Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Comprised of the prominent representatives of the business community, the B-20 Turkey Administrative Council has been established by the government in order to direct B-20 activities.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu was elected as President. Also taking up roles in the Administrative Council in addition to Hisarcıklıoğlu were Nail Olpak (MÜSİAD), Mehmet Büyükekşi (TİM), Haluk Dinçer (TÜSİAD), Erol Kiresepi (TİSK), Erdal Bahçıvan (TOBB) ve Tuncay Özilhan (DEİK). The B-20 Administrative Council will work in close cooperation with the G-20 Administrative Council throughout the presidential term.

Stating that Turkey must make the most of the 2015 G-20 Summit, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “If handled correctly, we have a chance to turn around the international issues negatively impacting us.” Stating that it will be an honor to lead B-20, the business arm of the G-20, and said in regards to the G-20 and Turkey’s term presidency:

“I am very grateful to have been elected as the Business 20 Turkey Administrative Council President. I would like to thank the members of the government who saw fit to elect me to this office; Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan. We will work together with very important leaders of the Turkish business community in the B-20 Administrative Council. We will continue to work as befits Turkey.

As the primary platform for defining global economic policy, G-20 will gain importance through the establishment of new balances of power in a global system wherein financial opportunities are decreasing. In the midst of all this, our country will be taking on the G-20 term presidency from Australia. Turkey taking on the presidency during this period is an indication that the discussion which will shape the new global economic system will take place in our country.

We have the chance to turn this into an opportunity. We can make certain that the Turkey’s properties can be carried on over to the G-20 platform and difficult issues affecting us can be brought to a resolution.

On the other hand the G-20 platform will provide a great chance to promote Turkey’s economy. Those who shape and direct the global economy will visit Turkey on many occasions. Not just heads of state but ministers of the treasuries, chiefs of central banks, heads of international institutions, high level bureaucrats will be hosted in Turkey.

In addition to this, the directors of the largest companies of the world, CEOs, syndicate leaders, think tanks will be coming to Turkey. There will be over a 100 high level meetings throughout the year. Nearly 10,000 people in charge of the global economy will come to Turkey.”

- Hisarcıklıoğlu in Sydney for the handover

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu went to Sydney to attend the B-20 Australia Summit. He will be conveying the expectations of the global business community from the G-20 countries to the B-20 leader Richard Goyder as well as the Australian PM Tony Abbot. As par to the B-20 Australia Summit, Hisarcıklıoğlu will be meeting the leaders of the global business community and will accelerate the preparations for Turkey’s B-20 term presidency following the summit.