and was worn out because of the wars, all human and material resources were exhausted, the national economy was weak, and the people were poor. The next milestone for the company established during these difficult times was when Koç moved from Ankara to Istanbul, opening businesses in this city that offered a more favourable economic environment, undertaking some contracting tasks, and expanding its field of activity with various dealerships and agencies.