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13.01.2007 - EL PERIODICO
EL PERIODICO Güler Sabancı: My entertainment is my business
Güler Sabancı
Chairperson of a major Turkish holding
“My entertainment is my business”
MARTA LÓPEZ
Güler Sabanci, 52, is the Turkish Ana Patricia Botín. Since 2004 she has been the Chairperson of a major holding of Turkey, and is steadily figuring on the lists of the world's most powerful women. It was his uncle who had ceded her the most extensive executive responsibility at the head of the Sabanci Group, bypassing his brothers and the other male family members, who were a good few in number. That was something unusual in a Muslim country. In Barcelona, she has attended some conferences held by the Institut Europeu of the Mediterrània (IEMed) on the issue of the EU accession of Turkey, of which she is one the firm advocates.
- How does it feel to be one of the most powerful women of the world?
I would be pleased to be called a successful woman rather than a powerful woman. I am a firm believer of the power of success.
- I guess it is not easy for a woman to be at the top of a major business conglomerate of Turkey, a Muslim country.
It has nothing to do with Turkey’s being a Muslim country. But you are right. Evidently, gender is a factor, an important factor anywhere in Europe, anywhere all over the world. And by each day, there are more and more women in the business world. Day by day the women increasingly occupy much more place in the economic activity.
- How did you begin?
I was the first girl of the family. My father had five brothers, and I was the first granddaughter. I enjoyed the advantage of being something unknown. But, talking seriously, I had all the support of my family. I wanted to work. I was 21 or 22 years old when I completed my studies and set to work. At the outset, my family thought my career would last 5 to 10 years, and then they would marry me, retire me. It did not happen so, and here I am.
- Was it difficult in the beginning?
I began in the industry of tyres, a world of men. In the beginning, maybe just because I was young, they did not take me seriously, but after they noticed my dedication and effort, I happened to become a part of the team. The business world, finally, is very objective, and if one contributes, then all the team benefits therefrom. I enjoy working, and I always think that it is a challenge to be a woman, but after all, it is for me just another challenge in the challenging world of business. As a matter of fact, I never have thought about it very seriously. I did what I had to do, and maybe yes, I have had to do more than the others.
- What do you tell the Turkish women who should break through alone?
I tell them that gender is a factor, but a factor for both parties. I tell them that they should not make the gender a barrier for themselves, nor let the men regard it as such. There are many other factors: merits, objective criteria, results. I am satisfied to see how in my country the businesswomen are doing it incredibly well. The number of women in the business world keeps increasingly growing year by year.
- Do you consider the gender factor when hiring people?
No. I believe that business is an objective game. I believe in objectivity and in personal merits.
- Business, a game?
My entertainment is my business. Therefore I call it a game.
- What about the state of women in your country?
Obviously, it still needs to improve. But a lot of work is being done in this regard, through NGO’s, women’s associations, foundations. There is a tremendous civil movement to facilitate the gaining access of women to education, universities, and to create jobs for women. I believe that we will see the results in 5 to 10 years.
- Considering your way, I imagine you as a firm advocate of the accession of Turkey to the EU. What do you think of the criticisms that were addressed to your country last autumn?
I am a great defender of the accession of Turkey to the EU. But you the Spanish know it: this is a long way, and what happened in November is just a minor pause. And, I hope that such stop will not be a waste of time. Certain issues, such as Cyprus, need to be solved, with no burdens, or tight schedules imposed thereon. Anyway, it is not the end of the world. We continue on the way, and sometimes the way itself is more important than the destination.
- In your opinion, why is part of Europe afraid of Turkey?
That must be asked to the Europeans. Yet, I believe that some of the reasons are its 70 million inhabitants, and the fact that Turkey is a Muslim country, which, certainly, has dissimilarities. They think that it would come expensive and at great cost to absorb a country like Turkey. These altogether give rise to a certain fear, but there are also local short-term policy issues in the European countries. There were elections in the Netherlands, and there will be elections in France...
- What would you like to say to that public opinion that is afraid?
The first thing that I would say is: “Don't be afraid; we are not going to access tomorrow. We will delay for 8 to 10 years. By that time, Turkey will change. Give us time to converge.”
Chairperson of a major Turkish holding
“My entertainment is my business”
MARTA LÓPEZ
Güler Sabanci, 52, is the Turkish Ana Patricia Botín. Since 2004 she has been the Chairperson of a major holding of Turkey, and is steadily figuring on the lists of the world's most powerful women. It was his uncle who had ceded her the most extensive executive responsibility at the head of the Sabanci Group, bypassing his brothers and the other male family members, who were a good few in number. That was something unusual in a Muslim country. In Barcelona, she has attended some conferences held by the Institut Europeu of the Mediterrània (IEMed) on the issue of the EU accession of Turkey, of which she is one the firm advocates.
- How does it feel to be one of the most powerful women of the world?
I would be pleased to be called a successful woman rather than a powerful woman. I am a firm believer of the power of success.
- I guess it is not easy for a woman to be at the top of a major business conglomerate of Turkey, a Muslim country.
It has nothing to do with Turkey’s being a Muslim country. But you are right. Evidently, gender is a factor, an important factor anywhere in Europe, anywhere all over the world. And by each day, there are more and more women in the business world. Day by day the women increasingly occupy much more place in the economic activity.
- How did you begin?
I was the first girl of the family. My father had five brothers, and I was the first granddaughter. I enjoyed the advantage of being something unknown. But, talking seriously, I had all the support of my family. I wanted to work. I was 21 or 22 years old when I completed my studies and set to work. At the outset, my family thought my career would last 5 to 10 years, and then they would marry me, retire me. It did not happen so, and here I am.
- Was it difficult in the beginning?
I began in the industry of tyres, a world of men. In the beginning, maybe just because I was young, they did not take me seriously, but after they noticed my dedication and effort, I happened to become a part of the team. The business world, finally, is very objective, and if one contributes, then all the team benefits therefrom. I enjoy working, and I always think that it is a challenge to be a woman, but after all, it is for me just another challenge in the challenging world of business. As a matter of fact, I never have thought about it very seriously. I did what I had to do, and maybe yes, I have had to do more than the others.
- What do you tell the Turkish women who should break through alone?
I tell them that gender is a factor, but a factor for both parties. I tell them that they should not make the gender a barrier for themselves, nor let the men regard it as such. There are many other factors: merits, objective criteria, results. I am satisfied to see how in my country the businesswomen are doing it incredibly well. The number of women in the business world keeps increasingly growing year by year.
- Do you consider the gender factor when hiring people?
No. I believe that business is an objective game. I believe in objectivity and in personal merits.
- Business, a game?
My entertainment is my business. Therefore I call it a game.
- What about the state of women in your country?
Obviously, it still needs to improve. But a lot of work is being done in this regard, through NGO’s, women’s associations, foundations. There is a tremendous civil movement to facilitate the gaining access of women to education, universities, and to create jobs for women. I believe that we will see the results in 5 to 10 years.
- Considering your way, I imagine you as a firm advocate of the accession of Turkey to the EU. What do you think of the criticisms that were addressed to your country last autumn?
I am a great defender of the accession of Turkey to the EU. But you the Spanish know it: this is a long way, and what happened in November is just a minor pause. And, I hope that such stop will not be a waste of time. Certain issues, such as Cyprus, need to be solved, with no burdens, or tight schedules imposed thereon. Anyway, it is not the end of the world. We continue on the way, and sometimes the way itself is more important than the destination.
- In your opinion, why is part of Europe afraid of Turkey?
That must be asked to the Europeans. Yet, I believe that some of the reasons are its 70 million inhabitants, and the fact that Turkey is a Muslim country, which, certainly, has dissimilarities. They think that it would come expensive and at great cost to absorb a country like Turkey. These altogether give rise to a certain fear, but there are also local short-term policy issues in the European countries. There were elections in the Netherlands, and there will be elections in France...
- What would you like to say to that public opinion that is afraid?
The first thing that I would say is: “Don't be afraid; we are not going to access tomorrow. We will delay for 8 to 10 years. By that time, Turkey will change. Give us time to converge.”
