The Levantine of the shipping world: Lucien Arkas
Lucien Arkas: His grandfather was a Levantine who came to Anatolia from Marseille to trade in the 19th century. Lucien expanded his family business, which started with importing, to shipping. Would you like to get to know this businessman who reflects the Levantine culture of the Mediterranean?
The story of the Arkas family
A member of the family who lived in Marseille around 1750 comes to Turkey. He settled in Izmir to do business and started to deal with the export of products such as grapes and figs to France. On the other hand, Corfu Island, which had been under the rule of Venice and finally France for centuries, passed under British rule after Napoleon Bonaparte's Battle of Waterloo. The Arkas family, living on Corfu Island, felt uncomfortable with this change and left the island with all their family members in 1840 and settled in Izmir. Lucien Arkas' grandfather, Gabriel Jean-Baptiste Arcas, established an import company in 1902 with two French partners (Tissot / Champsaur). The French partners leave Turkey in the First World War and Gabriel J.B. Arcas continues its activities alone. When he died in 1935, his son Lucien Gabriel Arcas, who lived in Marseille, was called to Turkey. He continues his father's profession until 1944.
Business life
Lucien Arkas took over the company in 1964. The grandfather founded this company in 1902. Lucien was only 19 when he took the helm of this well-established company. In 1979, Arkas Shipping and Transport A.Ş. founded his company. In 1996, he bought his first ship and laid the foundation for his fleet. Lucien Arkas has one of the largest fleets in the world today. His fleet includes 26 Turkish-flagged container ships, as well as five oil tankers. There are 450 trucks for land transportation.
Lucien Arkas, who speaks French, English, Italian and Greek, has been the Chairman of Arkas Holding's Board of Directors since 2000. He also served as the Foreign Trade Consultant of the French Government.
Today, Arkas Holding has 37 offices in 13 Turkey and 19 countries outside Turkey (Greece, Italy, Monaco, Spain, France, Portugal, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan). With its 61 companies, it provides employment for 5 thousand 608 people in the country and 700 people abroad.
Lucien Arkas owns a painting collection of nearly 1000 works. He established the Arkas Art Center in Izmir to showcase this collection. There is also a model ship collection.
Lucien Arkas bought Idol Wines in 2010 and changed its name to 'LA Winery'. He continues winemaking as a hobby.
He got married 4 times, became the agenda of the tabloids with their marriage.