Photo: Yavuz Hekim during an interview at the offices of The Tripoli Post in Tripoli, Libya

“I have been to many cities but Tripoli is unique. It is safe and I can let my wife and children roam anywhere without any fear of their well being. Although there are a lot of developments taking place in Libya, but I want Libya to move on with its modernization as well as maintaining its culture of security." This is what Yavuz Hekim, a Turkish Businessman-actor, told The Tripoli Post in an exclusive when he was asked bout his impression of Tripoli which he visits for the first time.

Mr. Hekim is a businessman who is being lured by Libya's ample business opportunity in this country where hundreds of billions have been marked for construction and other developmental projects. He is also an actor who loves to talk about his hobby and how acting has made him popular and helped his business in many ways.

Many find it really difficult to handle two careers at one time, but for Yavuz Hekim it is a completely different story. His is a story of inspiration for anyone with a similar dream but doesn't know where or how to pursue it.

The Turkish businessman-actor was on a twelve day visit to Libya and during his visit he had finally come to admire Libya's great potential both in the film industry and business venture.

"Libya is a country where women enjoy every bit of their right."

Mr. Hekim's line of business includes prefabricated building materials, small boat building and other industries. He recently made a visit to Tripoli to check out investment and business opportunities. His other interesting hobby or on-the-side job is acting.
Although one cannot say he is a movie star in the full sense of the word, Hekim played the role of Mustafa Kamal Ataturk and this seems to have put him in the public eye as very Mustafa Kamal look alike.

"Libya is a country with great potential in every field, and anyone investing in Libya is likely to use the opportunity to expand to the rest of the African continent because Libya is the link between Africa and the rest of the world," added Hekim.

Hekim also expressed his disappointed with the western media and their campaign to tarnish Libya's already built good image, "I have read a lot of negative reports about Libya but what I have seen for myself while in Libya is completely different, and because of this, I will be an advocate for Libya to the outside world," he continued.

Hekim says he likes both sides of his life and he wants to be a successful businessman and, if possible, and successful actor, but he remains more into business than acting.

"It is impossible to live without one of the two careers, because they are inseparable. When I go to some places as an actor, they open doors for me, and when I go to other places as an actor and they realize that I am also a businessman, they open all doors for me.

Actually the presence of the two careers compliments each other" he told The Tripoli Post during an exclusive interview that was conducted at The Tripoli Post office.

For Hekim, his desire to be a successful businessman was entrenched deep into his heart since the time of his teenage life. However, unlike many business entrepreneurs who start with big capital, Hekim's start was a very humble one and it was that of selling water in bazaars. Later, slowly but steadily he managed to learn the rules of the game and saw his business dream expanding to an empire of reality.

In less than a decade, Hekim's business brand name had come to be one of the prestigious one with a chain of factories in Turkey. Some of his company names include EGEKONS Co, HEKIM Port Operation Machine Shipyard Industry Inc. and among others. Part of Hekim's dream is to introduce his companies to New York Stock Market as part of his long term plans.

Born in Istanbul/ Kartal as the eleventh child on 3rd of November 1977, his acting career has also come to be one of the shining stars in his country and abroad. "I enjoyed fame at a very tender age," admitted the charming and talkative actor.

As early as twenty years he was already in the map of the film industry in Turkey. "I didn't know that one day I would be a great actor as I am today, although my family and my other friends used to tell me once that I looked like Mustafa Kemal Ataturk but I didn't know that it would be a reality," he adds.

His discovery in the film industry may be considered to have been just one of those lucky coincidences that happen once in a while. It was the publication of the news item about him in the economy page in one of the Turkish newspapers that opened wide the doors of his acting career.

The article was about his subcontracting work and it was during that time that the producers saw in his published image his great potential in acting.

However, Hekim quickly admits that, being an actor has never been an easy task, because one has always to watch the moves he takes since his deeds send out a strong message to the society being a role model.

Hekim also admits that, he is always very careful while choosing and playing his acting roles. "I don't just play any role while acting. Because if I play a positive role in one film and in the next film I play a different role, it will be reflected into the minds of my fans and this is not good. It is like setting up a moral standard for yourself and at the end of the day you end up trashing it down yourself," he explained.

Some of his Turkish films include Latife Hanim, Mustafa Kamal'den Atatur'e, Emret Komutanim, Turk Milleti Hazirdi and others.

Believing that being a good businessman goes alongside with having good education, Hekim has just finished pursuing a certificate program of micro-macro economy in business management in Dokuz Eylul University.

His determination to excel in both of his two careers has earned him unprecedented acknowledgment within and outside the Turkish society. One of them is that of being the top advisor of veteran politician Mrs. Isilay Saygin who has accomplished administrative function of Ministry of State.

He is also enhancing some projects about social responsibilities and shares them with the establishments and development agents. He is also invited to attend seminars on "Entrepreneurship" from the universities in Izmir and Istanbul so that he can share part of his business success story with others.

Beside his busy and active business life he also socializes with the members of industrial foundations such as EGIAD, Aegean Open Sea Yatch Club, EBSO, Association of Black Sea Business Man, Association of Izmir Small Club, IZSIAD Association if Izmir Industrialist Business Man, Association of Turkey-Portugal Business Man and many others.