Vice Chairman of the Board, Service Exporters’ Association (HİB)
Salih Zeki Çakır was born in 1957 in the Of district of Trabzon. He graduated from the Deck Department of the Higher Maritime School in 1979. He worked for a period as an officer and captain on commercial ships. In 1986, he went to Norway to continue his education at the Oslo Maritime Academy in the Department of Ship Management. He then returned to his professional life as the Long Voyage Ship Chartering Branch Manager in the Tramp Department at DB Deniz Nakliyat A.Ş. During this time, he also studied International Relations at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Istanbul University (left in 4th year).
Çakır, who has been active in many sectors of the maritime industry for 30 years, has led numerous projects for the development of the Turkish maritime sector. He is among the founders of the Piri Reis Maritime Foundation and the Istanbul Freight Index (ISTFIX), and he is the Founding Chairman and a Board Member of the Association of Coastal Shipowners and Operators (KOSDER). He also serves as the Chairman of the Istanbul Institute for Maritime Strategies and Research. He previously held the position of Vice Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Shipbuilding Industrialists’ Association (GİSBİR) and was a member of the Scientific Board of TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey).
Mr.Çakır is one of the founding members of Sefine Shipyard and he was a partner of Hersek Shipyard. After transferring his shares in these shipyards, he established the Trabzon Shipyard. Throughout his career, he has been a founder, partner, and executive in numerous companies both in Turkey and abroad. He also served as the 9th Term Assembly Chairman of İMEAK (Chamber of Shipping for Istanbul and the Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean, and Black Sea regions). He currently continues his role as Vice Chairman of the Board of HİB (Service Exporters’ Association).
Çakır is married, has four children, and speaks English.
