ISPAT President Arda Ermut led a delegation of top executives of US companies operating in Türkiye on a roadshow to New York and Washington D.C. in a bid to convey a single message: Despite the failed coup and its shocks, the Turkish economy remains on solid footing.
The delegation, part of an ISPAT initiative known as the Business Ambassadors, represented a deep and diverse cross-section of promising investment sectors on both the international and local fronts, and was comprised of executives of the Abraaj Group, Baker & McKenzie, Cisco, Citibank, DOW, GE, Microsoft, P&G, PepsiCo, Ünlü & Co, Heidrick & Struggles, and Istanbul Bilgi University.
The mission of the Business Ambassadors is to improve investor and media perceptions of the business climate in Türkiye and to broaden awareness of business opportunities for US investors in the Turkish and regional markets. The delegation worked industriously before and during the roadshow to provide media representatives, members of the press, and major investors in the US with the latest and most accurate updates on Türkiye's economy first-hand.
As part of activities that centered on showcasing Türkiye’s profile as a strong and promising investment destination, many interviews and briefings took place in New York with representatives from Bloomberg, Reuters, Time, Fortune, Financial Times, Huffington Post, Barron’s, Inc. Magazine, and Global Finance Magazine in attendance.
The investment ties between the US and Türkiye served as the foundation for the finance media briefings in New York, while the positives of the Turkish economy, such as macro stability, fiscal discipline, and the robust financial sector, were highlighted by the Business Ambassadors. Also while in New York, the delegation met with top executives of Moody’s in order to reacquaint the agency with Türkiye’s experience and its macroeconomic success.
In Washington D.C., the Business Ambassadors met with influential figures, such as congressmen, politicians, and investors in an effort to tell the positive story of Türkiye. Talks with Pete Sessions, Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on US-Türkiye Relations and Turkish Americans, centered on ways to boost bilateral economic and investment relations between the US and Türkiye.
At separate meetings hosted by Atlantic Council and Baker & McKenzie, the delegation presented on Türkiye's lucrative investment opportunities that await US companies. The Business Ambassadors also held press briefings in Washington D.C. attended by USA Today, Forbes, and Voice of America.
The Business Ambassadors initiative, one of the first steps in ISPAT's long-term strategy for telling the story of Türkiye abroad, is set to be followed by similar missions aimed at removing misconceptions about Türkiye and its business climate.