The 4th edition of the Transforming Leadership Summit, which brings together 250 of Turkey’s leading business executives and academics each year, has been successfully held.Hosted by EKONOMİ Newspaper, in collaboration with PwC and with Sabancı Holding as the main sponsor, the summit took place between October 9–11 at Elite World Grand Sapanca.Under the theme “Winning Today in the Uncertainty of Tomorrow,” the business world came together to explore the concept of uncertainty, leadership within uncertainty, and new business models for a changing world.
Fuat Tosyalı, Chairman of the Board of Tosyalı Holding, BMC, and TOGG, emphasized that the steel industry is one of the most critical sectors in the fight against global warming, drawing attention to its significant share in carbon emissions:
“The heat and carbon generated during steel production have a serious impact on the climate. Carbon border regulations have come into effect in Europe, and everyone is trying to increase production using renewable energy. We are also part of this transformation. While one thousand tons of steel produced with coal emits an average of 2.5 tons of carbon, we have reduced this to as low as 650 kilograms. Once it drops below 500 kilograms, the decarbonization target will be achieved.”
Fuat Tosyalı stated that Tosyalı Holding has started investing in hydrogen-based production to reduce its carbon footprint in steel, saying:“We haven’t yet been able to use hydrogen directly as a fuel in steel production, but we’re very close.”
“Not Zero Carbon, But Reasonable Carbon Is Possible”
Tosyalı emphasized that true zero-carbon production is technically not possible, stating, “Even when producing with solar energy, the carbon emissions from the facilities where the panels are manufactured must be taken into account.” He highlighted that instead of aiming for absolute zero, efforts should focus on achieving “reasonable levels” of carbon emissions.
Tosyalı stated that energy is at the core of the group's strategy, saying:“As a holding, we are investing 1.5 gigawatts in renewable energy. We’ve currently reached a capacity of 300 megawatts, and within a year and a half, we’ll reach 1.5 gigawatts. At that point, more than half of the electricity we consume will come solely from solar power. In steel, everything is about energy once you solve the energy issue, the rest follows.”
Touching on global competition, Tosyalı said:“I’m not fond of imports. Steel imports, especially from China, are disrupting the balance of the industry. With its scale economy and state support, China finds a way into every market. We are late in taking necessary precautions.”
“We Are Not Late with TOGG, Sustainability Is Key”
Tosyalı emphasized that TOGG made the right move at the right time in the electric vehicle transition, stating,“TOGG was not late in the shift to 100% electric vehicles, which is the demand of the era. As many vehicles are produced, they are sold. Now, the important thing is to move forward with more models.”
He highlighted that while price is important, sustainability has become even more critical, saying,“Vehicles that seem attractive today may face parts shortages tomorrow. I am not happy about the waste of Türkiye’s scarce resources.”
Altay Tank to Join Turkish Armed Forces Inventory on October 28
Tosyalı announced that the opening of the new factory in Ankara will take place on October 28, the same day the Altay Tank will be delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces. Saying, “The Altay Tank will now be known as the ‘New Altay,’” Tosyalı added that technology has advanced rapidly since the tender process, leading to the implementation of many innovations during production.
Recalling that a limited number of engines from Korea were used in the initial prototypes, Tosyalı stated that a domestic and national tank engine has now been developed and testing is ongoing without interruption. “Currently, more than 300 engineers are testing tanks on the production line,”
Highlighting that the majority of production at the factory is carried out through automation systems, Tosyalı added, “While we are talking here, robots in the factory continue production nonstop. Alongside human labor, technology has now become the main factor.”
We Positioned TOGG as a Smart Device for a Connected World
During the summit, Vahap Munyar and Fuat Tosyalı invited TOGG’s CEO Gürcan Karakaş, who was among the audience, to the stage and asked him about the latest developments. Karakaş summarized as follows:“Uncertainties in the automotive world began 10 years ago. At a point where all competitors were aligned at the same pace, our country, responding to the call of our President, saw brave entrepreneurs step forward. This investment was made. When we started, I thought: This is worth trying. We set out as a new player, fully backed by a committed management team. First, we established our own facility and team. Within just 12 days, we had received 177 orders. However, more importantly, we built an infrastructure that would enable differentiation for sustainable competition. We are all part of the digital world, and we positioned TOGG as a smart device for a connected world. With our first model, we aimed to succeed in our own country first to strengthen our brand. Our second step was international expansion. And just last week, we shipped our first export batch by train.”
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