Turgut Ozal

Turgut Ozal (1927-1993) was the 8th President of Turkey and a transformative economic leader who liberalized the Turkish economy in the 1980s. Born in Malatya, Ozal served as Prime Minister from 1983 to 1989 before becoming President. His most significant contribution was the economic transformation of Turkey from a closed, state-controlled economy to an open, market-oriented one. His reforms attracted foreign investment, privatized state enterprises, and integrated Turkey into the global economy. Ozal died in office in 1993.