Mehmet Nazif Günal
Mehmet Nazif Günal | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948 Turkey |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Known for | Founder and sole proprietor of Mapa Group conglomerate |
Mehmet Nazif Günal (born 1948) is a Turkish billionaire entrepreneur specializing in real estate development and is the sole proprietor of the Mapa Group conglomerate through a holding entity.
Biography
Born in 1948, Günal began his career in the construction industry from 1962 until 1971. He later obtained a master's degree in civil engineering from Middle East Technical University located in Ankara. In 1976, he established the Mapa Group, initially named Gunal Construction Trade and Industry Co. Inc., and has led the company since its inception. The conglomerate’s activities span construction, tourism, and transportation sectors, including ownership of MNG Airlines and previously the television channel TV8.
While initially concentrating on residential projects, Günal expanded MNG's operations during the 1980s. Today, the group has a presence throughout Southeast Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East, North Africa, as well as in Ivory Coast and Cameroon. Current ventures are active in countries such as Algeria, Georgia, Libya, Romania, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Among his assets are ten luxury hotels rated five stars, notably the WoW Kremlin Palace and WoW Topkapi Palace in Antalya—both designed as architectural emulations of their historic namesakes. Additionally, Günal holds a board membership at the Atlantic Council.
Günal has previously held an executive role at football club Fenerbahçe S.K.. In July 2015, he acquired a controlling stake in Swiss football team FC Wil. However, by February 2017, Turkish backers ceased funding support. Reports from November indicated that investments exceeding 20 million Swiss francs had resulted in an 11 million franc deficit within eighteen months.
Controversies
Günal's public image is contentious due to his reputed close association with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he once likened to a "second Ataturk". In 2015, the newspaper Taraf highlighted discrepancies concerning Günal’s declared earnings, pointing out his omission from the official list of top taxpayers published by the government.
Personal life
Residing in Istanbul, Turkey, Günal is married and has three children. His son Murathan Doruk Günal, who serves as Vice President of the MNG Group and is an engineer by profession, has also held the position of president at FC Wil. His daughter Merve is likewise an engineer employed within the MNG Group.