The ceremony, held following DEİK’s 39th Ordinary Financial General Assembly, was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Industry and Technology Fatih Kacır, Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Turkish Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, representatives of the business community, members of diplomatic missions and DEİK members. The Masters Pioneers Award Ceremony, now in its fifth year and a DEİK tradition, is held as a token of respect for business leaders who have contributed to the Turkish private sector, exports, international investments and business diplomacy. This year, veteran business leaders Mithat Yenigün, Remzi Gür, the late Sakıp Sabancı and Ömer Cihad Vardan were honored for their roles in the success of the Turkish business world and for inspiring future generations with their knowledge and vision.

ERDOĞAN: “DEİK IS A GATEWAY FOR OUR COUNTRY’S PRIVATE SECTOR TO THE WORLD”

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan celebrated DEİK’s 41st anniversary, noting that DEİK has reinforced the trade bridges it has built between Türkiye and the world with bridges of friendship. Expressing his gratitude to the board members who have served at DEİK from its inception to the present day and who have contributed to the country’s development and growth, he recalled that the fifth “Masters Pioneers” Award Ceremony—now a tradition of gratitude—was held. “I congratulate each and every one of our great masters who inspire through their achievements, blaze new trails, create value and blend a global vision with national values," he said. I hope these awards will reinvigorate the business world and serve as a source of inspiration for new generations. With its 153 Business Councils, 92 founding organizations and more than 5,000 members, DEİK successfully manages the Turkish private sector’s foreign economic relations. As we have emphasized on every occasion, with its business councils spanning from Africa to Asia and from South America to North America, DEİK also serves as a gateway for our country’s private sector to the world. We have always taken pride in DEİK’s global successes, which stand as one of the finest examples of public-private solidarity and partnership. We have provided—and continue to provide—every possible form of support to DEİK during our administrations, as it reinforces the trade bridges it builds between Türkiye and the world with bridges of friendship. In 2025, our exports of goods and services reached a record high, totaling $395.9 billion. Our goods exports, which stood at just $36 billion in 2002, rose to $273.3 billion as of 2025. We will continue to walk hand in hand with DEİK and act in solidarity. We believe that once the calendar effect subsides in June, we will regain strong momentum in exports,” he said.

ERDOĞAN’S CALL TO INVESTORS: “MANAGE YOUR OPERATIONS FROM TÜRKIYE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS” 

Noting that Türkiye has sustained uninterrupted growth for 23 consecutive quarters despite the turbulent atmosphere affecting the entire world, including developed countries, Erdoğan said, “Amid the climate of uncertainty the global economy is facing, our country’s greatest asset is the environment of stability and confidence we have established during our government’s tenure. We are aware of the difficulties regarding access to financing. We invite companies operating worldwide to relocate their regional management centers to Türkiye. Our message is very clear: manage your operations from Türkiye and take advantage of the benefits. We are also making a new call to investors, entrepreneurs and our citizens living abroad in various countries worldwide. Come to Türkiye; settle in Türkiye. Become a part of the growth story of a new and stronger Türkiye. I would also like to extend a call to our DEİK family. You are the ones best positioned to convey our country’s potential and the opportunities it offers to the world. We look forward to your support in this regard. I wholeheartedly believe that by joining hands with DEİK, we will elevate Türkiye to a much stronger position in production, trade and investment,” he said.

BOLAT: “DEİK IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTORS IN OUR BUSINESS DIPLOMACY” 

Turkish Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat noted that DEİK has played a significant role in the Turkish private sector’s foreign economic relations since its establishment, adding that Türkiye business diplomacy is carried out by the Ministry of Trade on the public side and by DEİK on the private sector side. Bolat emphasized that DEİK has strengthened Türkiye’s global economic relations, noting that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has, in recent years, achieved the status of a reliable partner in the eyes of all nations worldwide, thereby injecting significant dynamism into the business world. Noting that Türkiye has maintained strong growth performance despite regional conflicts, rising protectionism, and trade barriers, Bolat said that the Turkish economy—which has achieved an average growth rate of 5.4 percent over the past 23 years—has surpassed $1.6 trillion in size. Bolat stated that, in line with the 2026 export target of $410 billion announced by President Erdoğan, the business community is working tirelessly in coordination with the Ministry of Trade and all other ministries. Noting that Türkiye remains a strong player on the global stage, Bolat emphasized that the share of value-added, technology-intensive exports has increased in recent years and that they aim to raise it to 50 percent within the next 2–3 years.

BOLAT: “WE WILL CONTINUE OUR WORK WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ‘TRADE GROWS THROUGH DIPLOMACY AND TÜRKIYE GROWS THROUGH TRADE’” 

Noting that business diplomacy is a very important field, Bolat said, “In addition to the private-sector-based work we carry out with DEİK in this area, the most important factor is the business diplomacy conducted with countries around the world under the leadership of our President, which has made a tremendous contribution to Türkiye’s foreign economic relations.” Through both leadership diplomacy and the Joint Economic Commission and JETCO meetings we conduct with our ministerial colleagues, we are contributing to Türkiye’s foreign economic relations with over 200 countries through agreements. Since June 2023, we have held 574 meetings and negotiations with 232 trade partners. We will continue our work guided by the principle that “trade grows through diplomacy and Türkiye grows through trade.” With our guiding motto, “No stopping—keep exporting, keep growing Türkiye,” we hope to make very significant contributions to our country.

OLPAK: “TRUST WILL BE THE DEFINING FACTOR OF A NEW ERA IN GLOBAL TRADE” 

President of DEİK Nail Olpak, on the other hand, stated, “In a global environment marked by geopolitical upheavals, trade wars, the climate agenda and technological transformation, the only certainty today is, unfortunately, uncertainty. Tomorrow brings rules very different from those of yesterday. In our business lives, we have always competed on quality, price, aesthetics, and technology and this competition will continue. However, the defining factor of today and the future will now be described in different terms: Competition Based on Trust. Taking the lead in the competition based on trust means becoming a new safe haven in these times when uncertainty has reached its peak. Trust is not an abstract value; it is built through concrete decisions and long-term relationships. It cannot be bought or transferred—it is woven with patience. As DEİK, together with our 153 Business Councils, we are working with all our might to position our country at the forefront of the competition for trust and to keep it standing firm amid global storms,” he said. Noting that DEİK, now in its 41st year, carries out more than 2,000 business diplomacy activities annually through its business councils spread across the globe and its more than 5,000 members, Olpak emphasized that they are conducting more visionary, strategic and focused work. Olpak noted that they have laid out a roadmap toward the 250 billion euro target in trade relations with Germany. He added that they had published the letters they prepared for EU leaders regarding the prospect of full EU membership as advertisements in prestigious newspapers and in his speech. He congratulated DEİK’s award-winning masters.