Cuneyd Zapsu

Hasan Cuneyd Zapsu (born 19 November 1956 in İstanbul) is a Kurdish businessman from Turkey. He was a co-founder of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey as well as the founder of Balsu, one of the world's leading hazelnut producers.

Early life and education Zapsu was born in Istanbul. He is a descendant of Bedir Khan Beg and Kurdish poet . After the Turkish coup d'état of 1960, his family had to leave Turkey because his father was a politician in the governing Democrat Party. They relocated to Munich, Germany, where he attended primary school. They returned to Istanbul in the second half of the 1960s, and he studied at Istanbul's German High School. After his graduation, he studied business administration at the Istanbul University He founded Balsu, which would go on to become a leading hazelnut exporter in 1978. He was the President of the Association of Exporters of Istanbul between 1987 and 2001 and was a founder of several hazelnut-related associations. Zapsu and his brother Aziz co-founded the Turkish discount store chain BiM. He sold his shares to Merrill Lynch in 2000.

Yasin Kadi controversy The Zapsu brothers business relations with Saudi entrepreneur Yasin Kadi brought them under the attention of Turkish authorities, as Kadi was on the financiers of terror list of the United Nations. Zapsu denied any irregularities in their business relations and Guy Martin, Kadi's lawyer, stated that no UN sanctions were breached with the transactions in question. of which he is also a member.

Return to business He resigned as advisor to Erdoğan in 2008 and founded the Cuneyd Zapsu Consultancy Inc. which serves as an advisor to various global and Turkish enterprises. He has also returned to the hazelnut processor and exporter Balsu. Since 1986, he is also a member of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSAID)

Personal life Zapsu resides in Istanbul. He is married to Beyza Zapsu he is related to Musa Anter.