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Turkish British magazine
1. NEWS
Thomas Cook‘s
bankruptcy affected
the World
#TurkishBritishMag
Top Investment:
Buying a House
in the UK
General election to be
held on December 12 as
MPs vote to break Brexit
paralysis
European Union extends Brexit
deadline to January 31, 2020
• Advantages and Risks
• Mortgage Options
• Booming Areas
BUSINESS
The 10th Turkey-UK
Business Forum was
held
MARKETING
Digital marketing is
reshaped with artifi
cial
intelligence!
CITY & LIFE
Turkish fashion designers
on stage at London
Fashion Week
TBMAG.CO.UK
A magazine for Turkish and British Business People
TurkishBritish
N° 5 / NOVEMBER 2019 ENGLISH VERSION
Interview: Elif Shafak; “Roots are plural, not singular!”
DEIK Turkey - UK Business Council’s panel on Brexit
Mobile Game Recontact: More exciting with Ross Mullan in London
2. Products and services are subject to change depending on flight duration and aircraft.
3. WELCOME TO A JOURNEY
OF TASTE
Enjoy your comfortable flight with a great variety of
exquisite refreshments.
4. From the Editor
Dear readers,
Welcome back to this new issue of Turkish British magazine. As we stated in
our outward manifest, our magazine works at building a solid bridge between
Turkey and England.
We see that the magazine has earned followers and admiration both from
Turkey and the UK. We are also excited about the increasing online reading
and downloading rates after each issue; this shows us that we are on the right
track.
We continue to pursue our mission of making the business world visible in
the two countries. Meanwhile, we were invited as a media organization to very
important events in both countries and undertook the media sponsorship of
various events by bringing together business people from both countries.
We have followed up many events for you and brought them to our pages. We
are also pleased to learn from your comments that our unique and updated
news contents highlight the agenda of our community in the country.
What’s in our new issue?
Dear readers, Turkish British has once again prepared a special content for
you this month. In our new issue, our cover focuses on; buying real estate
from the UK, which has recently drawn attention as an attractive investment
alternative.
We prepared a detailed guide for potential buyers and investors. How to
buy a house in the UK, which areas are booming, which areas are valuable,
mortgage options, government schemes, new housing projects, insights
into the post-Brexit real estate market and the opinions of experienced
experts are all in our special guide.
We also obtained interesting information while doing research to prepare
the cover article. For example; according to offi
cial fi
gures, about 300,000
Londoners are moving to a new city or rural areas each year. It seems
that people are leaving London on the one hand, and new people are
replacing those who have left London. The cities around London are
quite attractive right now. Because people can live in neighbouring
cities that are within easy reach, in more affordable budgets than in
London, but in larger houses. They don’t have to quit their jobs.
We had a unique interview with the writer Elif Shafak, who has been living
in London for a long time and who is an immigrant.
Zehra Aydın, who describes herself as a “beginner Londoner, wrote about
Hampstead for those who would like to have a pleasant day out.
Thank you again for help us growing through your support.
Enjoy your reading…
Stay tuned,
Ayla Torun, PhD
Chief Editor
6. 6
6
Publisher
Afiş İletişim I Doruk Ltd. - UK.
Editor-in-Chief
Ayla Torun Ph.D, aylatorun@tbmag.co.uk
Publication Coordinator
Fevzi Kemal Torun, fevzi@tbmag.co.uk
News and Content Coordinator
Kevser Devecioğlu, kevser@tbmag.co.uk
Editors
Leyla Sali Janine
Rahşan Gül
Özge Gözke
Ebru Atlan Tecirlioğlu
editor@tbmag.co.uk
Contributors in this Issue
Barış Çimen
Doruktan Türker
E. Nida Dincturk
Leyla Karakoç
Murat Buyurgan
Taylan Durmuş
M. Yusuf Çoban
Ozan Dağdeviren
Zehra Aydın
Advertising and Marketing
Özge Gözke: +44 7379 833484
Taylan Durmuş: +44 7500 668914
Sıla Türkpencesi: +90 532 733 32 77
advertising@tbmag.co.uk
Legal Advisors
Hakan Lamper, Ecem Gündüz,
Umut Gündüz
Translations
Ali Yildirim, Aysegul Bogrun, Ebru Sener,
Evrim Ekiztaş, M. Yusuf Çoban, Leyla Sali
Janine,Taylan Durmus
Design and Implementation
AFS Communication & Media
afscomms.com
Contact
UK Tel: +44 20 8870 0565
+44 74 7117 9662
+44 74 9322 9001
TR Tel: +90 850 355 50 44
e-mail: contact@tbmag.co.uk
tbmag.co.uk
turkishbritishmag
IN TURKISH BRITISH THIS MONTH
FROM THE EDITOR
05 From Turkish British
STATISTICS
10 United Kingdom in Numbers
AT A GLANCE
12 General election set for December 12 as MPs
vote to break Brexit paralysis
14 British tourism giant Thomas Cook’s bankruptcy
affected the world
16 Hope for the Ankara Agreement case at the UK
the Court of Appeal
18 A Turk to be featured in the British Royal
Palace‘s advert
“Let London think now”
The ophthalmologist comes to you!
20 TurkishBank UK brings together UK banks
and fntechs
22 The Post Brexit British – Turkish relationship was
discussed in London
26
12
8. 8
COVER
24 Buying a House in the UK
• Advantages and risks
• Mortgage opportunities
• Booming areas
INTERVIEW
36 Elif Shafak;
“Roots are plural, not singular!”
BUSINESS WORLD
40 UK - Turkey Business Forum held in
Istanbul
42 Panel on Brexit by DEIK’s Turkey - UK
Business Council
44 “Turkey will reach 45 million tourists”
BUSINESS EVENTS
46 Turkey to be featured at the WTM
Tourism Fair
47 London Build Expo 2019
48 Infrastructure investment
opportunities in Turkey!
49 I Meet Hotel begins its 2020
European tour
50 Uzakrota Travel Summit Istanbul
52 International Medical Travel Show
Dubai 2020
IN TURKISH BRITISH THIS MONTH
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
53 4 lessons I learned in 4 years as an
entrepreneur
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
56 Born in Istanbul, encapsulated the
World
58 Digital marketing is reshaped with
artificial intelligence!
E-COMMERCE
60 Getting started with Amazon FBA
Online
EDUCATION
62 First rule in language education:
Choosing the right school
BUSINESS WOMEN NETWORK
64 A photograph of flavor
66 She designs new products before
they become trends!
67 Crisp Studio brings style to the
table
CITY AND LIFE
GOURMET
68 The modern face of Turkish Cuisine
FASHION
72 Turkish fashion designers on stage
at London Fashion Week
LONDON
76 A local experience: Hampstead
CULTURE & ART
78 The gates of history reopened
79 Osman Hamdi Bey’s ‘Koranic
Instruction’ sold for £4.6 mln
Turkey’s first photorealist painter,
Nur Koçak’s Works in SALT.
36
51
56
9. 9
9
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We are proud to be part of this growth by supporting you as
your trusted chartered accountants and tax advisers.
10. 10
38.000
There are more than 38,000
schools in the UK. In public
schools there is an average of
20 students per teachers.
1911
The first escalator on the
London Underground was
built in 1911 at Earl’s Court
Station.
1871
Considered the national dish
of UK, the first fish and chips
establishment was opened in
1871 by a Jewish immigrant.
23
With 23 escalator steps, the
Waterloo station is the station
with the most escalators.
1485
Killed in 1485 on the battlefield
King Richard III’s skeleton were
found buried in 2013 in a park
in Leicester.
We know that long columns written with fancy
words are sometimes boring. So, let’s travel to the
heart of UK with short facts:
STATISTICS
United Kingdom in
Numbers
320
Hampstead Station is the
station with the most escalator
handrails.
11. 11
TurkishBritish
38 minutes
The world’s shortest war took
place in 1896 between England
and Zanzibar.
70.000
There are around 70,000
football teams in the UK and
about 750,000 licensed football
players.
113 km
Nowhere in the UK is more than 113 kilometres
from the coast.
50%
Approximately 50% of adults
in the UK have not taken basic
mathematics courses.
4.4 million
On August 3 2012, during the Olympic Games, the
London Underground had its busiest day ever, with
4.4 million passengers
96%
In UK, Cars are parked 96
percent of the time.
150 million
The number of English
speakers in Nigeria is higher
than in the UK.
95%
School in UK is compulsory
between the ages of five
and sixteen. 95% of students
receive free education in
public schools.
12. 12
General election set for December 12 as
Brexit was granted delay until 31 January!
Unable to break the Brexit impasse, the United Kingdom is facing a tense
election period. The elections are supposed to be held every five years.
But supposed to be held every five years. But this would be the third
since 2015.
The European Union (EU) agreed to post-
pone Britain’s departure from the union for
three months. The deep uncertainty around
Brexit continued until Britain remained only a
few days until 31 October, the official departure
date for the EU. Although UK politicians still
have not reached a consensus on how, when,
and even if the separation will take place, the
EU has agreed to give another adjournment.
With these 3 postponements, the EU has
somehow prevented Brexit from negotiating a
possible agreement on 31 October. This time,
however, there is a flexible postponement. In
other words, if the British Parliament approves
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal with
the EU, the separation could be implemented
sooner. Britain may leave the EU on 1 Decem-
ber 2019 or 1 January 2020, provided it has
ratified the withdrawal agreement.
Johnson, who was Prime Minister three months
ago, promising to bring Brexit to life on Octo-
ber 31 at any cost, was forced to ask the EU to
postpone this date because of a legislative act.
The other 27 EU Member States have agreed
to postpone Brexit until the end of January.
“The EU27 has decided to accept Britain’s
request for 27 flexible adjournments until 31
January 2020,” said Donald Tusk, President
of the Council of Europe. British Prime Minis-
ter Johnson said the EU had made it clear that
an adjournment beyond 31 January would no
longer be possible.
The departure of Britain from the EU was
blocked twice when Theresa May was still
prime minister. Three and a half years have
elapsed since referendum on Brexit in which
British voters opted to take their country out
of the EU by a 52% to 48% vote, but the stale-
mate is still not over.
General election set for December 12 as
MPs vote to break Brexit paralysis
After a flextension to postpone Brexit until 31
January and a decision to take elections on 12
December, MPs backed Prime Minister Boris
Johnson’s proposal for early elections on 12
December. Johnson’s request for early elec-
tions on 12 December was rejected by Parlia-
ment on October 28th. He needed two-thirds
of the deputies (434) to support his call for an
early vote. It was Johnson’s third defeat in early
elections. However, the Conservative Party’s
motion for an early general election on 12 De-
cember was approved by 20 votes to 438 in
the second vote on October 29 in the House
of Commons, the lower wing of the British par-
liament.
Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s an-
nouncement that he would support early elec-
tions was instrumental in passing the bill. Cor-
byn announced that it would now support early
elections as the EU extended the deadline in
London, allowing the possibility of leaving the
EU uncompromising. Although polls indicate
that Prime Minister Johnson’s conservative par-
ty will triumph over Labour Party, the prospect
of a new government is not as divided as it is
now. This will be the first election in England
since Christmas 1923.
AT A GLANCE
14. 14
AT A GLANCE
British tourism giant Thomas Cook’s
bankruptcy affected the world
Following the announcement of the bankruptcy of the British giant Thomas
Cook, the German subsidiary Thomas Cook GmbH also declared insolvency. An
operation intending to bring home thousands of tourists was launched.
Thomas Cook, the 178 years old world’s
largest travel company went bust. With the
bankruptcy of the tour operator, 22,000 peo-
ple risk losing their jobs, including 9,000 in the
UK. Around 600,000 Thomas Cook customers,
150,000 of whom are British, have been left
stranded after the giant company announced
that it had ceased trading.
Following the official announcement of the
bankruptcy by the British company, which had
financial problems, one of the biggest peace-
time repatriation was launched to bring home
thousands of British citizens stranded in many
countries, including Turkey. The operation
called “Operation Matterhorn” aims to bring
back more than 150,000 British holidaymakers.
Following the bankruptcy, the British govern-
ment ordered an investigation into the role of
Thomas Cook Group management in the col-
lapse of the famous tour operator.British me-
dia, reported that Thomas Cook bosses have
been paid and received £20m in bonuses in
the past five years.
A Bankruptcy also reported in Thomas
Cook’s German subsidiary
After the announcement of the bankruptcy of
the British tour operator Thomas Cook, Thom-
as Cook GmbH, a subsidiary in Germany, also
filed for bankruptcy. Stefanie Berk, Chairman
of Thomas Cook GmbH, said in a statement
that they were forced to take the legal step ,
since no short-term solution could be reached
in the negotiations. In a statement by Thomas
Cook GmbH, Neckermann, Öger Tur, Air Marin
and Bucher Reisen announced that they are in
talks with the German Ministry of Foreign Af-
fairs and travel insurance companies to repatri-
ate the 140,000 holidaymakers.
20 thousand British returned
Following the announcement of the bank-
ruptcy of British tour operator Thomas Cook,
the repatriation operation that was launched
successfully continues. Its company located in
the city Antalya in Turkey announced that 20
thousand British total 40 thousand tourists are
back to the UK. The other 20 thousand tour-
ists will return to their countries after the end of
their holidays. With the bankruptcy of Thomas
Cook, a significant gap has emerged in the
tourism sector. Travel and tourism agencies in
the countries where the company goes have
begun planning for upcoming months.
15.
16. 16
uuu
AT A GLANCE
The lawsuit filed against the amendment of the conditions of permanent residence
of Turkish entrepreneurs in the Ankara Agreement and its retrospective application
which our magazine is following, was moved to the Court of Appeal.
The amendment of the conditions of per-
manent residence of Turkish entrepreneurs
and its retrospective application under the
Ankara Agreement with the UK Ministry of the
Interior has been on the agenda of the United
Kingdom for more than two years.
The public trial that our magazine has been fol-
lowing since the first day was brought before
the Court of Appeal for a new examination on
the grounds that it had caused harms to Turk-
ish businesspeople. The legal battle to appeal
against the amendments adopted in March
2018 concern about 10,000 Turkish citizens.
In March, the British Supreme Court rejected
an appeal by Turkish citizens who objected to
a retrospective amendment to the permanent
settlement conditions.
In June and July 2018, new rules were pub-
lished. After the objections and the judicial
struggle, the case was sent back for re-exam-
ination by the Court of Appeal.
The appeal case against the Home Office will
be held on 26 March 2020 at the Court of
Appeal.
“We expect a fair and lawful decision”
Yaşar Doğan of Redstone Solicitors who’s rep-
resenting Turkish citizens since the beginning
of the legal struggle, made the following state-
ment after the court decided to re-examine the
case:
“Our appeal to the Court of Appeal of March
2019 is awaiting the court’s final decision. The
Court of Appeal of England gave leave to ap-
peal and paved the way for a re-examination
of the case. The judge who gave the deci-
sion, found the case worth reviewing thus ap-
proved the appeal to the Court of Appeal and
said the policy change made by the Home Of-
fice had negative effects on a large number
of Turkish business people. The granting of a
leave means that the case will be re-examined
by the Court of Appeal and resolved. We will
now wait for a date to be fixed for the sub-
stantive hearing.”
Doğan stated that the parties would make
their defense after the trial date will be fixed
and said, “We hope; the unfair decision of the
Supreme Court will be replaced by a Court of
Appeal that will take a fair and lawful decision
that will relieve us.“
Hope for the Ankara Agreement
case at the UK the Court of Appeal
17. 17
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GENERATE THOUSANDS OF NEW BUSINESS LEADS
18. 18
AT A GLANCE
A Turk to be featured in the
British Royal Palace‘s advert
Ophthalmologist comes to you!
“Let London think now!”
Gülper Özdemir, one of the stars of the TV
series entitled ‘Sen Anlat Karadeniz’, made
the British fall under her charm with a role she
played in an advertisement in London. The
young actress took part in an advertisement
for apartment sales of Regent Crescent Palace,
owned by the British Royal Family. Özdemir
stated that she participated in this advertise-
ment thanks to her links abroad and said, “The
advertisement fi
lm was very much appreciated.
I got very good comments. These beautiful
and valuable comments motivated me even
more. My work abroad will continue.”
Jacob & Joe combines the fi
nest models with the latest technology in their glasses
and offers their customers the opportunity to be examined wherever they want
with their exclusive optical service.
Jacob & Joe recently hosted a stunning event at Mayfair’s prestigious Athenaeum
Hotel. Celebrities have shown great interest in the event where Jacob & Joe an-
nounced it would begin to provide a “exclusive optical service”.
Attended by Camilla Rutherford and Liz Brewer, the event was a hive of attendees
including celebrities, infl
uencers and industry experts who learned about Jacob
& Joe’s exclusive optical service. Eye examinations are brought to customers’ of-
fi
ces, homes, hotel or anywhere they may be… Guests were able to try the
most fashionable eyewear; Jacob & Joe’s luxury optical service brings a per-
sonal and professional service to men and women whose time is their most
precious resource.
Using the latest technologies added to a selection over a hundred of designer
models to produce a variety of high quality optical glasses and sunglasses,
Jacob & Joe provides luxury and clinical expertise at your convenience, with
no compromise in quality.
The renowned international operator, Nusret
Gokce, is adding a new restaurant to its chain
of steakhouse. Nusret‘s new restaurant opens
its doors in London, in the heart of UK.
Nusret Gökçe, which has become a global
phenomenon with salt-sprinkling move, is now
opening a restaurant in London, after New
York, Doha, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Mykonos and
Dubai.
Nusret examined the on-site construction work
at the London restaurant. The famous opera-
tor who shared the images of the works of his
new restaurant on his Instagram account did
not neglect to add the note “Let London think
now”. Nusr-Et Steakhouse will open its doors
at Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel in Decem-
ber 2019 and meet Londoners.
Press Release
Jacob & Joe hosted a stunning event at Mayfair’s prestigious Athenaeum Hotel this week
to celebrate the launch of their luxury optical concierge service, an industry first.
Attended by Camilla Rutherford and Liz Brewer, the floor was buzzing with high profile
19.
20. 20
uuu
AT A GLANCE
SIBOS, the largest financial organi-
zation in the world, was hosted in
London for the first time this year at
a meeting organized by TurkishBank
UK that brought together Turkish and
global financial institutions as well as
Fintechs.
On the terrace of the TurkishBank UK
branch in the Mayfair district, in the
heart of London, distinguished par-
ticipants discussed the future of the
financial world. During the meeting,
the participants had the opportunity
to make many contacts in a short
time. The meeting began at 18:00
and continued until 23:00 with in-
tense interest.
TurkishBank UK prepares to guide
Fintechs
After the great interest in the invita-
tion, Hakan Börteçene, Chairman of
the Board of TurkishBank UK, said:
“This great interest gives us the duty
to act as guide for the Turkish Fin-
techs in London, and the message
that Global Fintechs expect us to
have the same duty in the Turkish
market. I believe that the Fintech
centers that we intend to open first
in Turkey and then in London will be
very useful for this purpose.”
TurkishBank UK is a member of an
118-year-old Group operating in the
banking sector in 3 countries includ-
ing Turkey, Cyprus, and the UK. The
Bank that has been carrying out its ac-
tivities in London for 45 years primar-
ily offers banking services to Turkish
society. TurkishBank UK, whose mis-
sion is to serve the Turkish-speaking
community, has seven branches in
London.
TurkishBank UK hosted
banks and fintechs
The world of finance has shown a keen interest in
the meeting in which TurkishBank UK, operating in
London for 45 years, has brought together Turkish
and global financial institutions as well as Fintechs.
21.
22. 22
uuu AT A GLANCE
As Britain and EU come closer to separation, the way Turkish – British relations will
evolved after Brexit has been discussed at the meeting organised by the European
Turkish Brands Association (ATMB).
Turkey’s London Trade Principal Consultants
Tarık Sönmez and H. Murat Özsoy attended
the “ Pre and Post Brexit Turkish-British Trade
Relations and Brexit’s effect on our Trade Activ-
ities in the UK” meeting held at the IOD Busi-
ness Centre in London City Center. In his pres-
entation Tarık Sönmez, mentioned the possible
relationship between Turkey and Britain after
Brexit. The network event was attended by
ATMB Chairman Cafer Mahiroğlu, Board Mem-
bers Ahmet Ferruh Öncü, Vehbi Keleş, Zeynep
Turudi, Mustafa Köker, Turkish British Chamber
of Commerce and Industry Director Yavuz Sök-
men and representatives of the business world
from various sectors
Turkey’s always showed interest in the topic
In his comprehensive presentation; Turkey’s
Trade Principal Consultant Tarık Sönmez drew
the path of the trade relations between Britain
and Turkey after Brexit.
Sönmez who stated that Turkey immediately
established contact with the UK and always
kept this issue on the agenda at technical com-
mittee, ministerial and prime ministerial level,
underlined the fact that not much progress was
made due to Turkey being an member of the
customs union.
ATMB vice chairman Zeynep Turudi and Brand
Expert Dr. H. Hakan informed the participants
of the network event on the applications UK
was preparing to implement after Brexit.
Zeynep Turudi gave a visual display of the new
regulations prepared by the British institutions
and advised on which institutions to be applied
to for obtaining information on customs and
tax regulations.
The event ended with the participants meet
and greet part.
The Post Brexit British – Turkish
relationship was discussed in London
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• 1 minutes away from Kew Bridge station, 10 minutes
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• Very close to popular areas such as Kew Gardens,
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ONE LONDON PROPERTY GROUP
24. 24
The most favourite investment:
Buying Property in the UK
The newly-built residences in London,
property ads in newspapers and on in-
ternet, mortgage publicity of banks and
free assessment interviews are under the
close-marking of the property investors in
the UK and all around the world.
Figures verify buoyancy of the property
industry in the United Kingdom. Accord-
ing to the data of UK Finance for the sec-
ond quarter of this year, the number of
new mortgage agreements made with the
first-time buyers of property in London for
the first time is 9,960. The data for July
2019 show a 5.5 percent rise in mortgage
demand of the investors who want to rent
out property, compared to the last year
and that 5,800 agreements were made
with them. “Help-to-Buy (Equity Loan)”
scheme provided by government for the
first-time buyers of property, and the in-
viting mortgage choices of banks always
keep demands buoyant.
Demand for property in London has gone
up continuously for the three-year period
following Brexit Referendum. The poten-
tial buyers of property who want to ben-
efit from the additional incentives have
taken action to complete their purchasing
transactions prior to Brexit.
COVER
Buying property in the United Kingdom, particularly in London has been
one of the most rewarding investment alternatives for both locals and the
investors in the US, Asia and Europe in recent years. The property market,
especially in London has been quite active with the increased mortgage
options, government schemes, new housing projects and the declining
property prices because of Brexit and the slowing of the economy.
25. 25
TurkishBritish
Property companies speeded up
their investments
Sales figures of construction companies prove
the outcome of this mobility perceptibly as
well. According to the figures announced by
one of the largest British construction com-
panies, Baratt, they sold 17,856 new houses
across the country and made a profit of 910
million pounds in the previous year. The lat-
est data of National House Building Council
indicate that applications of the construction
companies made for building of new housing
peaked within the last 12 years.
One of London’s largest property investment
companies, The Galliard Group currently per-
forms 6,905 housing construction projects In
London the sum of which is worth 3.95 billion
pounds. The group that plans the construc-
tion of 10,000 houses as well offers the op-
portunity of state’s “Help-to Buy” contribution
in its several projects. The developing regions
of London which will be popular in future at-
tract investment of the company. Besides, it
encourages potential buyers to invest in the
property for renting out.
The newly-built residences in numerous re-
gions such as Streatham, Clapham, Balham,
Wimbledon and Greenwich which have easy
access to city, and within the settlements in
the north such as, Paddington, Islington and
Shoreditch show up consistently as the evi-
dence of property investments and buying
expectations.
“In the last five years, 85,000 Turks
purchased property in London”
Property is a quite attractive investment op-
tion for the Turkish residents in the United
Kingdom. There is no restriction to buy house
for the Turkish citizens in the country, includ-
ing the parties of Ankara Agreement. Howev-
er, buying a house does not provide residence
permit. CEO of Allytta Real Estate Invest-
ments, Neşe Jenkins pointed out that Turkish
Neşe Jenkins
26. 26
people show interest in London quite increas-
ingly in recent years. “We don’t know the exact
number of the Turkish house buyers in London;
but our researches indicate that 85,000 Turkish
people purchased a house in London in the last
fi
ve years,” said Neşe Jenkins. She mentioned
400 percent rise in the number of Turkish inves-
tors who contacted their company for the com-
mercial investments above 10 million pounds
as of 2019.
Despite the expensiveness in London, eco-
nomic and cultural dynamics of the city hypno-
tize a lot of buyers, including Turkish citizens
with respect to long-term investment. The new
railway routes to other regions from London
which hosts 4.5 million tourists per year, offer
the opportunity to buy affordable house by
making no concessions to urban facilities.
“No Condition of Residence Permit for Turks
to Buy Property in London”
Buy Property in London TurkishBank UK offers
mortgage service to the Turkish citizens who
reside in United Kingdom and would like to
purchase property. Residence permit is not re-
quired to benefi
t from the service. The evalua-
tion process following application lasts at least
3 months. It should be noted that minimum
mortgage term is 2 to 3 months after property
purchase agreement is signed with the land-
owner.
The Turkish citizens without residence permit
in the United Kingdom should open an ac-
count at TurkishBank UK to use the mortgage
opportunities of TurkishBank. Experts of the
bank inform customers about different mort-
gage packages in the following process and
ensure selection of the ideal package. Lastly,
the applicant collect the necessary documents
for mortgage and submit them to bank. These
documents contain information regarding sav-
ings of the potential buyer, his/her bills of ac-
count, salary information, and his/her stocks or
company partnerships if any, and other income
documents which exhibit fi
nancial status.
TIPS FOR BUYING
PROFITABLE PROPERTY
Buying property in the United Kingdom, par-
ticularly in London is a pretty profi
table in-
vestment. Nevertheless, such profi
t requires
purchasing the most suitable house with the
ideal buying method at the right time fi
nan-
cially. In our publishing where we touch on all
aspects of investing in property in the United
Kingdom, specialists of the industry provided
detailed information on: various alternatives
for owning a property, signifi
cant points to be
considered in selection of property, mortgage
facilities and legal processes for Turkish citi-
zens, Brexit and future designs in the property
market. Do not buy house before reading our
article!
The right time to buy a house!
One of the questions asked by the investors
who decided to invest in the United Kingdom
is “When to buy the property?” The industrial
representatives underline that the lack of con-
fi
dence in economy of the island where Brexit
is the main agenda topic, is short-term:
“We observe the remarkable downward trend
in the sale princes of property in environment
of uncertainty generated by Brexit. As banks
still offer the opportunity of long term and
low interest loan, using savings for buying a
house is rational. Such environment involves
appropriate conditions particularly for ten-
ants to invest in property,” said the Head of
Retail & Personal Banking in İşbank London
Branch, Ethem Berk Türköver. He states that
prices of property will not increase as long as
the environment of uncertainty insists.
uuu
Ethem Berk Türköver
27. 27
TurkishBritish
27
TurkishBritish
Director of KATRIN Properties and Presi-
dent of ABTIC – Association of British-Turk-
ish Investment and Construction, Kerem
Yavuzarslan spoke of the property industry as
the safest investment alternative in mid-term
and long term. Yavuzarslan remarked that the
Turkish citizens with savings should welcome
the opportunity given by the active property
market in the UK.
market with data suggesting 4 out of 5 prop-
erty investors based in Hong Kong, Dubai and
the UK are still investing in British real estate.
Moreover, the cost of buying UK property has
fallen for overseas investors due to the deval-
uation of the pound. Such condition encour-
ages those investors,” said he.
“London property market is
currently a Buyers’ Market”
Huseyin E. Huseyin, Senior Partner of Bowl-
ing & Co Solicitors which has rendered the
British and international investors legal coun-
selling services about trading property for
over 60 years in London, specifi
ed that a
growing number of investors take action and
contact them with the intention to invest in
British property and there are numerous Turks
among them. Hüseyin added that capital re-
turn of property is quite satisfactory if inves-
tors select the right property and work with
the expert people in the industry.
“Investors need to be aware of the UK prop-
erty market conditions to obtain maximum
benefi
t from their investment. Although the
Brexit vote has reduced consumer confi
dence
in the UK, property market prices rise stead-
ily in some regions and properties are usu-
ally popular. A recent research indicates that
Britain is still an attractive property investment
Huseyin E. Huseyin
Emre Belge
Kerem Yavuzarslan
General Manager of One London Property
Group, Emre Belge highlighted the down-
ward trend of the UK property market which
peaked in 2014, owing to Brexit and change
in the stamp duty. “The property market has
gained a sound equilibrium and brings along
nice opportunities to buy. “House prices in
London have been balanced since 2014 after
a fall of 10-15%,” said Belge.
Belge went on the reasons which make pur-
chasing property in the UK advantageous:
“Brexit provided an advantage of about 15%
especially for the investors whose main in-
come are in USD or EUR, except Pound. GBP/
USD parity which was 1.45 on the referendum
date declined to 1.18 and is currently 1.23.
From this aspect, the biggest investors of the
UK property market are from the US and Eu-
rope this year whereas the market was domi-
nated by the Asian investors last year.”
Emre Belge urged on the other opportunities
brought by the property market which has
slowed down. Furthermore, he stated that the
construction companies with unsold proper-
ties offer potential buyers discounts at high
rates. Belge talked that their company follows
particularly such stocks and seize the chance
of discounts at high rates.
Emre Belge kept speaking about the reasons
28. 28
which make purchasing property in the UK
advantageous: “Interest rates of the Bank of
England set based on the monetary policy cor-
respond to 0.75% and the economy slowed
down under the effect of Brexit, so interest in-
crease is not envisaged for a while. Thus, the
above points present an advantageous period
to investors. That’s why we regard London
property market as a ‘Buyers’ Market’. In other
words, buyers have more bargaining power
nowadays. We think that an investor who in-
vest in the UK property market in the near fu-
ture will earn signifi
cant profi
t when he sells
his property at the end of fi
ve years.”
One London Property Group at the helm of
Emre Belge gives support to its customers
during their whole buying process which con-
tain houses and commercial properties.
The second most important question posed
by the potential buyers of house covers lo-
cation of the house… Regions such as East
London, surrounding of London River in
Greenwich, Thamesmead & Abbey Wood,
Bank Side, Waterloo and Southall come to the
fore in “Opportunity Areas” study of London
Municipality. Even though the properties in
Southeast London, particularly centre of Lon-
don are generally preferred for buying, their
yield is low because of being in expensive re-
gions. Forecasts of the industrial representa-
tives about London and the other regions are
similar to below:
East London and new metro
line are the favourite regions
• East London: East London offers lower
prices, so higher yield. Islington, and
North London which contains the upper
area lead the way as the regions open to
development. Newham, Barking and Da-
genham districts are prominent with af-
fordable prices.
• Kingston Upon Thames and Southwest
London: Richmond, Kingston, Wimbledon
and Putney maintain their popularity, since
they are preferred by especially Turkish
families due to the presence of schools,
accessibility and social environment.
• Surrounding of Elizabeth Metro/
Crossline: This metro line to be opened at
March 2021 links Heathrow airport to the
city centre. It is promising for the future in-
vestments on this line. The line accesses
to the following stops: Reading in North,
Abbey Wood in Southeast and Shenfi
eld
in Northeast London. It goes to Berkshire
and Essex as over ground via the existing
lines.
• South London: Property companies in-
tensively invest in Streetham, Croydon,
Clapham, Balham, Waterloo and Green-
wich districts in this area. These regions at-
tract potential buyers with its accessibility
to city centre via railway line, development
potentials and affordable prices as well.
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29. 29
TurkishBritish
Earning high profit from property invest-
ments require long-term plans. Ethem Berk
Türköver from İşbank pointed out the pos-
sibility to make loss in short-term trading of
properties if downward trend of property
prices continues. “We believe that the long-
term property investments for residence are
proper alternatives for our customers. With
respect to interest rates, we think that they
may gain a downward trend, considering the
environment of uncertainty and stagnation.
The economic negativities which may be ex-
perienced after Brexit may lead to interest
discounts to boost the market,” said he.
In addition to London, the regions such as
Manchester and Leeds shine out as the profit-
able cities for investment. In particular demand
for Birmingham, Bristol, Nothingham and Man-
chester which host universities has increased
nowadays. Professional property investors may
choose Liverpool and Newcastle for their prof-
itability. Besides, properties in Cambridge and
Edinburg are sold very quickly.
Thanks to its closeness to London and Cross-
Rail high-speed train which will start to give
service in 2021, Berkshire Region appeals in-
vestors. This region is particularly preferred
by the British citizens who seek for classical
lifestyle, large spaces and gardens. Hosting
events such as Royal Ascot races and Henley
Royal Regatta, Berkshire involves a lot of man-
sions featured as the country’s most expensive
ones. Furthermore, this segment shows utmost
interest in Scotland.
Bath, Richmond and Brighton are demanded
constantly. Former historical city centres are
positioned as luxury locations in which finding
a property is always more difficult.
Lastly, Essex, Surrey, Suffolk, Dartford and
Hampshire are popular regions for former resi-
dents of London.
Think long-term for
high profit!
Attractive regions other
than London
CEO of Allytta Real Estate Investments
Neşe Jenkins is hopeful about long-term in-
vestments. According to researches and anal-
yses regarding the future of property industry,
property prices and rent prices are anticipated
to go up by 14% and 10% from 2018 to 2022,
respectively. Estimations on the property price
index of HM Land Registry indicate that house
prices will increase by 56% in 2027. Neşe Jen-
kins gave recommendation to the investors
who want to purchase property only for invest-
ment as follows: “Find the best property in
London or focus on especially the council es-
tates, dorms, nursing homes and buildings of
mixed usage or the lands that are suitable for
construction in the regions out of London.”
She mentioned very high investment returns
and rent income of such properties. Moreover,
Jenkins specified that investing in property as
a company rather than a person provides ad-
vantages in both taxes and succession.
30. 30
SIGNIFICANT POINTS TO CONSIDER FOR PROPERTY INVESTMENT
WHAT ARE THE WAYS OF BUYING A HOUSE?
Invest for at least five years
CEO of Allytta Real Estate Investments,
Neşe Jenkins listed the following significant
points to consider for potential buyers of
property:
• First, determine your expectations very
well and think about your investment pur-
pose.
• Forget earning return in short term. Plan
an investment for at least fi
ve years against
the price trends which may be either
downward or upward.
• Do not regard your budget just as buying
expense. Add taxes, additional duties, at-
torney fees, investment and fi
nancial ad-
viser’s fees and the municipality and title
deed expenses to your budget.
• Use your reasonable effort to choose the
ideal region.
• Collaborate with a professional property
investment and management company.
• Get information about the planned reno-
vations and extra payments before buying
the property.
New projects generate higher
returns than old ones
Director of KATRIN Properties Ltd, Kerem
Yavuzarslan made the following sugges-
tions:
• If you purchase a house for renting out,
contact the right bank, make a long-term
loan agreement and take the rent income
into account. New projects generate high-
er rent income than old ones.
• If you want to purchase house for residing,
it should be close to the schools which
conform to the capacity of your children
and appreciated by them. Otherwise, they
may have several problems due to choos-
ing the wrong school.
• It should be noted while buying a property
for investment or residing that the newly-
built houses are always sold at a value
which is more than 10-15% of their market
value. The brand-new house will be pre-
owned on the date of its selling, so it will
be sold at least 10-15% cheaper than its
market value. Thus, it can reach its buying
price after four or fi
ve years.
Huseyin E. Huseyin from Bowling & Co Solicitors stated
that an investor in the UK can buy a property in two dif-
ferent ways:
• Freehold, means the outright ownership of the land
and the dwelling that sits on it and most houses in
England are owned on a freehold basis.
• Leasehold, is the second alternative to be preferred
for buying a property in the UK. In case of Leasehold,
a person with Freehold transfers another person his/
her right to use the property for a fi
xed term. This is
specifi
ed in a legal document called “Lease.” Term
of Leasehold is usually 125 years. It is essential for
transferee to get support from a law offi
ce, because
he/she will be bound to the conditions specifi
ed in
Lease. Most of the fl
ats in the UK are owned through
Leasehold.
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31. 31
TurkishBritish
• If a pre-owned house is bought, and then
sold after some renovations are made, its
value does not change under the condi-
tion that survey reports are issued properly
for purchasing the house.
• If income is signifi
cant for Turkish inves-
tors, they should buy their house which
has easy access, especially to metro line.
Queen Elizabeth Metro which is under
construction should be searched as prices
are low nowadays. Instead of fl
ats, a sepa-
rate house should be bought and the al-
ternative of making renovation should be
utilized.
• Besides, small towns out of London which
have smooth settlement should be taken
into account.
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COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION
32. 32
You can mortgage your house in Turkey and
buy a new one
Head of Retail & Personal Banking in İşbank
London Branch, Ethem Berk Türköver told ex-
clusive services of İşbank for Turkish citizens:
İşbank London Branch gives Long-Term Col-
lateralized Consumer Loan to the people who
want to buy a house in the UK. Properties in
Turkey can be mortgaged for this loan with a
maximum maturity of 15 years. The product
appeals to the possible buyers who want to
utilize own properties in Turkey or do not have
loan score in the UK. In this way, the properties
in Turkey which could not be sold or are not
preferred for selling in recent years because
of the market conditions, but have guarantee
value can be used.
If the loanee is the customer of İşbank, his/her
loan evaluation can be performed more quick-
ly. Guarantees of several customers kept by
any İşbank branch In Turkey can be accepted
without any need to extra process. İşbank Lon-
don branch is very familiar with the loan scores
of its customers in Turkey and assesses their
credibility, considering their income in Turkey
as well. Thus, these points generate advantage
during the loan process of İşbank in the UK. Re-
payments are performed either through an ac-
count to be opened in London branch or direct
debit instruction.
The product of İşbank for buying property
in the UK does not have the characteristics
of “mortgage.” This loan is in the form of “a
long-term consumer loan” and the properties
bought in the UK are not accepted as loan
guarantee, therefore it is not important for the
house to be purchased to be “leasehold, free-
hold or shared ownership.” When use of the
loan is preferred evaluation process depends
on the competence to pay back the loan. Ad-
ditionally, blocked deposit, bail or usually, the
mortgages on the properties in Turkey are ac-
cepted as guarantee.
Some of the İşbank customers who try to ar-
range own affairs newly and whose income is
expected to rise in the following years are of-
fered to pay only interest, and then the princi-
pal in the first year and the next years, respec-
tively. For example, in case of a 15-year loan,
the monthly payment amounts are quite low in
the first year while a bit higher monthly amount
is paid in remaining 14 years based on the prin-
cipal repayment.
İşbank London Branch offers a product called
“Overseas Mortgage” for buying of the prop-
erties in Turkey, as well. Its process is the same
with the standard process of mortgage loan
applied in Turkey. There are various loan op-
tions in British Pound with a maturity up to 15
years. It is an appropriate alternative for the
Turkish citizens in the UK who want to invest
in Turkey.
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33. TurkishBritish
PROCESS OF BUYING A HOUSE
A certain procedure should be followed to
buy a property in the United Kingdom. Its
process is as follows:
1. Selection of mortgage loan:
“Repayment mortgage” in which principal
and interest are paid back with periodic
payments in a defi
nite term, or “interest-
only mortgage” in which only interest is
paid during a certain period (generally 25
years) and principal is paid back at matu-
rity are the preferable mortgage types for
investors. Investors should consider all
costs, especially mortgage deposit, broker
fee, land registry fee and stamp duty as
well as choosing the most suitable mort-
gage type for the investor. Numerous cost
items such as deposit, land registry fee
and stamp duty to be paid by the investor
change based on the selling price of the
property sold.
2. Submission of the offer to seller:
An offer that aligns with the market value
is submitted to landowner or real estate
agency. After the offer is discussed with di-
alogue, the process starts with the agree-
ment of parties on price. In general, real
estate agency or landowner wants to see
the document which proves the availabil-
ity of money or mortgage loan, to assess
graveness of the buyer.
3. Evaluation of property:
Structural survey reports about the house
to be bought are prepared by authorized
and objective specialists after acceptance
of the offer. The reports sent are reviewed
by consultants of the buyer. The required
follow-ups are performed on behalf of the
buyer. In case of any problem, customer is
informed.
4. Hiring of an attorney:
If assistance of any consulting company
was not received in the beginning of the
process, an attorney should be hired at
this stage to conduct the sale process and
legal transactions.
5. Completion of sale:
Attorneys of both parties get involved and
sale process is initiated if positive opinion
is given in all reports. At the end of this
process which lasts between six and eight
weeks, any money transfer is performed at
the helm of the attorneys not to have dif-
fi
culty in money transfer. Very critical pro-
tective measures were taken for customer.
Your attorney applies to Land Registry for
sale record after the completion of money
transfer.
34. 34
Property service of 360 degrees
Quite elaborative procedures need to be fulfilled to purchase a property in the
UK. NY Maxx Construction aims to enable its customer to own the most profitable
property. For this purpose, the company provides service at all stages of the
process, including buying, renovation, legal procedures and judicial actions.
Established in London in 2017 with the aim of
giving “Consultancy, Design and Construc-
tion” services about housing and commercial
structures in construction, NT Maxx Construc-
tion renders a very wide range of service in
property industry today. Here are the services
of the company which was founded by Tuba
Kılıçarslan, Civil Engineer with an experience
of 21 years and a member of both Institution
of Structural Engineers and Kingston Cham-
ber of Commerce: to perform property invest-
ment consultancy, to search whether housing
and commercial locations conform to budget
and needs of the customer and particularly the
planned renovation, to conduct the feasibility
studies, to monitor all stages of the property
which may generate premium in short term,
until the completion of purchasing and to eval-
uate the research reports regarding the status
of the property.
However, the services of NT Maxx are not lim-
ited to above. Kılıçarslan listed their post pur-
chase services as follows: “Our project and
construction team provide service to obtain
the approval of the municipality for the pro-
jects needed to renew and enlarge the prop-
erty owned by our customer following the
buying process, and lastly, to give repair, re-
newal and construction services based on the
approved project.”
Buying a house in the United Kingdom is
a serious business
Tuba Kılıçarslan stated that they have offered
full range of services to numerous residents in
Turkey and in the UK as part of the property
buying process up to now. “Buying a house in
the UK is a serious process. It starts with de-
termination of the region which should be af-
fordable for our customer, and proceeds with
focusing on the profitability ratio and needs of
the customer before finding the right house,”
said she.
Kılıçarslan summarizes the remaining process
as follows: “The suitable house is found in line
with the demand of the customer. At the next
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35. 35
TurkishBritish
stage, it is decided whether to use the equity
capital of the customer or mortgage loan to
buy the property. According to the decision,
an offer which aligns with the market value is
submitted to landowner of the house or real
estate agency. The process begins after the
offer is discussed through dialogue and par-
ties agree on the price.”
After the property is determined, an elabora-
tive work starts by contacting the bank and the
experts for usage of loan and survey reports,
respectively. When such phases are completed
smoothly, money is transferred at the helm of
attorneys. NT Maxx continues to render service
In line with plans of the customer following the
completion of buying process.
Attractive regions change depending on
the expectation of customer
In recent years, investing in property in the
United Kingdom, especially in London has
become a remarkable investment alterna-
tive for both the residents of this country and
the international investors who want to earn
profit. The outstanding regions for investment
change based on the budget and investment
expectation of the person.
“London has entered into a renewal process in
which conventional architecture and modern
architecture are adapted. Sizable investments
in housing and business centres start from the
first region and continues till the sixth regions
of North settlements,” said Kılıçarslan. She
kept giving tips for choosing region in property
investment:
“These regions will be inviting if customer ex-
pects being involved in a brand-new project.
Nevertheless, investment costs of the regions
are too high and term of return on investment
is long term. If customer wants to convert his
investment into cash in short term, the ideal
option is either to buy and renovate old hous-
es on the route of metro lines and in the re-
gion of favourite schools, and then sell them
or to buy such old properties, divide them into
separate flats and them sell them. Showing
certain regions as attractive locations is not
right, because any region which meets the ex-
pectations of customer is always attractive.”
Even though she did not point out a definite
region, she talked as follows: “I live in King-
ston Upon Thames region. Most of the Turkish
families who have recently begun to live pre-
ferred Richmond, Kingston, Wimbledon and
Putney due to the successful schools in these
regions, easy access and social environment.”
The ideal buying method should be
chosen
Here are the methods of buying a house or
flat in the United Kingdom… There are two
methods: freehold and leasehold. Leasehold
provides ownership of a definite term between
100 and 1000 years. Besides, territory of the
property is not owned by the buyer. Instead,
buyer makes an annual payment for territory.
As the term decreases, processes such as re-
ducing the sale price and extending the year
in return for its value need to be carried out.
In Leasehold, the permission of landowner
should be received for any renovation.
Freehold is possible for separate houses and
the buildings turned from house to flat. This
category is dived into freehold and sharehold.
In both sale types, title deed of the house or
flat as well as the territory belongs to the buyer
and any other value does not need to be paid.
“This system usually resemble the system ap-
plied in Turkey, so we advise this alternative to
our Turkish customers,” said Kılıçarslan.
Mortgage does no cover renovation
cost
Another point should be considered during
the process of buying house. If an old house
which requires maintenance is purchased, re-
ceiving interior architecture and repair services
raise the value of house. If the house will be
rented out, certain conditions need to be met.
Kılıçarslan underlined that renovation expenses
are not covered by mortgage. “Mortgage pays
only a definite ratio of the house price deter-
mined by the appraiser sent to house by the
bank. You may have to use other loans or your
own resources to pay for the other expenses.
Costs vary based on the demands of customer
and condition of the house,” said she.
36. 36
36
Elif Shafak:
“Roots are plural, not singular!”
Nominated for the Booker Prize with her last
novel “10 Minutes 38 Seconds”, Elif Shafak
touched on the signifi
cance of her readers and
stated that she does not care criticisms of the
elite class. Shafak talked about her authorship
on Istanbul - London line, phenomenon of
migration and the criticisms directed to her in
Turkey.
The newest novel of Elif Shafak, “10
Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange
World” was published in June. The nov-
elist was criticized for including paedo-
phile elements in her novel “The Gaze.”
Besides, she was accused of plagiarism
in her novels “Honour” and “Architect’s
Apprentice.” Last book of the ingenious
author “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This
Strange World” was shortlisted for one
of the world’s most reputable literary
awards, the Booker Prize.
INTERVIEW
Interview: Nida Dinçtürk
Photos: Ali Köse
According to the recent scientifi
c stud-
ies, activity of the human brain contin-
ues for a while after death. This period
may last 10 minutes 38 seconds at most.
The theme of the novel is based on this
subject. Shafak focuses on 10 minutes
38 seconds following the death of a sex
worker named Tequila Leyla who lives
in Istanbul. The novel is enhanced with
several elements such as last moments
of Leyla, late political history of Turkey,
women and LGBTI+ rights, urban mem-
ory, family, friendship, migration and
alterity which are nourished from each
other and constitute almost the whole
shoot of life in Turkey.
Your novel “10 Minutes 38 Seconds”
has been shortlisted for the Booker
Prize. How do you feel?
I’m blissful. I’m honoured by being
nominated for such a substantial literary
award as a Turkish novelist. Authorship
requires isolation from social environ-
ment, therefore seeing that my readers
AFTERNOON TEA
37. 37
37
like me after publishing of this book, my
story affected their hearts and minds,
and it is felt by them as well... This is
always invaluable for me. It has been
25 years since the publishing of my fi
rst
novel. Being nominated for the Booker
Prize in the 25th year of my career is a
fantastic gift.
I’M VERY FAMILIAR WITH
STAYING IN LIMBO
10 Minutes 38 Seconds is a multi-level
book. For me, the first salient point
is that it is a narrative of “those who
belong to nowhere.” Namely, to the
city, own body, life… What made you
pursue those people?
I think minorities have always become
an essential part of my literature. Ethni-
cal, cultural and sexual minorities. All the
time, I’ve cared for the stories of rejected
and marginalized people as well as the
deleted stories, in other words out his-
tory. Both in the past and today. That’s
why I listened to my heart and preferred
telling the story of the individuals pulled
off the road, rather than the ones in the
centre. My life has a primary infl
uence
on this. Secondly, my character affects.
I’ve felt marginalized so many times
since my childhood! I was born abroad.
I came to Ankara from Strasburg. I was
raised by two women: my mother and
my grandmother. I never grew in an
ordinary family environment. For ex-
ample, I recognized my father and my
step brothers from his second marriage
too late. I was twenty something. Later,
I went abroad to have education. I was
the only Turk there. I felt marginalized
again. I returned, but continued to feel
like an isolated stranger. Hence I’m very
familiar with listening out the stories of
others. I don’t act superfi
cially. Having
no sense of belonging, trying to hold
on, staying in limbo… Therefore names
and subjects of my books aren’t coinci-
dence. I’ve usually experienced being
in limbo and failing at holding on. I’m
quite familiar with those feelings.
“MY LITERATURE HAS A
CONNECTION WITH ISTANBUL”
You’ve been in London for a while.
You define here as your home. On the
other hand, I know your attachment
for Turkey. To which place do you feel
you belong? Do you feel you stay in
limbo?
According to me, people may belong
to more than one place. I’ve always
objected to a single identity, especially
the policy of being reduced to a single
identity, so I was criticized for being
rootless. I think roots are already plural,
not singular. Namely, you’re nourished
by many places. Even, I always relish the
metaphor of compass: My literature has
a connection with İstanbul like the fi
xed
foot of a compass. However, the other
foot of the compass can draw a huge
circle and stroll around the world. Litera-
ture can be both local and universal. I
believe in this principle from the heart.
I approach to nationalism, tribalism
and collective identities quite critically.
I think limbo where you’re alone is the
ideal location for art. You stay not only
deep inside in everything, but also out
of everything a little bit. Perhaps, this is
loneliness for the artist, but it’s the right
point.
BRAIN DRAIN OF TURKEY GAINS
MOMENTUM
Migration is another influential ele-
ment in “10 Minutes 38 Seconds.”
You had focused on the twinges of
migration in “Honour.” Nevertheless,
there’s a remarkable white-collar mi-
gration other than migration of work-
ers, in Turkey today because of some
reasons such as education, working,
sexual orientation and sexual identity.
What do you think about this issue?
“
Literature
embraces
troublesome
topics.
Unfortunately,
sexual
discrimination,
sexual violence
and child
marriages in
Turkey are
the facts of
our lives. In
my opinion,
politicians
should
primarily
change the
patriarchal
laws if they’re
intimate.
“
38. 38
38
I attach utmost importance to this ques-
tion. There’s a signifi
cant migration
wave from Turkey. This issue needs to
be analysed and searched. Brain drain
is the other side of the coin. It’s a great
loss for a country. Brain drain has gained
momentum as Turkey began to lose de-
mocracy and hope for democracy. An
article regarding this subject was re-
cently published in the New York Times.
Brain drain of Turkey particularly within
the last three years paints a picture as
if our country has undergone a great
civil war or substantial tragedies. On the
other side, more people recognize dif-
ferent cultures, learn various languages
and express themselves. Perhaps, they
adopt the identity of global citizen. This
is the promising aspect of brain drain.
It’s very interesting to witness that the
people who won’t share even a bread
easily are in solidarity abroad with the
sense of homesickness and even ex-
ile. I see that the solidarity networks
strengthen as the diversity and migra-
tion reasons of Turkish citizens abroad
increase. We may call it diaspora. This
is a pro, but ultimately, I wish Turkey
gains its democracy soon. Brain drain is
directly associated with it. Momentum
of brain drain shows the abundance
of people feeling unwelcome in their
country.
I MIND THE INSPIRATION AND
SINCERE ENERGY OF THE
READER
In Turkey, you’re not only liked, but
also criticized for your literature,
statements and political stance. What
are the reasons?
Turkey is already such a place! Unfortu-
nately, almost everyone has to deal with
negativities! But you may get more re-
actions if you’re a novelist and woman
and begin to question different ideas. In
particular, elite class, including cultural
and political elites may react consider-
ably. I’m very familiar with this issue as
well. On the other hand, our country
has very nice and inseparable readers
of literature. I think readers are gener-
ally treated unfairly, because they don’t
clamour, they don’t write opinion col-
umns in newspapers, they don’t talk
on TV and they are pretty intimate. The
readers of literature in Turkey share a
book only if they like it. Otherwise, they
don’t read no matter what they say. I
always mind the inspiration and sincere
energy of the reader. Obviously, I didn’t
give weight to reactions of elite class.
According to me, you can’t fi
nd place
in public sphere as a women if you sink
into the destructive criticisms too much.
Besides, I’m aware of that the way of
criticizing a female novelist is never the
same with the way of criticizing a male
novelist. You’re always underestimated
and disdained if you’re a woman, so it’s
more challenging for female journalists,
academicians, politicians and authors
in a patriarchal country like Turkey. All
in all, I do the work I enjoy. Therefore
I don’t care who wrote about me and
what they said, so much. Several col-
umnists In Turkey may criticize a book
which they didn’t read, hence con-
sidering the criticisms of such people
isn’t logical. I only listen to my readers.
Those who criticize my novels sincerely
are always most welcome.
You concentrate on women’s rights
very intensely in this book. Do you
think Turkey has really made progress
in women’s rights?
I don’t think so. On the contrary, I think
Turkey has regressed about this issue
and this isn’t a coincidence. The narra-
tive ends in 1990. I wanted to remind
the terrible discussion made in that peri-
od. How dare lawmakers suggest remis-
sion for raping prostitutes at that time?
They received a signifi
cant reaction of
society. Women were in more solidarity.
However, we lost that such unity today.
uuu
“
But you may
get more
reactions
if you’re
a novelist
and woman
and begin
to question
different ideas.
In particular,
elite class,
including
cultural and
political elites
may react
considerably.
“
39. 39
TurkishBritish
39
TurkishBritish
I’d like to call attention to this issue.
Women disintegrated further as the
politics in Turkey got ill-tempered and
become patriarchal. Despite having
different opinions and perspectives,
we own common points. We can solve
the sexual abuse problem jointly if
it affects all of us. The women in the
countries like Turkey are obliged to
show solidarity beyond politics. Nev-
ertheless, we can’t achieve this. Thus,
only patriarchal minds win.
One of the characters I cared most
in this novel is a transvestite, Nalan.
You know Pride March is banned in
Turkey for a while. In contrary, the
Pride March in London has witnessed
record attendance this year. How do
you feel about this adversity?
Here, the Major provides great sup-
port to this event as well. According to
me, support of a Muslim major in such
an organization is crucial. Huge ban-
ners are unfurled here every year. They
send promotive messages to support-
ers of the Pride March in İstanbul which
couldn’t be held. This is invaluable for
me. I can’t understand why some peo-
ple are treated like a second-class citi-
zen for their sexual identities, ethnical
identities or any reason… Hence I be-
lieve in LGBTI rights sincerely and ad-
vocate and support them. I think this is
an issue to be discussed emphatically.
After the book named “Zümrüt Apart-
ment” caused indignation, your novel
“The Gaze” was criticized severely for
containing statements associated with
paedophilia.
It’s not easy for a novelist in Turkey
to question the political taboos. Fur-
thermore, writing about sexuality is
challenging, particularly for female au-
thors. The recent hysteria in our coun-
try majorly (95% of it) consists of the
messages spread by bots and trolls. In
other words, they are not the reactions
of readers. First, we should separate
them. Literature embraces troublesome
topics. Unfortunately, sexual discrimina-
tion, sexual violence and kid brides in
Turkey are the facts of our lives. In my
opinion, politicians should primarily
change the patriarchal laws if they’re
intimate. First, the judges who made
bold to speak about the skirt length
of female lawyers at courts should be
questioned. Moreover, they need to
open women’s shelter for the women
and children subjected to violence. In
contrast, women’s shelters are closed.
Instead of messing with the state-
ments of authors, many serious prob-
lems should be addressed. Disingenu-
ity is at the highest level. To talk about
my literature, I’ve always defended the
rights of women, sexual minorities, hu-
man and children as well as freedom of
speech. All the time, I’ve tried to tell
the stories of others from their aspect.
For this reason, being exposed to such
severe criticisms hurts me signifi
cantly.
“THE COUNTRIES LACK OF DE-
MOCRACY LOSE THEIR SENSE OF
HUMOUR”
I’ve felt that you included more hu-
morous expressions in this novel,
compared to the former ones. I read
the part about cemetery chucklingly
even though it’s a quite sorrow-
ful scene. Did you write in this way
knowingly? And why?
In fact, I believe in a dialectic whole-
heartedly. I adore humour and set a
premium on it. I’ll come to the same
point, but I think the countries exposed
to authoritarianism lose their sense
of humour. Humour is a kind of resist-
ance. Humour is oxygen and opens a
breathing space for us. I show utmost
respect to humour and regard it as an
art branch. I place special emphasis on
a dialectic for authors as well: I enjoy
touching on the tragic subjects with hu-
mour. I enjoy capturing the melancholy
in humour as well. May be, such dialec-
tic is included in all novels I wrote, with
different intensities. You’re right, my last
novel contains more remarkable, bolder
and more assertive humour. By the way,
I don’t mean patronizing, sneering and
condescending humour here. I mention
humour which is compassionate, so I
exist in my humour as well. I may laugh
at myself, but kindly. According to me,
that compassion should always accom-
pany with humour.
“
To talk about
my literature,
I’ve always
defended
the rights of
women, sexual
minorities,
human and
children
as well as
freedom of
speech. All
the time, I’ve
tried to tell
the stories of
others from
their aspect.
For this
reason, being
exposed to
such severe
criticisms
hurts me
significantly.
“
40. 40
40
UK - Turkey Business Forum
held in Istanbul
The 10th UK-Turkey Business Forum, which brought together the business
communities of both countries, covered a wide range of issues including post-
Brexit perspective, advanced technology, fi
nance and infrastructure, energy,
manufacturing and construction. “Turkey is one of the major investment centres
with a really strong economy” said TBCCI Chairman Alderman Emma Edhem.
The 10th UK-Turkey Business Forum, to
which Turkish British Magazine was an at-
tendee as well, was held in Hilton Istanbul Bos-
phorus.
The opening speech of the 10th forum, which
was organised by the Turkish British Cham-
ber of Commerce and Industry (TBCCI) with
the contributions of the Presidency of the
Republic of Turkey Investment Offi
ce and the
Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey
(DEIK), was made by TBCCI Chairman Alder-
man Emma Edhem. “Both countries have really
solid political, social and economic relations.
Turkey is one of the most important investment
centres with a strong economy” she said. The
forum was attended by numerous guests, in-
cluding the British Ambassador to Turkey Sir
Dominick Chilcott.
“Turkey is one of the
major markets in the
world”
Mentioning the op-
portunities that will
arise in the post-Brexit
period in her speech,
Emma Edhem said
“Brexit brings signifi
cant opportunities for Tur-
key to develop its economic and commercial
relations with the UK. One of the main reasons
for this is that the UK will develop an independ-
ent commercial policy upon leaving the EU. In
particular, the main objective of the UK is to
improve our current and future business rela-
tions as much as possible.”
Drawing attention to the fact that especially
the innovation companies operating in Turkey
and other regional countries still prefer the UK
market to reach to customers, Emma Edham
said “Both countries have really solid political,
social and economic relations. Turkey is one
of the most important investment centres with
a strong economy. Along with its young and
hardworking population, liberal investment en-
vironment with the labour force in high-quality,
strong infrastructure, geographical advantage
by its proximity to the world`s energy hubs, and
the low tax rates and investment incentives of-
fered by the Turkish government, Turkey is one
of the most important markets in the world.”
“$2,4 billion at risk
to the detriment of
Turkey!”
In her speech, Trade
Minister Ruhsar
Pekcan said that UK
Trade Minister Eliza-
beth Truss’s statement
“We will establish free
trade zones and ports in the UK after Brexit”
overlaps with Turkey`s ongoing projects in
this country. In addition, she pointed out that
as there may be some problems in the post-
Brexit era with regards to customs duties and
customs clearance procedures, they have es-
tablished a special working group to deal with
these issues.
Minister Pekcan said that Turkey seems to be
the most negatively affected country in a no-
deal Brexit situation. “The UN’s reports show
that $2.4 billion worth of trade between Turkey
and the UK is at risk to the detriment of Tur-
key. Our own studies, impact analyses, and the
results of our consultations with international
consultancy fi
rms, show the loss could go up to
3 billion dollars. Automotive, textiles, apparel,
white goods and electronics are the most af-
fected sectors. $2 billion in the automotive sec-
tor, $1.3 billion in textiles and electronics, and
BUSINESS
41. 41
TurkishBritish
41
TurkishBritish
$500 million in white goods will, unfortunately,
be affected.” he said.
“We invite British in-
vestors to invest in
Turkey”
Chief of the Presiden-
tial Investment Offi
ce
Arta Ermut said “We
invite British investors
to invest in Turkey.
There are great oppor-
tunities here.” Pointing out to the ambiguities
caused by Brexit, Ermut said “This process un-
doubtedly raises some concerns. As the world
goes through such a period, such ambiguities
bring opportunities along with concerns. Our
professional colleagues in the private sector
have great experience in crisis management
and how to recover immediately. Turkey has
a proven track record in emerging markets in
bouncing back from the crisis” he said.
Stressing the regional confl
icts and crises
around Turkey, Ermut said: “We, as Turkey, are
located in this region for centuries. We know
how to survive in times of crises. We cannot ex-
pect the West to fully understand our situation.
This region contains many opportunities as well
as having many crises. We ask our allies to trust
our experience, especially our crisis manage-
ment experience. Foreign direct investment to
Turkey is under constitutional protection. We
want stability not only for Turkey, but also for
the wider region.” he said.
“Maintaining a strong
partnership is to the
benefit of Turkey and
the UK”
Highlighting the fact
that the UK has been
one of the most impor-
tant allies of Turkey for
many years, Turkey-UK
Business Council Presi-
dent of DEIK Remzi Gür stated that the bilat-
eral relationship between the two countries
dates back to 1500s. Noting that the economic
relations between Turkey and the UK should
be considered in a different perspective in the
context of Brexit-related changes looming on
the horizon, Gur said “Regardless of the evolu-
tion of the state of affairs, I see great benefi
t to
both countries in maintaining the strong part-
nership between them. Turkey`s participation
in Britain’s agreements with other countries as
a trade partner will be in the interest of both
sides.“ He said that especially the operations
of three thousand British companies in Turkey
and the fact that the UK ranks in the fi
rst four
biggest investor countries in Turkey are among
the main factors behind the strengthening
partnership between the two countries.
One out of every three televisions
sold in the UK is Vestel!
Vestel’s CEO Turan Erdoğan, one of the speak-
ers at the forum, said that with its 400 employ-
ees, Vestel has been operating in the UK for
over 30 years since 1985 and exporting to this
country.
Pointing that one out of every three televisions
sold in the UK is Vestel, Erdoğan told that they
manufacture for 19 different brands in Turkey
and sell their products in the UK under various
brands.
Mentioning the fact that Vestel’s total turnover
in the UK reached £300 million, Erdoğan said
that the company’s decision regarding moving
their HQ to London will be shaped by the result
of Brexit process.
Erdoğan also touched upon the Brexit pro-
cess, fi
nished by saying: “If a no-deal Brexit
happens, there will happen many negotiations
between Turkey and the UK and Turkey will
become a third country as a result. Both sides
need to shoulder responsibility on that matter.
We are more than satisfi
ed with our conditions
in the UK and I hope that very rational solutions
can be found and the discussions and negotia-
tions ahead of us will have a positive result.”
42. 42
Panel on Brexit by DEIK’s
Turkey - UK Business Council
Ambassador Faruk Kaymakçı, was one of the speakers in the “Turkey-UK Business
Council Brexit Panel” organised by DEIK, where experts commented on the report
regarding the opportunities and risks that Brexit would present for the relations
between the UK and Turkey.
The most comprehensive report on Brexit in
Turkey, “The Political and Economic Risks
and Opportunities in the Turkey-UK-EU Rela-
tions”, was prepared and presented by the
Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey
(DEIK) in the “Turkey and the Brexit Process:
Risks and Opportunities” seminar hosted and
organised by DEIK’s Turkey-UK Business Coun-
cil.The report outlined the risks and opportuni-
ties that Turkey may be faced with, under the
various scenarios of the Brexit process. It was
emphasized that Turkey should sign a Free
Trade Agreement with the UK and become a
party to the Customs Union agreements, forth-
with.
The Turkey-UK Business Council’s “Turkey and
the Brexit Process: Risks and Opportunities”
event took place in Istanbul on 18 Septem-
ber 2019, with the participation of Mr. Faruk
Kaymakçı, the Turkish Deputy Minister of For-
eign Affairs, Mr. Dominick Chilcott, the UK
Ambassador in Ankara, Ms. Judith Slater Brit-
ish Consulate-General in Istanbul, Mr. Remzi
Gür, President of the DEIK Turkey UK Business
Council, Ms. Elif Gürsoy, the Director General
for EU and Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of
Economy, Assoc. Prof. Yaprak Gürsoy, Faculty
of Aston University, and Ms. Nicola Walker Di-
rector of Government Affairs, Europe, of the
Ford Motor Company.
The opening remarks in the “Turkey-UK Busi-
ness Council Panel on Brexit” organised by
DEIK were presented by Mr. Faruk Kaymakçı,
the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Di-
rector of EU Affairs. Pointing out that a referen-
dum was held in the UK in 2016, Kaymakçı said
that “All of the current arguments are based
on the results of this referendum. The results
gave rise to an ambiguity. The UK historically
held two referendums with regard to the EU
[membership]”.
Kaymakçı further added that “If the UK leaves
the EU today, taking out
those people who voted
in the referendum in 2016
and have passed away in
the meantime and with-
out adding new voters,
then Brexit itself becomes
automatically void. 80%
of the young people voted
for UK to remain in the EU.” Pointing out that
this referendum had actually not been bind-
ing, Kaymakçı said the following: “This refer-
endum is of an advisory nature. If you are in
the continent of Europe, you do not have the
luxury of staying outside the EU. I deem that
EU membership, 90 out of 100, is a benefit. In
my opinion Brexit will harm the EU, the UK as
well as Turkey. One of the subjects we address
in the negotiations with the UK is Cyprus. As
you know, the UK has bases in the island of Cy-
prus.”
“Turkey’s exports to the UK is
18.6 billion USD.”
Mr. Remzi Gür, President of the DEIK Turkey-
UK Business Council commented that “The UK
is Turkey’s second largest partner in Europe.
In 2016, Britain considered leaving the Euro-
BUSINESS
43. 43
TurkishBritish
pean Union. We tried to enter the EU, but we
could not. The UK wants to leave for particular
reasons, but the separation process has yet to
be decided by the UK and the EU” he said.
Noting that Britain’s invest-
ment in Turkey is around 10
billion dollars, Gür added
that, “Close to 3 thousand
UK businessmen are doing
business in Turkey. Since
Turkey’s exports to the UK
are $18.6 billion, what will
be our losses if the UK
leaves the EU without a deal? According to
the Minister of Trade, Turkey could lose $2.5
billion or $3 billion in such a case. I think the
UK will recover and continue its trade in a short
time. Britain is one of the largest countries in
the world. If we also suffer from this situation, I
think we will recover in a short time.”
“In case of Brexit with a deal, an FTA can be
signed with Turkey“
Speaking at the opening of the event, the
British Ambassador to Ankara, Mr. Dominick
Chilcott said that the rela-
tions between Britain and
Turkey would be good in
the long term, however the
short term could be a little
turbulent. Stressing that
Brexit is one of the main
factors that will determine
the relations between the
two countries, Chilcott said, “If a hard Brexit
occurs, we will have some important legal
and administrative challenges ahead of us.”
Chilcott noted that Brexit is a very complicated
process and there are too many variables: “No
one knows how to solve this problem and how
long it will last. Maybe a general election can
be held this fall, maybe not.” Dominick Chilcott
said there would be a transition period in the
case of a negotiated Brexit, during which time
things would continue as they were with the
EU, parallel to which a free trade agreement
(FTA) could be signed between Turkey and the
UK. Chilcott stressed that the FTA should be
signed between the two countries as soon as
possible and that this would depend on the
political will of the two governments. Post-
Brexit, relations with Turkey will be one of the
most important relations for the UK, Chilcott
said, “No matter which government is in pow-
er, our sentiments of mutual care will continue
and increase. These are both influential coun-
tries... How will we live as a neighbour to the
EU and how harmonised or how independent
we will be in regard to the EU... These are the
big questions we have in common.”
“The best scenario for us is for Britain to
remain in the Customs Union”
Dr. Yaprak Gürsoy, Asso-
ciate Professor at Aston
University, who presented
the report on Political
and Economic Risks and
Opportunities in Brexit:
Turkey-UK-EU Relations
said: “We have prepared
a comprehensive report in order to present
a historical perspective, to explain the Brexit
process, to share the political implications,
economic impacts and the results of a process
with an uncertain end, by compiling and col-
lecting the information we have obtained from
all sources.” The report pointed out that Turkey
will be the country most affected by the terms
of an economically harsh Brexit, Gürsoy added
that, “Bilateral efforts should continue to sign
an free trade agreement between the UK and
Turkey, immediately. The best scenario for us
is for Britain to remain in the Customs Union.”
44. 44
BUSINESS
“Turkey will reach
45 million tourists”
President of TÜRSAB, Firuz Bağlıkaya said:
“When we look at the data on the number
of tourists who come to Turkey in the
course of 8 months, we get a percentage
of 14, whereas in August there is an
increase of 17 percent.”
President of TÜRSAB Firuz Bağlıkaya
said; “When we look at the data on
the number of tourists who come to
Turkey in the course of 8 months, we
get a percentage of 14, while in August
there is an increase of 17 percent. Tur-
key would then break a new record if
it succeeds in reaching these figures.”
In a statement with a correspondent
of the Anadolu agency, Bağlıkaya ex-
plained: “The importance of the Black
Sea region with its highlands and natu-
ral beauties goes beyond domestic
tourism as it begins to play an impor-
tant part of foreign tourism. Stressing
that the role the nature of the Black
Sea, its oxygen reserves and its cultural
assets play in tourism is growing day
by day. He expressed himself noted
“Compared to the Mediterranean and
Aegean regions, we cannot say that
it hosts enough tourists, but TURSAB
is working to increase the number of
tourists.”
While drawing attention to the fact
that the number of tourists in Turkey
has increased compared to last year
Bağlıkaya, continued and said: ”When
we look at the data on the number of
tourists who come to Turkey in the race
of 8 months, we get a percentage of 14,
while there is an increase of 17 percent.
45. 45
TurkishBritish
Turkey would then break a new record
if it succeeds in reaching these figures.
We also expect to break records in the
coming year and the number of tour-
ists will increase. As long as peace and
trust reign in our country, these num-
bers will increase every day.“
Emphasizing the fact that TÜRSAB is
working for the promotion of Turkey
Bağlıkaya said, “We will bring the travel
agency to the international fair, we will
occupy big stands in this fair. We will
bring the representatives of foreign
missions and Ambassadors serving
in Turkey in different places. In other
words, our union is more engaged than
ever in tourism and does not deal with
any other activity.” Noting that differ-
entiations such as “Arab, Russian” tour-
ists should not be used Bağlıkaya, said:
“We welcome various tourists for each
region of our country. Tourists from
some countries prefer the sea and
sand, while others are more interest-
ed in hot springs and nature tourism.
Some come for health tourism, others
for golf. We have the place that suits
everyone. It makes us happy that any
tourist public comes a little more. Last
year, the number of British tourists has
seen an unusual increase. It does not
bother anyone, but people ask, “is
Arab tourists number growing? May
The number of Arab tourists increase,
It is a very good thing. I wish more
tourists could come to our country. “
46. 46
BUSINESS EVENTS
Turkey to be featured
at the WTM Tourism Fair
World Travel Market (WTM), which brings together the world’s tourism giants, is
setting a new record this year. The fair, which will be held from 4 to 6 November,
will guide the new trends in tourism.
The World Travel Market (WTM), one
of the world ‘s largest tourist gather-
ings, opens its doors for its 40th edi-
tion this year. WTM London 2019, to be
held at the Excel London International
Convention Centre from 4 to 6 Novem-
ber 2019, should be completed with a
record level comparable to that of last
year. Bringing together the global tour-
ism industry, the trade show was held
last year with the participation of 5,000
companies from 182 countries.51,000
people attended the fair, where in-
dustrial agreements worth £2.8 billion
books have been concluded. The 2019
WTM is expected to set new records
above these numbers.
Turkish companies will be
present at the fair
As in previous years, WTM London will one
more time see the participation of many
Turkish companies in this year. The Associa-
tion of Turkey Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), will
participate in the exhibition with a stand of
120 m2
. The members of TÜRSAB who do not
have stands at the fair but wishing to organ-
ize meetings will be free to use the TÜRSAB
stands for meetings and business talks.
Izmir Development Agency, Belek Tourism In-
vestor Association (BETUYAB) Titanic Hotels,
MC Tourist Services, Diana Travel and OTI
Holding will also have stands at the fair.
What is on the agenda for WTM 2019?
Wendy Olson Killion, Global Vice President of
Expedia Group Media Solutions, will be a key-
note speaker at the Fair. In her speech to be
held the 5th of November speech at 4:15 pm,
Killion will focus on the success of new tech-
nologies used in tourism; she will also focus
on the needs of the customer. Travel Forward
London, organized as part of WTM, will meet
visitors as the fi
rst exciting event presenting
technologies and start-ups that can be used
in the travel industry.
On November 6th, the winners will receive
the “Best of Social Media” awards for their
national campaigns. At the WTM & Women
in Travel event, featuring women leaders in
the sector, participants will focus on entrepre-
neurship, mentoring, leadership, professional
and personal development.
In the session entitled ‘’Travel Leaders Speak:
UK Travel Markets – What to Expect in 2020’’
the state of national and international tourism
of the country during the previous year will be
evaluated and the effect Brexit is having and
will have on the markets will be discussed.
47. London Build 2019 Expo
27 - 28 November 2019, Olympia London – National Hall
The London Build 2019 Expo, where Turkish British Magazine will be the event
partner, will be held between 27-28 November in Olympia London. Attend to
learn of all the latest developments and opportunities in residential, commercial
and infrastructure build across Greater London and the UK.
London Build Expo, which will be
held in Olympia London on 27-28
November, has fi
rmly established the
reputation as the leading construction
and design show in the UK. The show is
free to attend and features 500+ speak-
ers, 220+ hours of CPD, 350+ exhibi-
tors and unrivalled networking events.
You can attend to learn of all the latest
developments and opportunities in resi-
dential, commercial and infrastructure
build across Greater London and the
UK.
London Build features the Festival of
Construction - making business in con-
struction fun. You can join thousands of
movers and shakers across the industry
as they come together for 2 jam packed
days of inspiring content, high level net-
working and entertainment including
live music, celebrity guests, street food,
beer festivals, prize giveaways and per-
formers, plus much more.
During the expo, you can connect with
25,000+ industry professionals and
meet senior fi
gures from across all top
100 companies from tier 1 contractors,
general contractors, architects, devel-
opers, house builders, engineers, gov-
ernment and 33 local councils across
greater London. This is the place to be if
you are keen to position yourself in front
of all the UK construction industry’s key
players.
Exciting networking events and
feature areas for 2019 include:
• Women in Construction
• Constructionline Meet the Buyers
• Festival of Construction
• LinkedIn Networking Lounge
• Humans of Construction Gallery
• Movement with Movember – First of its
kind collaboration! Prepare for a mous-
tache growing record attempt from the
construction industry
• Hub in the Pub – in partnership with the
CIOB
• Built Environment Networking Hub
• LGBT Feature
• Architects Hub featuring the latest ar-
chitectural designs and 3D models
across the capital
• Many more to be announced soon.
Find out more about the show and reg-
ister for your free tickets:
W: www.londonbuildexpo.com/Turkish-
BritishMagazine2019
P: 0203 058 2350
E: enquiries@londonbuildexpo.com
48. 48
Infrastructure investment
opportunities in Turkey!
EEL Events is proud to introduce its
8th PPP in Turkey Forum, taking place
on 13-14 November in Ankara.
innovation in project delivery can solve
challenges that PPP stakeholders have
recently faced.
Despite a large number of projects slat-
ed for implementation in the PPP sys-
tem, Turkey’s investment need in infra-
structure development is still significant.
It is calculated that in years 2016-2040
the investment requirement will reach
$975 bn of which approx $580 bn in
transport, $240 bn in energy, and $50
bn in the water sector.
Within the healthcare sector, Turkey
also has more opportunities in the pipe-
line. With 9 hospitals built already and
12 under construction, the government
has started a tender process to build 10
more city hospitals of the total capacity
of 12,300 beds.
https://eelevents.co.uk/
The event is the leading business
meeting bringing together a broad
range of speakers, panellists and discus-
sants to provide attendees with thought-
provoking commentary on main PPP
sectors: Healthcare, Transport, Energy
and Municipal Waste & Water Manage-
ment, identified by the Turkish Govern-
ment as the top priority infrastructure
areas needed investments. According
to the latest market reports, the robust
performance and attractiveness of PPP
sector in Turkey are evident. Ranked first
in the European markets, only between
2014-2018, Turkey brought to live 175
PPP projects with an investment value
of $127 bn, significant portion of which
were megaprojects like Istanbul Airport,
the Eurasian Tunnel, 1915 Çanakkale
Bridge and Ankara-Niğde Highway, as
well as PPP city hospitals, build across
the country.
Market overview
The 2019 edition will continue to pro-
vide investors and infrastructure prac-
titioners with a comprehensive update
on recently completed and under
construction PPP project as well as to
review options on how to best deliver
newly planned investments with last-
ing outcomes. A particular focus will be
given to lessons learnt and best prac-
tices in legal and financial frameworks
as well as how various approaches and
BUSINESS EVENTS
49. I Meet Hotel begins its 2020 European tour
Through this insightful conferences, I
Meet Hotel aims to give hoteliers keys
to higher revenue, new technologies,
innovative business models, trends in
marketing and media, and customer
loyalty. By bringing together infl
uen-
tial names in the hospitality industry
directly to the hoteliers who make the
decisions in the future of their estab-
lishment, I Meet Hotel serves as the
conduit to help build networks, busi-
ness opportunities, partnerships, and
sustainable services.
IMeet Hotel is the fi
rst global industry
event connecting hoteliers to the fu-
ture of hospitality and is making its next
stop in Istanbul at the Intercontinental
Hotel on January 15th, 2020. The con-
ference is geared to the regional com-
munity, however, the participants are
from hospitality groups that extend
globally. The event targets decision-
makers from each department in the
hospitality and travel industry, such as
sales, revenue, marketing, and business
development managers.
I Meet Hotel is funded solely by its ded-
icated sponsors. Sponsors of the event
not only provide the funds to produce
the event but are also directly involved
with the travel and hospitality industry.
By connecting sponsors directly to the
industry, attendees can fi
nd useful and
innovative solutions from sponsors to
ensure they are at the forefront of the
ever-changing landscape of hospitality.
The event put emphasis on the net-
working session which enables all the
participants to get to know each other,
talk, exchange experiences and devel-
op new business and personal relations.
It is the perfect occasion to inspire and
be inspired.
I Meet Hotel aims to encourage inno-
vation and customer excellence in hos-
pitality by putting together leaders and
speakers who shape the future of the
industry. Returning as one of the key
speakers is Bidroom.com’s Co-founder
and COO Michael Ros. Bidroom was
founded in 2014 to provide both ho-
teliers and travelers with a fairer online
travel community whereby travelers
have guaranteed lower prices for rooms
and hotels pay no commission due to
Bidroom’s unique membership.
Michael says I Meet Hotel provides an
informal and more exclusive environ-
ment meant to build lasting connections
and relationships within the hospitality
industry. It is a great event because it
brings together those who are extreme-
ly passionate about hospitality .
The conference is scheduled for 4 addi-
tion stops during 2020, so, If you miss
the Istanbul edition, you will have the
opportunity to join in Amsterdam, Paris,
Verona or Montreux.
As I Meet Hotel is an open format pro-
gram, the organizers invite silip the
travel and hotel community to join in
different capacities. To register for the
event visit;
www.imeethotel.com. Additionally, to
express interest to speak or sponsor the
event in Istanbul, please email;
info@imeethotel.com.
Istanbul at the Intercontinental Hotel on January 15th, 2020
50. 50
This year, Uzakrota will be organizing summit
with main sponsorship SKYhub, main sup-
porters Emirates Airline, Atlasglobal, and IRC
International Residency and Citizenship. This
year’s event further expands its concept and
content with the participation of more than
4.000 local and foreign tourism professionals
in 3 conference rooms, 6 stages and addition
Hotelspro B2B Area and HotelRunner Lounge.
Uzakrota Travel Summit which has chosen as
one of the most effective 10 tourism events by
Bidroom, in 2018. This year will be 150 senior
speakers, more than 500 tourism brands, more
than 100 fair participants and 4000 local and
foreign tourism professionals at Uzakrota Travel
Summit.
SKYhub Main Hall, Neredekal Tourism Tech,
Emirates Tourism Marketing Halls, Turkish Air-
Uzakrota Travel Summit Istanbul
Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus on December 13th
After the Uzakrota European Summit in the Rocketspace London on 27 September
which was organized with the participation of 250 tourism professionals, summit
will take place at the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus on December 13th
which will
organize with participation of the 4000 people.
lines Corporate Club Travel Stage, Internation-
al Residency & Citizenship Stage and Startup
Stage will be prepared simultaneously with 6
different stages. In addition, will be provide
create new collaborations in the HotelRunner
Lounge and Hotelspro B2B Area.
Speakers becoming clear
Gabriele Milani, Director-Publicity Offi
ce of the
Italian Ministry of Tourism, David Gunnarsso,
CEO-Meta Search’s brand Dohop, Marija Labo-
vic, Director-National Tourism Organization of
Serbia, Yıldıray Karaer, CEO-Corendon Airlines
Group, Erkunt Öner, CEO-Tura Tourism, Baki
Özarslan, CEO-Valstur, Ayşe Yağcı, CEO-Jules
Verne, Mary Papathanasiou, CEO-stglobe,
Hubert Viriot, CEO-Yotel Global, Chris Nader,
Vice President-Shaza Hotels, Harika Kızılhan,
General Manager-Turk Ekspres, Ömer Küçük-
dere, CEO-Nestpick, Nikita Dedik, CEO-Road
Travel, Fernanda Barrence Mutz, CEO-The
Trip Boutique, Aslı Erkan, General Manager-
Aviareps Turkey, Beyhan Çalık, Business Devel-
opment Manager-Travelport Turkey, with the
participation of these names below more than
150 speakers will be at Uzakrota Travel Summit
2019.
For more information;
https://www.uzakrota.com/summit19
BUSINESS EVENTS