Osman Kibar Explained

Osman Kibar is a Turkish American billionaire. He is the founder of the biotechnology firm Biosplice.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Early life and education

Kibar was born in İzmir, Turkey, as the grandson of, who was the mayor of İzmir from 1964 to 1973.^[4] His father, Seli Kibar, was an economist.^[5]

He attended İzmir Gazipaşa Primary School^[6] and then Robert College. For college, he moved to the United States to attend a 3-2 program, studying economics at Pomona College^[7] and electrical engineering at Caltech, and receiving a bachelor's degree from both. He did his master's degree and doctorate on biophotonics at UC San Diego.

Career

In the late 1990s, when he was finishing his doctorate, he invented a cancer diagnosis system, which he turned into a company called Genoptix. The company went public a few years later, and was purchased by Novartis in 2011 for $476 million.^[8]

After completing his education, Kibar moved to New York City, where he worked for the hedge fund sponsor Pequot Capital.^[9]

He subsequently moved back to San Diego and in August 2011 founded a biotechnology company named Wintherix with an investment of $3.5 million from his friend Cevdet Samikoğlu.^[6] He later renamed the company Samumed, and subsequently Biosplice.^[4] Its investors include Ali Sabancı and Ergun Özen. The company researches cures for articular cartilage damage, hair loss, degenerative disc disease, lung tissue regeneration, cancer, psoriasis, damaged tendons, and Alzheimer's disease.^[4]

, Kibar has a net worth of $2.9 billion.^[10] He ranked eighth on Forbes Turkeys 2017 list of the 100 richest Turks.^[11]

Personal life

Kibar is married and has four children.

Despite his wealth, he spends money extremely frugally, saying that all the activities he enjoys, such as reading, playing go, and moviegoing, are free.^[6] Kibar is also a successful poker player, and won the first tournament he ever entered in 2006.^[12]

Notes and References

1. News: Herper . Matthew . Cure Baldness? Heal Arthritis? Erase Wrinkles? An Unknown Billionaire's Quest To Reverse Aging . July 29, 2020 . . May 10, 2016 . en.
2. News: Osman Kibar kimdir? . August 30, 2020 . . April 15, 2016 . tr.
3. News: Amirah . Al Idrus . In conversation with Samumed CEO Osman Kibar: Drugging Wnt, restoring youth and unconventional capital . August 30, 2020 . . August 15, 2019 . en.
4. Web site: December 10, 2018. 50 milyar $'a koşan türk. https://web.archive.org/web/20190925094457/https://www.capital.com.tr/is-dunyasi/soylesiler/50-milyar-a-kosan-turk. September 25, 2019. November 2, 2020. capital.com.tr. tr.
5. Web site: May 29, 2014. İşadamı Seli Kibar yaşama veda etti. https://web.archive.org/web/20190925102245/https://www.yeniasir.com.tr/gundem/2014/05/29/isadami-seli-kibar-yasama-veda-etti. September 25, 2019. November 2, 2020. yeniasir.com.tr. tr.
6. Web site: July 20, 2019. İzmir'den yola çıktı Amerika'da başardı. https://web.archive.org/web/20190720050208/https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2019/gundem/izmirden-yola-cikti-amerikada-basardi-5239577/. July 20, 2019. November 2, 2020. Sözcü (gazete). tr.
7. News: Norwood . Robyn . How to Build a Fountain of Youth (Piece by Piece) . August 30, 2020 . Pomona College Magazine . . October 25, 2016.
8. Web site: January 24, 2011 . Genoptix Announces Agreement to be Acquired by Novartis . December 18, 2023 . . en.
9. Web site: Meiling . Brittany . April 25, 2016 . Out of the Shadows . December 18, 2023 . San Diego Business Journal . en-US.
10. Web site: Osman Kibar . Forbes . December 4, 2020 . en.
11. Web site: March 3, 2017. İşte Türkiye'nin en zengin 50 ismi. https://web.archive.org/web/20171112074523/https://www.cnnturk.com/ekonomi/turkiyenin-en-zengin-isimleri-aciklandi?page=1. November 12, 2017. November 12, 2017. CNN Türk. tr.
12. News: Dunehew . Nick . Osman Kibar Biography . December 8, 2020 . Brooksy . July 18, 2020.