TİM Presidential Candidate: Ahmet Güleç

TİM Presidential Candidate: Ahmet Güleç Ahmet Güleç, Head of TİM Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Sector Board and candidate for the Presidency of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), stated: "Our goal is a Turkey aligned with tomorrow's world, operating on the principle of 'strong institution, strong exporter, strong exports,' increasing our share of world trade and achieving a foreign trade surplus. We have set out for change." Ahmet Güleç, Head of TİM Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Sector Board, formally announced his candidacy for the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) Presidential elections scheduled for June 2022, stating that he has embarked on this path with the support of exporter union heads, boards of management, and delegates. Güleç, expressing that they have set out to adopt a stronger strategy in Turkey's target markets, also underlined that a "proactive" and guiding export hierarchy approach will be adopted, specific to the marketing strategies of each sector and subsector in their respective target countries.

"World trade is changing, I have embarked on this path to lead the change"

Stating that global competition will create more difficult conditions in the near future, Güleç noted that he is running for the TİM Presidency to lead the "change" process required by the times, saying: "I have served as Head of the Istanbul Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Union for two terms and as Head of the TİM Sector Council for eight years. For approximately 20 years, I have traveled the world as a manufacturer and exporter. I have observed that countries that gain a share of world trade and establish themselves globally, leaving the best and most lasting impressions, have a sustainable approach to trade and exports. World trade is changing and transforming. The concept of added value, sustainable and lasting trade understanding is changing at the same pace. Therefore, institutional structure is very important. When it comes to the journey of gaining a share of world trade, the primary institution for this in Turkey is the Turkish Exporters Assembly and Exporter Unions. In our country, over 100,000 manufacturing companies do business directly with the world. Our exporter unions are working with all their might, and as the umbrella organization, TİM must be the locomotive force of exporters with this strength and faith. I have embarked on this path to lead this change together with our board of management."

Our Greatest Strength: "Entrepreneurial Spirit"

Expressing that entrepreneurship is the greatest advantage, Güleç said, "Our country has very clear advantages: a productive and young population, strategic location, rich resources and entrepreneurial human resources. By converting these advantages into benefits and opportunities, we must mobilize all our resources in a more efficient and optimal manner. The path to structural transformation in changing world trade leads to giving the Turkish Exporters Assembly an institutional identity that is strong, embracing, guiding, and locomotive-like in character for our exporters, much like an orchestra conductor."

"Our duty: strong institution, strong exporter, strong exports"

Stating that they aim to scale "economic diplomacy" by focusing all the export family on the same goal with the motto "strong institution, strong exporter, strong exports," Güleç said, "The strength of the whole depends on the strength of its parts. In this regard, we plan to establish a 'Strategic Information Center (SİBİM)' that continuously monitors the global market position of all our exporting sectors and continuously informs our exporters. Although our export family has fast, creative and entrepreneurial characteristics, today we are far behind the desired level in terms of "export concentration." To strengthen our position in target markets, we will operate with a "proactive," guiding export hierarchy understanding that descends to the marketing strategies of each sector and subsector in their target countries. We will adopt a strategy that, by identifying target markets for each sector and incorporating the experience, knowledge, expertise and demands of exporters representing that sector, spreads across the base. Anchoring our motto on the concept of "knowledge management," we will transform all export-related data into information and open big data for the benefit of our exports. We will prioritize digital marketing in exports and make it the most important part of the general export strategy. By directly putting the resources provided by exporters at the service of exporters, operating within a management approach that solves problems in a timely manner, we will adopt a new service understanding that will provide maximum benefit to our exporters in accordance with the new rules of a transforming world, drawing strength from our strong and dynamic human resources."

Exports: Turkey's development key

Underlining that Turkey is a country with great potential, TİM Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Sector Board Head Ahmet Güleç concluded his remarks: "Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan always emphasizes in his speeches that exports bear the greatest responsibility in Turkey's reaching the level of contemporary and strong economies. We have embarked on this path with the confidence and goals our President has for exports. Our duty is to work with all our strength drawing from this vision and conviction, and to raise our share of world trade much higher."