Abdulkadir Konukoğlu was born in 1948 as the first child of Sani Konukoğlu, who was one of those paving the way for industrialization of Anatolia.

With a great interest in working since he was a young boy, Abdulkadir Konukoğlu started his career in 1963, and starting from apprenticeship, he experienced working at every level of the enterprise.

After his military service, Konukoglu was appointed as Operations Manager in 1970 and Assistant General Manager in 1972, and started to hold the position of General Manager in 1974.

After the death of his father Sani Konukoglu, Abdulkadir Konukoglu was appointed as the chairman of SANKO Group companies in 1994, and adopted his father’s motto saying “The trick is honesty” as a fundamental principle in his business life, making SANKO a symbol of industrialization in Turkey with his visionary, innovative and participative management approach.

Continuing to grow under the management of Abdulkadir Konukoglu, SANKO Group was restructured in 1996 under the umbrella of SANKO Holding.

With an accurate analysis of the developments in Turkish and world economy, Konukoglu, through his strategic foresights, shifted SANKO to other promising sectors besides textile.

SANKO has become an enterprise operating in the sectors of textile, energy, construction, packaging, construction and agricultural machinery, informatics, shopping mall, finance, education, health-care and real estate, employing approximately 14 thousand people in its facilities across Turkey and building global business relationships.

Making human-oriented decisions for his investments and putting the interests of Turkey, to which he is deeply committed, ahead of any and all kinds of commercial expectations, Abdulkadir Konukoglu has never set aside his social responsibility mission.

With an entrepreneurial and participatory approach in business life at all times, Konukoglu has assumed important roles in various professional associations and non-governmental organizations.

Assuming the following roles, apart from his successful business life, in different times;
President of Gaziantepspor Club,
President of Southeast Anatolian Textile and Raw Materials Exporters Association,
Chairman of Textile Advisory Board, TOBB,
President of Gaziantep Textile Industry Employers’ Association,
President of Gaziantep Serbest Bolge Kurucu ve Isleticisi A.S.,
Founding President of Free Zones Board, TOBB,
Chairperson of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry Assembly,
Member of High Coordination Board, TOBB,
Member of Industry Council, TOBB
Board Member of DEIK,
Chairperson of Turkish Textile Industry Assembly, TOBB,
Member of Scientific Board, TUBİTAK and
Chairman of the Board of Directors of SANKO Holding

Abdulkadir Konukoglu currently serves as:

President of Cotton Textile Manufacturers Association,
Honorary President of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry,
Honorary President of Turkish Textile Industry Assembly, TOBB
Honorary President of SANKO Holding,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sani Konukoglu Foundation and
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of SANKO University.

Sharing his experience of half a century in business life with the society during the events held by various institutions, including especially universities and professional organizations, Abdulkadir Konukoglu has become an important reference figure in the business world with his solutions and analyzes for economic problems in Turkey.

Acting with the understanding of “Sharing Brings Happiness” and expressing his ambition to work and combative side with his saying “If the wind stops blowing, then take up the oars to row”, Konukoglu has, so far, been honored:

by the leading broadcasting organizations, non-governmental organizations and universities in Turkey, and twice by the National Productivity Center, with the awards of;

Best Businessman of the Year,
Best Business Executive of the Year,
Entrepreneur of the Year,
Golden Man of the Year,
Most Successful Businessman of the Year,
Strategic Visionary Businessman,
Industrialist of the Year, and
Most Influential Businessperson in Anatolia for eight times, and he was included in the Hall of Fame of Those Who Bring Life to Education in Turkey for the schools he has built and the scholarships he has granted.

Having been honored with the Outstanding Service Award by the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the Title of Honorary PhD and Social Awareness Award by Gaziantep University, and Foundation Humanitarian Award by the General Directorate of Foundations for providing helpful services for the welfare, education, happiness and social development of the society, Abdulkadir Konukoglu is married with three children.