Toward the Future with the Power of Manufacturing

After holding various positions at the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) for many years, I assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2013, thanks to the support of our Assembly members. This role has been both a great honor and a precious trust for me, as something I am now preparing to hand over of my own volition, at a time I believe is right. You can read my public statement on this matter and the details of the press conference I held on the following pages.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry is not merely a long-standing professional organization for all of us; it is a cherished home and a powerful brand that represents the collective wisdom, accumulated experience, and commitment to manufacturing of our industrialists. Over the years, our first priority here has been to further advance the ICI’s strength, to strengthen its institutional structure—one that generates solutions to our industry’s challenges, powerfully amplifies the voice of our industrialists, and shapes our country’s future in manufacturing.

Throughout our term, our compass has always been the same: to speak the truth—saying “right” to what is right and “wrong” to what is wrong—for a strong industry; and to ensure that every criticism we convey to decision-makers is always accompanied by a proposed solution. Because we believe that when output thrives, Türkiye thrives; and that the strengthening of our industrialists means the strengthening of our country.

Guided by this philosophy, over the past years we have carried out lasting initiatives in numerous areas, including strategic and digital transformation, artificial intelligence, green transition, vocational education, entrepreneurship, university-industry collaboration. We have enhanced our members’ access to services, invested in the transformation of our industry, in a qualified workforce, and in the manufacturing infrastructure of the future. I view all of these efforts—the details of which you can read in the following pages of our magazine—as a work of the collective wisdom of our Board of Directors and our Assembly, the accumulated expertise of our Professional Committees, the experience of our industrialists, and the institutional strength of our Chamber.

Roles are temporary; institutions, values, and principles are permanent. I believe that the ultimate responsibility of fulfilling a role with dignity lies in being able to hand it over to new leadership, when the time comes, with a strong institutional structure and a solid foundation. Looking back today, I take comfort in leaving behind an ICI that draws strength from its past and moves confidently toward the future.

On this occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood by us throughout my term. I extend my gratitude, first and foremost to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for the support he has shown whenever we needed it to resolve the issues facing our industrialists. I thank all our ministers and deputy ministers—both those currently in office and those who served in previous terms—for their contributions through their solution-oriented approaches to the challenges of our industry.

I would like to thank all our chambers and stock exchanges—especially our TOBB President, Mr. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu—as well as public institutions, the financial sector, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and universities, civil society organizations, and the media for their valuable collaborations throughout my tenure as Chair of the TOBB Council of Industrial Chambers.

I extend my most heartfelt thanks to our Board members; the Presiding Board and members of our Assembly; our Professional Committees; the members of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry Foundation; our Advisors; all my colleagues at the Chamber; and our industrialists who continue to manufacture for Türkiye under all circumstances. I am grateful to you as we have walked this long journey together.

I am handing over my duties with peace of mind; however, I am not relinquishing my belief in Türkiye’s cause of manufacturing. Because, just as I did yesterday, I believe today that Türkiye’s future lies in manufacturing. There is no obstacle that a Türkiye that stands by its industry cannot overcome.

Erdal Bahçıvan
Istanbul Chamber of Industry
Chairman of the Board of Directors