Semahat Sevim Arsel (born 1928) is a Turkish billionaire businesswoman. She is a director of Koç Holding, the largest industrial conglomerate in Turkey, and the eldest child of its founder,

Vehbi Koç Ahmet Vehbi Koç (20 July 1901 – 25 February 1996) was a Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Koç Group, one of Turkey’s largest groups of companies. During his lifetime he came to be one of Turkey's wealthiest citi ...

(1901–1996). She owns 8.4% of the family business. As of August 2022, her net worth was estimated at US$1.6 billion.

Early life

Arsel was born in Ankara in 1928, the eldest child of

(1901-1996). Arsel graduated from the American College for Girls in Istanbul.

Career

Arsel founded the

Koç University Koç University ( tr, Koç Üniversitesi) is a non-profit private university in Istanbul, Turkey. It started education in temporary buildings in İstinye in 1993, and moved to its current Rumelifeneri campus near Sarıyer in 2000. Koç University ...

School of Nursing. As of August 2021, ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

'' estimated her net worth at US$1.9 billion. Arsel is the chairperson of the Vehbi Koç Foundation.

Personal life

Her husband Nusret Arsel died in January 2014. They had no children. She lives in Istanbul.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arsel, Semahat Sevim 1928 births Living people Female billionaires Koç family Robert College alumni Turkish billionaires 20th-century Turkish businesspeople 21st-century Turkish businesspeople