Caroline Koç
Caroline Nicole Koç | |
|---|---|
| Born | Caroline Nicole Giraud 12 September 1971 |
| Education | St George's School Babson College |
| Occupations | |
| Organization(s) | Koç Holding Haremlique Selamlique |
| Spouse(s) | Mustafa Vehbi Koç (m. 1992 – d. 2016) |
| Children | Aylin Koç Esra Koç |
| Parents |
|
Caroline Nicole Koç (born Caroline Nicole Giraud; 12 September 1971) is a Turkish businesswoman and philanthropist. She is a board member of Koç Holding and the founder and owner of Haremlique Tekstil and Selamlique Turkish Coffee.[1]
Early life
[edit]Background
[edit]Caroline Koç was born in İzmir, Turkey, on 12 September 1971. She is from the French Giraud family, one of the most established Turkish Levantine families in İzmir, the owners of İzmir Woolen Textile Factory and Ren Holding. Her mother is Marianne and her father is businessman Hérvé Giraud. She learned about fashion from an early age by watching her father weaving.[2]
Education
[edit]Caroline completed her secondary education at St George's School in Switzerland. She graduated from Babson College in the United States with a degree in business administration. She married businessman Mustafa Koç, whom she met in 1990, on 14 July 1992, taking on the surname Koç.
Business career
[edit]In 1992, together with her father-in-law Rahmi Koç, Caroline founded the Edwards chain, which sells English-style clothing, and opened the first store in Hisar. When his first daughter Esra was born in 1998, she left her management position at Edwards at the Hisar store.
Caroline founded and managed the İlkadım Children's Education and Play Center in 1998. During the years when her second daughter Aylin was born, she implemented the Play Barn project, which created indoor playgrounds for children.
In 2008, she founded the home textile store Haremlique and a year later, the Turkish coffee brand Selamlique. Caroline is currently the chairman of the board of directors of these companies. She is also the former president of the Istanbul Golf Club.[3]
Philanthropy
[edit]Caroline Koç has served on the boards of many associations and foundations. She is the chairwoman of the board of directors of the Turkish Family Health and Planning Foundation, a board member of the Tohum Autism Foundation, a founding member of the Turkish Underwater Archaeology Foundation, and the Contemporary Education Foundation. She is also the head of the Mustafa V. Koç Sports Award jury. Caroline was honored with the Women Who Make a Difference Award in 2015.[4]
Personal life
[edit]She has two daughters from her marriage to Mustafa Koç; Aylin and Esra Koç.
She has a private yacht named Caressa K.[5]
On 16 April 2020, Caroline's mother, Marianne Giraud, died of complications arising from COVID-19.[6]
Citations
[edit]- ^ "Vehbi Koç Vakfı Ansiklopedisi - Caroline Koç" (in Turkish). Vehbi Koç Vakfı. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ "Caroline Koç kimdir? Caroline Koç nereli, kaç yaşında?". Haberler (in Turkish). 18 April 2020. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ "Yüzü gülüyor". Milliyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ "Mustafa V. Koç Spor Ödülü sahiplerini buldu". Milliyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ "Eşini sevdiği yerde andı". Milliyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ "Caroline Koç'un annesi corona virüsten hayatını kaybetti". Milliyet (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2022.