Halil Ali Bezmen was born in 1872 into a merchant Kapandji family in Thessaloniki. He attended Şemsi Efendi Elementary School, renowned for its modern educational approach, where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had studied a few years earlier.

The Bezmen family's fabric trade, established between Manchester and Thessaloniki in the late 18th century, flourished under Halil Ali's entrepreneurial vision. As a pioneering international merchant, he expanded operations to Milan, Thessaloniki, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, and Mersin before the Republic's establishment. His efforts laid the groundwork for Turkey's industrialization.

In 1928, Halil Ali founded a primitive textile dyehouse in Yedikule, Istanbul, marking the beginning of industrialization in Turkey’s private sector. A visit by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to his facility that same year provided the decisive push. Atatürk reportedly told him, "Turkey must start industrializing now. You must make investments." Motivated by these words, Halil Ali launched Mensucat Santral, the country's first private textile industry enterprise.

Devoted to his family, Halil Ali Bezmen was the father of three children—Refik, Fuat, and Sermin—and the brother and the brother-in-law of Nazım Ali Bezmen, a notable figure and partner in Mensucat Santral. His contributions extended beyond industry to education, becoming the largest shareholder and founding partner of Şişli Terakki High School Turkish Limited Company in 1934, which carried forward the legacy of Şemsi Mehmet Efendi School in Istanbul.

Halil Ali was admired for his honesty, courage, reliability, and mediation skills, coupled with an authoritative yet modest demeanor. These traits earned him widespread respect in business and society.

In 1942, Halil Ali and his sons Refik and Fuat faced immense financial strain while paying the Wealth Tax, a contentious moment in Turkish history, becoming the second-largest taxpayers in the country.

Halil Ali Bezmen passed away in Istanbul in 1954 and was laid to rest in Zincirlikuyu Cemetery. His legacy endures as a trailblazer in Turkey’s industrial and educational development.

Author: Necdet Bezmen