23 May 2016 Last updated at 17:21 BST
He has since become the Turkish leader's right-hand man.
Here we trace his rise to power.
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The former owner of BHS, said it was "wholly untrue" that he had tried to pressurise the regulator.
He also attacked statements made by MP Frank Field, calling them "untrue, totally inaccurate and unhelpful".
Sir Philip said: "I would like to apologise sincerely to all the BHS people involved in this sorry affair."
He was responding to press articles suggesting he had been putting pressure on the Pensions Regulator by saying he would help plug the BHS pensions gap if it dropped an investigation into the retail chain's collapse.
He also reacted angrily to statements in the House of Commons on Wednesday by Mr Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, that Sir Philip was unwilling to reach a pension fund settlement.
"I stated at the [Work and Pensions Select Committee] hearing that it was my intention to try to find a solution, which is a voluntary one, and that is still my aim," he said.
"Contrary to all the coverage I have been working on this issue on a daily basis."
He said that he and his executives, had been co-operating with the Pensions Regulator for some 17 to 18 months.
"Since before the company was sold in March 2015, it was always our intention to find a plan for the BHS pensioners that was better than the Pension Protection Fund and that remains the case today," he said.
The retail tycoon sold BHS for a £1 just over a year before it went bust in April with a pension deficit of £571m.

Nicolas Sagar was working as a pianist on the island and had gone swimming. It is believed he got in to difficulties and drowned.
The 33-year-old was found at Maho Beach by tourists who could not resuscitate him and called emergency services.
Medics pronounced him dead at the scene on Sunday morning and his body was identified later that day.
Mr Sagar's parents are working with the Home Office to repatriate their son's body and arrangements are still being made for his funeral.
Police on the island said there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances and that the incident was a tragic accident.
Mr Sagar, who was also involved in acting and musical directing, previously worked in musical theatre in London and on cruise ships.
He was expected to continue his travelling by visiting Barbados on Monday.
'Regular swims'
Kelly Sagar, the deceased's father, said: "He was a wonderful son. The piano was his great love; from the age of eight, the only thing he wanted to do was play piano and sing.
"He was never happier than when he was sitting at the piano with a pint resting on top.
"He was travelling the world doing what he loved.
"Nick worked in the evenings and liked to spend his days on the beach. He'd go swimming there quite often and it appears that on this occasion he got in to difficulty.
"He will be missed terribly."
Mr and Mrs Sagar said they had been comforted by messages posted on their son's social networking site.
New Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's political career began while he managed Istanbul's ferry bus network at a time when current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was mayor.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
Sir Philip Green has hit back at suggestions that he is attempting to "blackmail" the Pensions Regulator over plugging the £571m BHS pension deficit.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
A musician from Alloa has died after drowning off the coast of the Caribbean island of St Maartens.