A Turkish businessman of Armenian origin has been elected as the new head of Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TACCI), which is based in New York, according to Hürriyet Daily News.

Aret Taşçıyan, a veteran businessman who currently holds a position as the U.S. representative of OMNI Limited, one of the major companies in sea transportation and marine insurance, was elected by a 12-7 vote during TACCI’s latest general assembly.

Living in the U.S. for many years already, Taşçıyan has long been a member of TACCI. The bilateral chamber was founded 10 years ago on the recommendation of the chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) to foster trade between the two countries.

Among the clients of Taşçıyan’s marine insurance firm is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Burak Erdoğan, whose company is known to own six vessels.