Yalçındağ to step down as the chairwoman of TÜSİAD

Turkish Industrialists' And Businessmen's Association, or TÜSİAD, will start new the new year without Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ.

Yalçındağ, who has been serving as the chairwoman of Turkey’s top business association for the past three years, said she would be leaving her chair with the start of the new year and that she had already made that decision a long time ago. The two chairmen before Yalçındağ had each served for three years. TÜSİAD members were aware of Yalçındağ’s decision to leave the post, as she revealed it last spring during a board of directors meeting.

Yalçındağ has hinted at “wishing for January to arrive” every now and then, however, she has not made her decision public until Sunday. Yalçındağ revealed her decision during a meeting organized by the Federation of Industrial Associations, or SEDEFED, and Kayseri Chamber of Industry in the central Anatolian city Kayseri. She said she would make the official announcement at this month’s board of directors meeting.

"I believe three years is a good period for serving as the president [of TÜSİAD]. The serving period has been unofficially accepted as three years for a while now. So I will abide by that. We have been talking about limiting the presidential term to three years officially amongst ourselves,” said Yalçındağ.

Talking to business daily Referans, Yalçındağ also commented on TÜSİAD’s latest High Advisory Board, or TÜSİAD YİK, meeting. She said it was the most vibrant and productive meeting held by the association for the past eight years. Everyone participated in the meeting, she said. Related to the outburst of Yıldırım Aktürk during the meeting, Yalçındağ said, “Aktürk is an old member and everyone is long aware of his outburst. Therefore I really don’t like to talk about the issue much.” Some members requested Aktürk to appear in front of the discipline committee. “I don’t think such action is necessary,” she said.

The trouble had arose from a comment Aktürk made following Yalçındağ’s speech during last TÜSİAD YİK meeting, held two weeks ago, in which she criticized the government for slamming Doğan Media Group with a record tax levy. Aktürk had accused the Doğan Group with "obtaining income by manipulating the media."

The speeches delivered during the last TÜSİAD YİK meeting were all heartfelt, said Yalçındağ. “I used to love my country with my heart. Following the period when I served as the chairwoman of TÜSİAD, I love my country with both, my mind and my heart,” she said.

TÜSİAD plays a key role, said Yalçındağ. “It is not for nothing that TÜSİAD is seen as a reference in both the domestic market and the global market.” She said the period she served as chairwoman has been a very good learning experience and was educational to look at the economy from a macro perspective through the eyes of various sectors. TÜSİAD has been playing a very active role in domestic and global political developments, she said. “Getting out of Istanbul and visiting Anatolian cities and taking a look at things from the perspective of the people living in those cities has been enlightening,” she added. “The position allows you to have a 360-degree view of things.”

“There are plenty of businesspeople on the board of TÜSİAD that can rise to the occasion when I step down,” said Yalçındağ. “2008 was a year of many reports. This year we have focused more on the budget discipline. We will post a budget surplus and cover our debt. That means next year will weigh heavily on publishing new reports.”

Yalçındağ also denied hearsay about the disagreements and communication gaps between TÜSİAD leadership and its members. “Until the end of the year there will be no member left with whom we have not spoken face to face with. Contrary to speculations, there is a relation tighter than ever between TÜSİAD’s management and its members,” said Yalçındağ.

Following her resignation, expected to take place Jan. 23, Yalçındağ said she will resume her responsibilities at the [Doğan] group companies.

"This job requires a lot of self-sacrifice. Therefore it is very tiresome and it should really not be done by the same person for period longer than three years.”

Touching upon Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s comment comparing Aydın Doğan to “Al Capone,” Yalçındağ said, “Right. My dear father and a gun holding murderer… What else can I say!” Erdoğan’s remark has caused quite a stir in the country