A woman who inherited a fortune from her multi-billionaire father has astonished radio listeners by saying people could be happy with just a few million.
Dilek Sabanci, 58, is the daughter of the late Sakip Sabanci, a Turkish tycoon once listed as the 147th richest man in the world by Forbes, before his death from kidney failure in 2004.
The family’s fortune is understood to be worth up to USD 30 billion and now his daughter Dilek has revealed that she could imagine “some people” could be happy with as little as two million dollars.
She made her comments as a guest on ‘Tell Me with Meliha Okur’, a programme broadcast on Radio Sputnik in Turkey.
Dilek – the CEO of Vista Tourism and Travel – is believed to have inherited much of her father’s wealth.
During the interview, she was asked how much money a person needs.
She replied: “Millions of dollars may be enough, not billions of dollars.”
Dilek added: “One has a good house, a car, money to live comfortably, but this money is not billions of dollars to me.
“Millions of dollars can be enough, or for some people, USD 1-2 million can be enough.
“Apart from that, one can travel whenever one wants. If you have USD 50 million or USD 100 million dollars, you can live comfortably.
“But I think it is a greater success to be happier with lower numbers, not USD 50-100 million.
“Have a good job, a house, a car, money to go to the hospital when you get sick, a boat if you have a passion for the sea, what else would anyone want?
“If I had the wisdom I have today, she said, I would care more about my environment, that’s a big word.”
She told how late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs earned a huge fortune from his tech company.
Dilek added: “But he could not share it with his friends and loved ones, and that money could not beat cancer.”
Unlike Dilek, her father, who was well-known for his humility, often highlighted that money is not that important and that his money could not help his son, who has cerebral palsy.
On one occasion, he reportedly said: “I have a son named Metin Sabanci. He is 27 years old. However, I have never been able to buy him shoes until now. Because he could never walk.
“He never owned a passport, never travelled. He never asked me to buy him a car. I opened a car factory. It’s Toyota Turkey. I couldn’t buy a car for my son. What would I do with a factory if my son can’t drive a car?
“The greatest wealth is health.
“You’ll understand me one day, even if it’s late.”
Sakip Sabanci was listed as the 147th richest person in the world by Forbes in 2004. His daughter Dilek was listed as being worth USD 1 billion by Forbes in 2013.
