DEİK AWARDS THE MASTERS OF BUSINESS DIPLOMACY

Mastering craftsmanship and becoming a true MASTER is no simple feat!

An ancient Turkish tradition says that every craft has a master. In the art of craftsmanship, where patience, perseverance, and determination are crucial, it is essential to think beyond the immediate field, adopting a broad perspective and creating a universal language. Embodying subtleties like labour, devotion, and passion, the craft is regarded as the pinnacle of a master’s art…

Knowledge, experience, creativity, innovation, perfectionism, patience, perseverance, communication skills, flexibility, adaptability, values, and ethics are key characteristics of mastery. These traits inspire those around with passion, dedication, and wisdom. If a master adopts and applies these cornerstone characteristics in their life, they can achieve a true level of mastery in their art or profession.

The work of a master creates a legacy that is admired, read, and listened to for generations. In the art of craftsmanship, blending tradition with innovation and incorporating creativity is essential. Craftsmanship is the culmination of a lifetime’s knowledge, experience, and effort. This art requires stepping up in the most challenging times, elevating others, and being a guide. Every year, DEİK honours the masters who have pioneered new horizons for the Turkish private sector, enriched their country with a sense of patriotism, and fostered connections among people worldwide on behalf of business communities.

At 39 years old, DEİK is akin to a unique and incomparable sycamore, standing apart as a unique global structure. DEİK, serving as the window of the Turkish private sector to the outside world, operates through 152 Business Councils worldwide. These councils establish direct contact with relevant countries, strategically enhancing Türkiye’s trade and investment relations. With the motto “Our Mission is to Carry Our Power to the World”, DEİK organizes “Business Diplomacy” activities akin to the Polaris spanning from America to Japan, from Germany to Algeria, from Russia to Jordan. DEİK conducts its activities in harmony to support commercial relations between countries, develop existing connections, and forge new strategies. It actively utilizes diplomatic channels to establish new connections, ensuring a comprehensive approach to international business relations. DEİK aligns its endeavours with foreign policy priorities and Türkiye’s economic objectives.

DEİK’S MASTERS SERVE AS THE COMPASS FOR THE TURKISH BUSINESS WORLD!

The “Master Pioneers Award Ceremony” is organized to strengthen ties with the masters who have pioneered DEİK since its inception, initiated the journey of Business Diplomacy, and consistently guided the Turkish business world with their visionary leadership. DEİK honours its masters who have added value to Türkiye and opened new horizons for the Turkish business world at the DEİK Masters Pioneers Award Ceremony.

This event celebrates the bond and harmony between Türkiye and businesspeople worldwide. The masters of DEİK, akin to Polaris, bring their confidence and experience to the forefront, mastering the art of business diplomacy with finesse. DEİK’s masters keep leading the way with their wealth of knowledge and experience, shaping DEİK’s global journey since its inception. They continue to impart their experiences to the Chairpersons of the Business Councils through their seminal work worldwide.

DEİK President Nail Olpak expressed, “I envision DEİK as the Polaris of our business world. With the motto “Our mission is to carry our strength to the world”, we maintain our activities as an organization that acts as a guiding Polaris globally while also fostering harmony within our own team.

The guides of the Turkish business world, aiming to crown the masters of the art of business diplomacy with the Master Pioneers Award Ceremony once a year, held the 33rd Ordinary Financial General Assembly and the first Master Pioneers Awards Ceremony on January 25, 2020, in Istanbul. The 35th DEİK Ordinary Financial General Assembly and the II. Master Pioneers Awards Ceremony and the Opening of DEİK Headquarters took place in Istanbul on May 27, 2022, with the attendance of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The 37th DEİK Ordinary Elective General Assembly and the III. Master Pioneers Awards Ceremony were held in Istanbul on May 25, 2024, with the attendance of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the participation of the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, Prof. Dr Ömer Bolat.

The guides of the Turkish business world, masters of the art of Business Diplomacy:

2020: Ersin Faralyalı, Founding Chairman of TAİK

Feyyaz Berker, First Chairman of TAİK

Ali Nihat Gökyiğit, Honorary Member of DEİK

Ali Coşkun, First President of DEİK

2022:

Jak V. Kamhi, Honorary Member of DEİK, Founding Chairperson of the Türkiye-France Business Council n Şerif Egeli, Founding Chairperson of Türkiye-Pakistan and Türkiye-Jordan Business Council

Rona Yırcalı, Former Chair of DEİK Board of Directors and Executive Committee

İbrahim Bodur, Founding Chairperson of the Türkiye-Italy Business Council

2024:

Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Former President of DEİK

Şarık Tara, Founding Chairperson of Türkiye-Greece and Türkiye-Japan Business Council

Ali Osman Ulusoy, Founding Chairperson of Türkiye-Iran Business Council/2001-2015

Ahmet Şahap Ünlü, Founding Chairperson of the Türkiye-Kazakhstan, Türkiye-Georgia, Türkiye-Latvia, Türkiye-Belarus, Türkiye-Tajikistan and Türkiye-Norway Business Councils