Mustafa Cengiz (25 December 1949 – 28 November 2021) was a Former Bureaucrat and Turkish businessman who served as the president of sports club Galatasaray S.K.

Early life and education

Mustafa Cengiz was born in Nizip,

Gaziantep Province Gaziantep Province () is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality in south-central Turkey. It is located in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in ...

, southeastern Turkey on 25 December 1949. Mustafa Cengiz completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. He then graduated from Gaziantep High School. Then he studied at

Faculty of Political Science, Ankara University The Faculty of Political Science of the University of Ankara (, more simply known as "''SBF''") is the oldest institution of administrative sciences in Turkey. It is the successor of the "Mekteb-i Mülkiye" ('), also known simply as "Mülkiye," wh ...

. Mustafa Cengiz was a prominent figure born into a distinguished family with deep ties to the olive oil industry in the region. His father Mehmet Cengiz aka Pamuk Muhammed, was a renowned trader and one of the earliest factory owners in the olive oil sector. Pamuk Muhammed played a significant role in shaping the industry, earning widespread recognition for his contributions to trade and production. Mustafa Cengiz was one of seven children in this traditionally influential family. Despite the social norms of the time, which often prioritized business inheritance over formal education, all seven siblings pursued higher education. This commitment to education reflected the family's progressive mindset and dedication to fostering intellectual growth alongside business success.

Career

Cengiz became a founding specialist in foreign trade for a cooperative of agriculture (Köy-Koop). At the age of 28, he became the general manager of the central economic organization founded by 670 municipalities (TANSA) as the youngest executive in the public sector. Following the 1980 military coup, he went to foreign trade in the private sector working in the Middle East countries using his

Arabic language Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

knowledge. From 1990, Cengiz operated his own companies in the

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...

goods trade business. Once, he served as the chairman of the Turkish Employers' Union of Gasoline and

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Liquefied petroleum gas, also referred to as liquid petroleum gas (LPG or LP gas), is a fuel gas which contains a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases, specifically propane, Butane, ''n''-butane and isobutane. It can also contain some ...

Dealers ().

Sport executive

Cengiz was appointed a member of the by-law committee by the council of Galatasaray S.K. He was in charge of preparing a new by-law for the sports club. On 20 January 2018, Cengiz became the 37th president of Galatasaray S.K., winning with 1,703 of the 3,416 votes cast while 1,623 delegates voted for the defending president Dursun Özbek. His term ended in June 2021, and Burak Elmas succeeded him in the post.

Personal life and death

Cengiz was married and had a son named Sarper who was born in 1984. Cengiz was a figure who transcended the realm of football management with his profound intellectualism and cultural awareness. Known for his eloquence and sharp wit, Cengiz often turned to philosophy, literature, and cinema to articulate his vision and navigate the challenges of leading one of Turkey's most prestigious sports club. Drawing from the works of Spinoza, Cengiz emphasized rationality and resilience in the face of adversity. He admired Spinoza's belief in the strength of the human mind to endure difficulties, a philosophy that resonated deeply during his tenure, particularly when Galatasaray faced financial and organizational crises. From Hegel, Cengiz adopted the concept of the dialectic, which focuses on resolving conflicts to achieve progress. His leadership reflected this philosophy, as he often sought to unify disparate factions within the club, creating harmony in the midst of discord. This approach not only stabilized the organization but also inspired loyalty and respect among its members. Cengiz’s intellectual repertoire extended beyond Western philosophy. In one of his speeches, he referenced the Japanese film Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa, a story that examines the subjective nature of truth through conflicting perspectives. By invoking Rashomon, Cengiz highlighted the complexities of leadership, where every stakeholder—players, fans, and management—perceives challenges differently. His ability to navigate these perspectives with fairness and insight was a hallmark of his presidency. Mustafa Cengiz’s unique leadership style was not just about making decisions but about understanding the deeper currents of human nature, truth, and progress. He left behind a legacy that extended far beyond trophies and statistics—a legacy of intellectual depth and a commitment to leading with wisdom and compassion Cengiz died in Istanbul from cancer on 28 November 2021 at the age of 71. He had been ill since the first months of 2020. He was buried at Ulus Cemetery in Istanbul.

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