Robert Yüksel YILDIRIM is the President of Samsunspor FC, a role he assumed in 2018 when the Club was facing severe financial turmoil and was on the brink of bankruptcy. Born and raised in Samsun, and a lifelong supporter of the team, he stepped in with a deep personal commitment to restore pride and stability to his hometown club. Under his leadership, Samsunspor not only returned to the Süper Lig but, in its second season back, achieved a remarkable 3rd place finish — securing, for the first time in the Club’s history, qualification for European competitions through the regular league season.

Building on this success, in 2023 YILDIRIM acquired USL Dunkerque and established Amissos Sports & Entertainment, laying the foundation for a multi-club ownership model. His football philosophy centers on professionalism, financial sustainability, and long-term planning, applying the same industrial discipline and strategic mindset that has defined his business achievements.

Beyond football, Robert Yüksel YILDIRIM is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of CoreX Holding, and a globally recognized industrial entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience in engineering, mining, logistics, and infrastructure. After earning his degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and Oregon State University, he began his career in the United States, securing a patent in crane design before returning to Türkiye to lead YILDIRIM Group into one of the country’s largest industrial conglomerates. Under his leadership, YILMADEN became the world’s 3rd largest chromium producer and YILPORT ranked among the top 10 global container terminal operators. He has been consistently listed among the top 100 most influential people in global shipping by Lloyd’s List.