Our Founder

"To be happy, love the places where you live, work and shelter."

Pharmacist Mustafa Öncel is one of the second generation pharmacists of Turkey and one of the founders of the Turkish Pharmaceutical Industry.

Honorary President of Selçuklu Holding, the late Pharm. Mustafa Öncel was born in 1929 in Doğanbey district of Konya. He completed his primary education at Hâkimiyeti Milliye primary school and high school education at Konya Boys' High School. In 1953, he graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, School of Pharmacy. He started his professional life as a pharmacist at Çankırı State Hospital in 1953.

Pharmacist Mustafa Öncel, who switched to self-employment in 1956 with his perseverance determination and faith, opened his first pharmacy in Yalvaç district of Isparta.

In the following years, he returned to Konya with the love of investing in the land where he was born. He first opened Işık Pharmacy and then continued his pharmacy life by establishing Büyük Pharmacy.

He had a forward-thinking, entrepreneur and investor personality. By the 60s, Ecz. Mustafa Öncel was now an investor. Majistral drug production opened a new page in his career.

Since 1973, it has made its name in the pharmaceutical industry. His investments resulted in successful sales to international partnerships. Mustafa Öncel raised the bar even higher. He remained loyal to the idea of being beneficial to people by working hard and producing a lot throughout his life.

As a hardworking, productive and brave businessman, he joined the pioneers of the business world. Diligence, labour, effort and foresight became the foundations of the Holding. He founded Selçuklu Holding in 1997.

With its 8 subsidiaries including İLKO İlaç, İlkogen, Mehtap Mutfak Eşyaları, Almesan Aluminium, Sentez Grup, Selin Yapı, Costa Spor ve Sağlık and Penta, the Holding has become one of the distinguished institutions of the business world. According to Mustafa Öncel, the biggest investment was people. He adopted the motto of giving to the society what he received from the business world. He has always been involved in social responsibility projects.

He played a major role in protecting the works of national culture and transferring them to future generations.

He gave free scholarships to thousands of talented students who did not have the means. Scholarships are still continuing under the roof of Mustafa Öncel Education Culture Research and Assistance Foundation.

The late Mustafa Öncel was also a social entrepreneur. He assumed duties as founder, member and manager in different foundations and associations.

Messages to Colleagues and Business World from the pen of the late Mustafa Öncel;

Since 1953, I have worked with all my strength to serve my country and create employment. Since I believe that success should be measured not only by the personal results obtained but also by the benefits it provides to the society, I have always considered it a duty to transform the earnings obtained into investments for the benefit of our country and our people. I am extremely happy to see that many of my desires and goals in this direction have been realised one by one."

It gave me great happiness to walk among the machines in the factories I established, to listen to the sounds they made, to watch my teammates coming to work in the morning and evening, and to see my family growing day by day. I have seen my employees getting married, having children, bringing their grandchildren to the factory for a tour, and I realised that one of the most meaningful things a person can do is to create job opportunities."

As children, we had heard the phrase 'Dad went to earn bread money' so many times that bread had become a value for us. When we saw bread on the road, we would never step on it, we would bend down, pick it up and put it somewhere. Moreover, there was no one around us who told us to do it this way or punished us when we stepped on bread. Then I realised that when you make something a value, you don't need to check it. So don't just write your company values on your website; make them a real value, just like bread."

I have always thought big all my life. When I had a pharmacy, I aimed to produce pharmaceuticals and I realised it. I am now over 80 years old, and I believe that our newly launched company will quickly take its rightful place and become a global pharmaceutical manufacturer."

Remember me when they tell you 'You can't do it', think big, dream big. Keep in mind that nothing in the world can be achieved easily without hard work. I would like to emphasise that there is nothing that cannot be done when perseverance and diligence are combined, and the importance of working with competent and honest people in success."

In the 20th century, things used to be slower, but now we are in the 21st century, everything is very fast, the slower loses. Do not slow things down with wrong institutionalisation policies. Adapt to changing conditions and make the right decisions and take action instantly."

In solving any problem, if the problem is at home, ask the opinions of your family, if the problem is at work, ask the opinions of your colleagues you work with. Remember, none of us is as smart as all of us."