Fast Company / Business World Gathered at Ayvalık

The Ayvalık Business Forum October/November 2024 gathering, which brought together 250 leading business figures, including CEO Council members, took place on September 13-14. At our fourth 'Autumn Camp,' business leaders discussed a variety of topics ranging from artificial intelligence and managing uncertainty to the strategies of globally expanding companies and cultural transformation. The partners for this fourth meeting at D-Resort Murat Reis included Sabancı Holding, Akbank, BNP Paribas Cardif, De Cix, Enerjisa, Enterprise, Figopara, Inspark, Kobil, Mastercard, Mey Diageo, Multinet Up, Pluxee, Polaris, Prometeon, Rota Portföy, Sahibinden.com, Sipay, Socar, Tam Finans, Tosyalı Holding, Türkiye Finans, United Payment, Vodafone Business, Zeren Group, and Zip. The date for Ayvalık Business Forum '25 was also announced as September 12-13, 2025.

SAY INSPARK CEO Serdar Susuz (far left) moderated the panel "Technology 24: Risks and Opportunities" with Burak Aydın (AWS), İsmet Koyun (KOBIL), Nilhan Onal Gökçetekin (Hepsiburada), Ümit Leblebici (TEB), and Ivo Ivanov (De-Cix). Fast Company Turkey founder M. Rauf Ateş gave the opening speech at the fourth meeting and provided details about the two-day event program. Sabancı Holding CEO Cenk Alper discussed how "Brain Drain can turn into Brain Gain." In the panel titled "New Paradigms in Consumption," moderated by Gamze Çuhadaroğlu (Korozo Ambalaj), Ercan Öz (Eti), Gülden Yılmaz (Koton), Murat Zaım (Derimod), and Uğur Ayaydın (İpekyol) debated how demographic changes are affecting consumer habits.

In the "Managing Uncertainty" panel, moderated by Figopara CEO Koray Bahar, Elenin İbadov (Socar Türkiye), Güliz Öztürk (Pegasus), Murat Akşam (Türkiye Finans), and Sinem Öksüz Dedebayraktar (Kipaş Holding) shared the solutions they’ve developed to address uncertainty. Fast Company Turkey founder Rauf Ateş, Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, Servet Topaloğlu from Coca-Cola, and Cem Boyner discussed "Ethical Leadership" with former CEO Muhtar Kent, focusing on leadership and brand management in changing conditions. Can Çaka (IC Holding), Eda Uluca Özcan (Pluxee Türkiye), Şerif Kaynar (Korn Ferry Türkiye), Gökhan Sığın (BSH Home Appliances), Orkun Saitoğlu (Iyzico), and Ümit Nuri Yıldız (Alarko Holding) shared their views on new leadership and creating inclusive, value-based companies.

In the panel titled "New Innovation Agenda," moderated by Tam Finans CEO Hakan Karamanlı, (from left) Ergun Güler (Vestel), Yasemin Bedir (MasterCard), Burak Orhun (Sabancı Holding), and Burak Elgin (Zip Türkiye) discussed global trends and the initiatives at their companies. In the panel titled "Adapting to the New Normal," led by Tevfik Eraslan (far left), Chairman of the Board at Rota Portföy, Ömür Tan (QNB Finansbank), Ali Emre Sever (Multinet Up), İlker Sözdinler (United Payment), and Tayfun Bayazıt (Polisan Holding) talked about how their companies renewed themselves and the challenges they faced during the process. In the panel moderated by Teknosa CEO Sitare Sezgin, (from left) Alper Gökgöz (ING Türkiye), Emin Can Yılmaz (Param), Gürcan Karakaş (TOGG), and Hulusi Acar (MediaMarkt Türkiye) participated.