Turkish-German couple behind vaccine named FT 'People of the Year’

The firm that invented the #Pfizer vaccine, Biontech, is a German medical startup founded by the children of Turkish immigrants: Özlem Türeci (CMO) and Uğur Şahin (CEO) [@COdendahl/Twitter]

A Turkish-German couple behind the company which partnered with Pfizer Inc. to develop the Covid-19 vaccine have been named “People of the Year” by Britain’s Financial Times.

“By developing a Covid vaccine in less than a year, the couple achieved a remarkable scientific and business success,” said the FT on Wednesday.

Ozlem Tureci and Ugur Sahin, who own BioNTech, announced positive results from the Phase 3 trials last month and expressed hope that their efforts would help bring an end to the global health crisis.

From humble roots as the son of a Turkish immigrant working at a Ford factory in Cologne, BioNTech Chief Executive Şahin, 55, now figures among the 100 richest Germans, together with his wife and fellow board member Tureci.

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