21.11.2022 ANKARA
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the TÜGİAD Economy Platform & Türkiye's Future Vision meeting organized by the Young Business People Association of Türkiye (TÜGİAD) and Hürriyet Newspaper and met with TÜGİAD President Nilüfer Çevikel and TÜGİAD members.
In his speech at the
meeting, Hisarcıklıoğlu talked about some of the works of TOBB and said, “As
the TOBB community, of which you are a part and a member, especially in the
last 2 years, first during the pandemic and then during the turbulent period in
the economy, as TOBB and Chambers / Commodity Exchanges, we have not left you
alone. We have closely followed the troubles and demands you have submitted. We
became your voice, we acted as your interpreter and we looked for solutions. We
conveyed all the issues that came to us to the relevant places. We conveyed the
proposals to our Ministers first-hand. We have had positive results in most of
them.”
Stating that there's
more work to be done Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the troubles are not over, and
that they follow these and that they conveyed the troubles to the relevant
Ministers.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that the implementation of inflation accounting has now become a great need and
that they demand that the application be started before further postponement.
Emphasizing that the need for working capital of companies has increased due to
high inflation, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they have conveyed to the government
the need for new loans and KGF surety loan packages to support them, and that
they are following all the problems of the sectors, especially the financing
problem.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that they have achieved another first to facilitate the entry of Turkish
companies into the US market and to increase exports, and asked them to use the
Trade Center to take more part in the US market and to evaluate the great
opportunities there.
- “We are making more
than just cars”
Stating that they have
reached the first target in Türkiye's Automobile Togg, which will contribute to
Türkiye's green transformation process and mobility ecosystem, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “The production facilities in Bursa Gemlik started to operate last month
and the first vehicle came off the line. We are proud of realizing the
century-old dream of our country. For the first time in our history, we are
producing a car whose intellectual property rights belong to our country. For
the first time, we are bringing together 5 large organizations with a common
goal. And at the right time, we enter a head-to-head race with our global
competitors. We produce more than just a car. With Togg smart devices, we say
that we are also in the mobility world of tomorrow. We will be a preferred
global brand with our technology, mobility solutions and competitive price. We
will turn our automotive supply industry into a global player in the next
generation mobility ecosystem. Domestic sales will start next year. Next year,
we will take steps to sell abroad.”
- Education Investments
Stating that they have
made significant investments in the field of education as TOBB, the TOBB
President said that they have built 81 schools in 81 provinces, and then they
have decided to build new schools in 160 districts where Chambers and Commodity
Exchanges operate by launching a new and larger initiative.
Hisarcıklıoğlu also
stated that they have realized a silent revolution in Vocational Education
together with the Ministry of National Education and said, “We have increased
the contribution and participation of the private sector. Our Chambers and
Commodity Exchanges undertook the patronage of 117 vocational high schools in
81 provinces. We have made new investments in schools and ensured that the
curriculum is shaped according to the demand from the market. In this way, the
professions demanded in the market began to be taught in schools. And it became
easier for students who graduated from here to find jobs. As a result of the
demand, the occupancy rate in these vocational high schools has reached 96 percent.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that as TOBB, it prepares companies and sectors for the effects of the European
Green Deal and green transformation and develops their institutional
capacities, and determines the road map of the sectors together by bringing
together the sectors that will be most affected and the public.
Stating that they are
thus leading the green transformation of the Turkish business world,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “As TOBB, we have recently commissioned the climate
portal. This portal contains all activities related to the green
transformation, the supports offered by the public and the documents that will
guide the green transformation. Visit our site. Write down your suggestions.”
- Young recommendations
for business people
Hisarcıklıoğlu, emphasizing
that Türkiye's position as a global supply point may become stronger, and that
developed economies such as the USA and Europe are looking for alternative
supply centers, said, “They want to reduce dependence on the single market and
go to resource diversity. For example, look at Europe importing 2 trillion
euros right next to us. We get only 70 billion euros, or 3.5 percent, of this.
There's an opportunity here right now. We must make good use of this
opportunity. 52 percent of the total imports in the world are made by the G7
countries. The G7 countries are changing their product standards. It will be
very important to measure the carbon and water footprint and to do waste
management. Big companies have begun to transform their supply chains. We need
to be preparing for these changing markets.”
Underlining that the
agriculture and livestock sectors will never lose their importance,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We have to consume to live, and the agriculture and
livestock sector will meet this. Look, the world's population has become 8
billion, and the middle class in the world is growing more and more every day.
The older it gets, the more it consumes.”
The TOBB President, who
made suggestions to the participants, said: “The most valuable land in the
world is the screen of the smartphone. The important thing is to be able to
take up space on this valuable land. So how can we get involved in the world's
most valuable land on a mobile phone screen? Your company or product will
either have a mobile application or you will be in a developed mobile
application. Mobile applications provide great convenience to consumers.
Whether your company or product can be reached through mobile applications is
very, very important in consumer preferences. E-commerce will become a habit
for the consumer who starts shopping online. Therefore, our businesses have to
move their products and services to the digital environment. That's the first
one. Don't forget that. Second, partner and learn the culture of cooperation.
Third, do not swim into the current. If we let go of our laziness of thinking
in every field, everything will be completely different. What does Mevlana say,
'Yesterday was yesterday, my dear, we need to say new things today'. It is
necessary to read the world correctly and to follow the spirit of the times.
There is no accident of opportunity. Fourth, negative outlooks should not lead
us to pessimism or imprudence. Pessimism does not suit the business person. The
pessimistic can neither produce nor trade. As the Turkish business world, we
have the experience and dynamism to overcome the troubles. As long as we trust
ourselves, as long as we don't marginalize each other. The public-private
sector will join hands to overcome these difficult days.”