Murat Ülker Net Worth

Murat Ülker has an estimated net worth of $5.1 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Murat Ülker profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $3.7 billion in 2019.

Murat Ülker is a Turkish businessperson known for leading Yıldız Holding, a food and beverage group. He joined the Ülker Group in 1984 as a control coordinator and later held management roles including assistant general manager, general manager, CEO, and chairman. His career became widely known through Yıldız’s expansion into a larger international business, especially through major deals in chocolate, biscuits, and candy and the creation of pladis in 2016.

His wealth comes from food. Forbes says he owns 63% of Yıldız Holding, which makes many food products and non-alcoholic beverages. Yıldız bought Belgian chocolatier Godiva for $850 million in 2007 and United Biscuits in the U.K. for $3.2 billion in 2014. Ülker later brought United Biscuits, Ülker Biscuit, and DeMet’s Candy together under London-based pladis. In 2020, he handed the Yıldız chairmanship to his nephew Ali Ülker after 20 years in the role.

How Murat Ülker built his fortune

Ülker’s money is tied to packaged food and drinks. Forbes says he owns 63% of Yıldız Holding, a company with a broad lineup of food products and non-alcoholic beverages. He rose through the business after joining the Ülker Group in 1984, then became CEO in 2000 and chairman in 2008. During that run, Yıldız pushed beyond Turkey and built a bigger international footprint through acquisitions and brand combinations.

Two deals stand out in that expansion. Yıldız bought Godiva for $850 million in 2007 and United Biscuits for $3.2 billion in 2014. Ülker then helped create a more global structure by combining United Biscuits, Ülker Biscuit, and DeMet’s Candy inside London-based pladis in 2016. In early 2019, Godiva sold parts of its Asia-Pacific business and a production facility in Belgium to MBK Partners, and Yıldız used some proceeds to grow Godiva cafes.

Forbes net worth and other money moves

Forbes has tracked big swings in Ülker’s fortune over time. It estimated his wealth at $3.7 billion in 2019, $4.3 billion in 2020, and $6.3 billion in 2021. That figure later moved to $4.7 billion in 2022, then $5 billion in 2023 and $5.1 billion in 2024. Those estimates came as Yıldız continued operating across food categories and after the group reshaped parts of its global brand structure.

The most recent Forbes numbers show his wealth near the same range. Forbes put him at $5.5 billion in 2025 and $5.3 billion in 2026. On Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker, he stood at $5.1 billion as of October 20, 2026. Another notable money-related event came in 2014, when he donated $24 million to Harvard University for a research facility named after his father, Sabri Ülker.