On May 2-9, 2015, ATC President Howard Beasey and Director of Membership Development and Programs Fatih Orhan travelled to Istanbul, Turkey to attend the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF). The trip also featured a series of productive meetings with current and prospective members, as well as Turkish government officials. The week-long trip allowed the ATC to briefly attend the 21st International Energy & Environment Fair & Conference (ICCI) where President Beasey met with several energy companies interested in the ATC’s efforts to further the U.S.-Turkey economic partnership.
The ATC had substantive discussions in meetings with representatives from TOBB and President of MÜSİAD Nail Olpak concerning potential areas of cooperation. Meetings with Turkish Airlines Chairman İlker Aycı and representatives from Istanbul Kültür University addressed further steps the ATC could take on its members’ behalf. President Beasey and Fatih Orhan also met with representatives from the Turkish Steel Industry to explore ways the ATC could help them more effectively navigate the U.S. market.
The trip represents the ATC’s most recent engagement, outreach, and advocacy efforts on behalf of their members. President Beasey noted that the meetings with government officials, including Turkey’s Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz, addressed “being good allies and supporting one another” during this crucial juncture in the bilateral relationship.
Before returning to Washington, DC, President Beasey delivered a keynote speech at the Global Leadership Forum, organized by ATC Golden Horn member Bahçeşehir University, articulating the need for advancement of the U.S.-Turkey relationship in service of a safer, more prosperous world. “As a business organization, [the ATC has] been hard at work communicating on behalf of commercial ties between the U.S. and Turkey, and we are optimistic that with more knowledge about the vast economic potential of the relationship, we can play a part in fomenting strong bonds and contributing positively to the broader relationship,” he said.