The origins of what is now Catoni can be traced back nearly 200 years to France and Corsica. A refugee named Belfante arrived in Iskenderun about 1820 where later his daughter met and married Augustine Joseph Catoni. Belfante was a refugee from Napoleonic France because of his Royalist sympathies who, with an army background, took service with Mohammed Ali, the Governor of Egypt under the Turkish Sultans. Forming Mohammed Ali’s artillery brigade, he led it until retiring at Aleppo and settling at Iskenderun.

The Catoni family were also refugees, being on the loosing side of one of the many wars between the Italian states. Seeking refuge in Corsica then Cyprus they settled and prospered as traders. Augustine Catoni was born there in 1823 and in due course arrived in Iskenderun to open an office from where he provided valuable services in the form of trading and supply to the Ottoman Empire. Meeting and marrying Belfante’s daughter he commenced business during 1840 as Belfante and Catoni. His father in law left Turkey for good, returning to France.

The Industrial Revolution had sparked off a century of expanding economy which echoed round the globe, the British export trade alone expanding over 2.000% in the century to 1914. In the Near East the Turkish Empire was in decline with the industrial powers of the world seeking to extend their influence and gain trade advantages.

Belfante and Catoni served and profited from the trading and shipping services established to carry this trade, especially when the standing of the firm was confirmed by the appointment of Augustine Catoni as British Consul, and the firm as Lloyd’s Agents at Iskenderun on June 3, 1885.

By this time Augustine had been joined in the business by his son Joseph Augustine Catoni who, in partnership with Prince Line, established the Asiatic Steamship Co. to operate a regular service from ports in Turkey and its provinces of Syria, Lebanon and Palestine to Prince Line ships in Egypt.

The revolver shots fired by a student in Sarajevo during the summer of 1914 were to change the world. Turkey declared for the German cause, the ships of the Asiatic Steamship Co. were lost and the Catoni family, with British interests and loyalties, moved to Egypt where Joseph joined the British Army. Unlike many other families Catoni was able to re-establish its business interests when peace returned to a battered world subsequently extending them with an office opened at Beirut in 1927.

As the third generation Augustine Joseph Catoni (‘’Gus’’) entered the business. Like his father he joined the British forces, this time the Royal Navy, on the outbreak of war in 1939. Turkey remained neutral although Beirut was for a time under Vichy French control. Following his return home after the war he assumed control of the family interests in 1947, instituting a re-organization that recognized the changes taking place in the world.

This included consolidation of the Catoni Group of Companies and formation of British Maritime Agencies ‘’Levant’’ Ltd. Beirut to represent the Prince, Ellerman and Moss Hutchison Lines. Lloyd’s Agency appointments were also received at Mersin ( December 15, 1947 ), Beirut ( January 2, 1963 ) and in the name of Syrian Maritime And Transport Agencies SAS, at Lattakia ( November 4, 1953 ).

Having no issue, the Catoni name ceased active participation in the firm with the death of ‘’Gus’’ Catoni in Beirut in 1969. But having married Norah Beard in 1946 he had previously arranged for his brother-in-law, Hugh Beard, to become Chairman. The Beard family were no strangers to the Near East as Hugh was born at Damascus in 1923. His father, Stanley Beard, had arrived in Iskenderun during 1906 to establish a liquorice root factory for McAndrews and Forbes London, counting Lawrence of Arabia and Gulbenkian amongst his friends he had an epic career in trading, opening overland supply routes to Iraq, Syria and Iran and supporting the British contingency.

Following his appointment as Chairman, Hugh Beard continued to consolidate the interests of the firm which had been renamed Joseph Catoni and Co., in 1938 and, in Turkey, Catoni Maritime Agencies in 1962. These interest extended to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, although events in Lebanon between 1980-90 did not allow the growth achieved elsewhere. Sadly Norah Catoni, the first Chair-woman died in 1984 and also did Hugh Beard early in 1985.

To this day the activities of the Catoni Group are controlled by Hugh’s son Jonathan, the third generation of the Beard family and the sixth since the establishment of Catoni in 1846.

Over looking the Bosphorus from the regional head office one may identify the third generation of the Beard family and eldest son of Hugh Beard. Jonathan like his grandfather Stanley and father is a product of a Levantine family having been born and brought up in Turkey and receiving his education in England and Europe as the generations before.

The historic ties with the Arab world were severed when Jonathan newly appointed as Managing Director in 1991, chose to re-identify the Group's Geo-Strategy. The expansion into the Black Sea economies through the maritime related companies within the Catoni Group and the spread to points East as far as the Caspian Sea, placed Catoni unmistakably at the heart of post-perestroika. Where Catoni three core activities; Trade, Transport and Insurance are recognized as an integrated leading services.

Image 2000, a vision Jonathan has relentlessly adopted within the Catoni Group Companies, since assuming the Chairmanship from Elizabeth Beard, his mother in June 1995 has taken the family business into the sophisticated Information Superhighway and create efficient cells from which the present activities develop faster with more focus and power.

Strong traditionalists by which Jonathan would refer to passed group chairmen developed the marine activities to a point where they monopolized the lucrative shipping trades between Turkey, USA England and Japan. Today the group competes with other prominent shipping companies. However, creativity and innovation have resulted in the group establishing a number of Joint Venture’s and Strategic Alliance Partnerships, so broadening the platform and adding dimension and diversity to the three core activities.

The Tulip Era, 1718-1730 of Ahmet III so much enjoyed by the scholars, poets, writers and architects of Ottoman Turkey, can be identified in this Catoni's 160th year. Important works of art, rare books ancient glass and pottery form the collections, which are kept by the Beard Family. Asked why such collections are a priority, Jonathan points out the appreciation for the important civilization and culture so much part of the Catoni history can equally be reflected by the protection and exhibition of fine-arts. Similarly within the Group CSR, one observes an active and determined program directed towards education, sport and health services.

The Group controlled by the Beard family shall continue to dedicate its services to the sectors in Turkey and equally in the countries of the Black Sea, East to the Caspian as far as the Caspian. The continuity provided by contemporary designed balance of dedicated professionals and the active presence of this Family at executive level not only exemplifies the group institutionalization and adopted best practices essential to success and continuity. It also provides our dynamic business commitment and growth in the region with the commitment of 360 management and staff.