Salih Zeki ÇAKIR

Salih Zeki ÇAKIR

Salih Zeki Çakır graduated from the Deck Department of the Turkish Merchant Marine Academy in 1979. He worked as an officer and then as captain on commercial vessels for a period of time. In 1986, he moved to Norway and pursued his studies at the Department of Ship Management at the Oslo Maritime Academy. Afterwards, he returned to business life as the Tramp Department Voyage Chartering Branch Manager of DB Deniz Nakliyat A.Ş. In the meantime, he enrolled at Istanbul University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of International Relations (Dropped out from the 4th grade).

Having been active in many fields of the maritime industry for 30 years, Çakır has pioneered many projects for the development of the Turkish maritime industry. Çakır is one of the founders of the Piri Reis Maritime Foundation and the Istanbul Freight Index (ISTFIX) and he is the Founding Chairman and Board Member of the Koster Shipowners and Operators Association (KOSDER). He is also the President of the Istanbul Maritime Strategies and Research Institute. For a period of time, he served as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Shipbuilders' Association (GISBIR) and as a member of the Scientific Board of TÜBİTAK (Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey).

Çakır, who has been a founder, partner and manager in many companies in Turkey and abroad in his professional life, served as the Chairman of the Assembly of IMEAK (Istanbul and Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean, Black Sea Regions) Chamber of Shipping for the 9th term. He is currently serving as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of HIB (Service Exporters Association). Çakır is married and is a father of four children. He also has a fluency in English.