Could you tell us about yourself?
I graduated from Indiana University in year 1980 and I was on Dean's List. After that, I did my MBA on International Finance. 4 Years after I returned to Turkey, I became a board members at Kocaeli Chamber of Industry, and in 1995 I became the deputy president of the chamber. In January 2009, I became the president of the chamber. I am also a delegate at TOBB (Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges). In November 2009, I was elected as a member of the General Council of World Chambers Confederation and I will be representing the EU at the World Chambers Conference in Mexico City in June 2011.
How did your relationship start with TACCI?
My relationship with TACCI has started with the suggestion of the President of TOBB Mr. Rifat Hisarciklioglu. I used to come to the States as a representative of TOBB but I did not have to meet my peers from the Turkish American organizations, before becoming a board member in TACCI. I strongly believe that we should try on making the local chambers in Turkey a member of TACCI (Editor's note: A project is currently undergoing). This way, the members of the local chambers can benefit from the US trade fairs etc. more efficiently. We should become strong allies in trade, too, as well as we are politically.
Could you talk about your membership database in Kocaeli and their capacity to work with US?
We currently have about 2200 members and half of them are jointly owned by foreign partners. We are the largest chamber of industry in Turkey after Istanbul. We own three ports and we contribute to the national income by 13% as the city. Kocaeli is also the second most industrialized city in Turkey. Automotive is one of its leading industries.
What are the export incentives that you provide?
KOSGEB (Small and Middle Sized Businesses Support and Developing Agency of Turkey) reimburses 50% of the expenses of such companies. The leading industries that are being supported are petrochemicals, machinery, automotive and all of its related areas.
Which industries do you think are crucial in means of increasing the bilateral trade between the US and Turkey?
Automotive has an amazing power and importance. Construction is another area that the companies should focus on. Turkish know-how can be a key in the US Market. And also, textile has a big importance with the experience Turkey has. These are the main areas I can think of but of course, the opportunities are endless.
What about the Health Tourism in Turkey?
Turkish health tourism industry is growing rapidly and attracting many patients from the US and Europe. The same procedures are being completed for a fraction of the cost in those countries, with the best service possible. Kocaeli is the home to Anadolu Health Center which is a partner of John Hopkins Hospital in the US and it's one of the major health tourism spots in Turkey. We believe this industry will keep its growing trend in the future.
What are your expectations from the growth and the economy in Turkey?
In 2009, because of the recession Turkey stopped growing and the 8.9% growth in 2010 was not completely impressive because it was also fixing the gap from the previous year. Our unemployment rates are still not at the desired levels. If we want to really become the 10th largest economy in the world in 2023 (Editor's note: 2023 will be the 100th Anniversary of Republic of Turkey) we should have at least 6% growth every year without any losses. We need to find a way to cover our deficit and increased our exports. We should sustain a bigger growth rate. Today, China, India, some Latin American countries have a bigger growth rate. Also the highly valuable currency (Lira), and indirect taxes are not supporting the manufacturers and the exporters. Our energy sources mainly consist of natural gas which we are paying for more than the rest of the world. That is a problem. Our costs are more than our economic rivals. We should diversify our sources. The EU membership is crucial both for improving our democracy and for the other benefits of the membership and it should be the target in the long run. If we set our goals right, we can reach the 2023 targets easily. I also believe that the investments in the new-generation railways should be increased and the transportation infrastructure should be renewed in that sense especially towards the east of Turkey.
What would you like to say to the other members of TACCI?
Turkey is the 16th largest economy in the world and its trade with the US is about $20 billion. This is not enough. It should go up to $50 billion at least, that should be the desired level. TACCI and similar organizations have a tremendous role in these efforts. TACCI is TOBB's strong ally in the US and this should be a key point for especially the Turkish companies that are trying to enter this market. It is crucial that TACCI becomes a stronger organization so it can fully function and become a hub for the potential investors in both countries. I believe that the supports from TOBB is also crucial.
What do you think about Turkish automotive manifacturer Karsan's New York Taxi Cab bid?
We are already proud with the results, Karsan made it to the TOP 3 along with well-known brands like Ford and Nissan. The other brands may have different advantages but this is already a huge opportunity for Karsan and I believe they can go on with this in other parts of the world as well, no matter what the final result will be. (Editor's note: After the interview, it was revealed that Karsan could not win the bid but its car design is attracting a lot of attraction from the rest of the world.)
Thank you for your time and your support for TACCI!
Interview by Safak Dogan / safakd@turkishuschamber.org
