Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

“Turkey Transcending Borders,” project launch took place in İstanbul with the attendances of TOBB Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, Facebook Global Marketing Solutions Vice President Carolyn Everson, Facebook, Country Director for Turkey Derya Matras, TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Council Chairman Ali Sabancı and Habitat Association Chairman Sezai Hazır.

Aimed at bringing together small and medium-sized businesses and key stakeholders and built on four principles, “Turkey Transcending Borders,” project is a campaign to raise awareness in Turkey to support companies in transcending borders and growth utilizing Facebook and its applications family.

The project will also open an Entrepreneurship and Social Impact Center in Istanbul in 2019 in cooperation with TOBB, Facebook and Habitat. In the meeting, the results of the Economic and Social Impact Report prepared by Deloitte, the first leg of the project, were shared.

- TOBB Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu

In his opening speech, TOBB Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stated that they are pleased to give support to the project and stated that, “As TOBB, we are working to make Istanbul the entrepreneurial center of this entire region. We have set out to create an innovation hub in Istanbul with Facebook which has become a symbol of the new industrial revolution.”

Stating that Facebook connects billions of people and amplifies the effects of organizations which aim to benefit society, Zeytinoğlu said, “Facebook is a platform that contributes to the opening of enterprises in the countries in which it operates, I would like to thank Facebook Global Marketing Solutions Vice President Carolyn Everson for choosing to open this center in Istanbul.”

- Facebook Global Marketing Solutions Vice President Everson

Facebook Global Marketing Solutions Vice President Carolyn Everson mentioned the importance given to Turkey on Facebook.

Reporting that Facebook, through its platforms has contributed 15.3 billion TRY to the Turkish economy and is providing employment to 209,000 people, Everson stated that Turks are fast-learning and robust individuals.

Everson, speaking in regards to the approaches of companies with which they’ve conducted meetings in Turkey and companies which have opened up to the world through Facebook, said in regards to the project, “We see incredible opportunities for economic growth and employment in Turkey.”

- Derya Matraş

Facebook Country Director for Turkey Derya Matras, underlining that Turkey is a country in many respects very valuable for Facebook, stated that as a Turk, they are working to contribute to both the Turkish economy and the Turkish people.

Matras providing information about the project, reported that there would be various works and investments in order to support the growth of businesses of all sizes both domestically and internationally, as well as contributing to the Turkish people.

- TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Council Chairman Sabancı

TOBB Young Entrepreneurs Chairman Ali Sabancı drawing attention to the progress made in Turkey in regards to technology, noted the support and importance given to entrepreneurs with the appointment of Ruhsar Pekcan as Trade Minister due to her business background.