BUSINESS LIFE COOPERATION ASSOCIATION

BLCA-BUSINESS LIFE COOPERATION ASSOCIATION

At ISHAD, we constantly commit to serve our country and people. In a very short period of time ISHAD and TUSKON succeeded in organizing seven Foreign Trade Bridge Programs with four important regions. In Turkey Africa Foreign Trade Bridge programs in 2006, 2007 and 2008, 500 and 1000 businessmen from more than 52 countries were hosted respectively to search for new business opportunities and trading partners in Turkey. Turkey- Eurasia and Turkey- Pacific Foreign Trade Bridge programs in 2007 also created an opportunity for almost 700 businessmen from both Eurasia and Pacific regions to meet their Turkish counterparts. We are also proud to be a biggest participator to organize several trade missions to Kazakhstan, Russia, Ethiopia and several others.

A consistent adherence to our basic commitment of service has propelled us to open representative offices throughout the world. Our Brussels’ office opened in 2006 to provide resourceful and proficient communication between European Union Institutions and the Turkish private sector. This office also represents a strong commitment by our organization to support Turkey’s accession to the European Union.

As a part of this effort, I am delighted to announce that our Washington, DC Representative Office, TUSKON US started business in September 2007. Our history of close relations, shared interests, and common values makes US one of the important allies of Turkey. From our perspective, we now have a moment of opportunity to build stronger ties at all levels between our business worlds. The bilateral trade and investment opportunities are vast. We strive to find ways to facilitate these resources for the good of these two countries.

TUSKON US is also willing to be a conduit for exchange of information and knowledge between Turkey and US on economic, social, political and business matters and establish its own line of communication with US business enterprises, think tanks and government agencies.

Our businessmen and entrepreneurs look into the future with more hope thanks to the presence of ISHAD and TUSKON, which came into being out of a necessity. However, for our hopes to continue to flourish, we do not only the economy to be on track, but a stable environment and a balanced political structure are also must-haves. I believe that we can ensure a more peaceful future, provided we keep focused in this direction.

FOUNDATION STORY

Our story started with establishing “ISHAD” Business Life Cooperation Association in the early 1990’s by businessmen with social responsibility awareness who are sensitive to country problems, forming similar associations in several cities. These associations were founded to help small and mid-size businesses to improve their services and expand to foreign markets in a global trade. These associations which have the mission of constituting an expansion at economic policies and making the business environment attain international standards shares their know-how and experience with many entrepreneurs and enterprises both in Istanbul and in Anatolia. Civil society spirit which is developed with the influence of European accession process, required that these associations unite together to constitute a stronger organization. This development drifted associations to federation process. Businessmen came together in Marmara, Aegean, Black Sea, Mediterranean, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia and Southern Anatolia formed federations by integrating.

These federations which facilitate their members to be global players by following the developments in a global world, founded Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialist of Turkey, TUSKON in 2005. A year later after Turkey and EU started the negotiation process for accession; TUSKON has decided to establish a Representative Office in Brussels. By the office in Brussels, TUSKON is willing to utilize the opportunity of nation-wide member associations to foster a strong bond and effective understanding between the two sides.

TUSKON US; which was established in 2007 as the second representative office of TUSKON, is another milestone for TUSKON. TUSKON US strives to be a conduit for exchange of information and knowledge between Turkiye and US on economic, social, and political issues. Also TUSKON is willing to search for ways to improve the bilateral trade and investment relations between Turkiye and US.

İŞHAD (BLCA)

Business Life Cooperation Association is a non-governmental organization founded by a number of outstanding businessmen in 1993 in Istanbul. İŞHAD aims to turn the enterprises and entrepreneurs into the part of global business world by developing scientific and rational methods oriented to our commercial and industrial life as being a major role player of businessmen’s organizations which were formed to contribute to economic and social development of our country. For this purpose, İŞHAD aims at being a pioneer institution in sharing our business experience in international markets and in providing new job opportunities.

İŞHAD’S AIMS AND PERSPECTIVE

Besides being an organization which will represent our businessmen who want to develop, enlarge their business and expand to foreign markets, our association was also founded in order to put our country’s problems to agenda, to produce proposals to the solution and provide wide contribution to reach the place our country deserves. For this purpose, İŞHAD aims to;

• Constitute targets oriented to self- improvement of enterprises by evaluating potentials in our business world

• Contribute to constituting economic policies as being the voice of the business world

• Produce alternative solutions to our country’s problems with constructive understanding

• Keep the global communication network open and provide our businessmen’s integrations with the world following the economic developments of the whole world

• Explain the methods with regards to the institutionalization of family companies

• Share the knowledge, experience and relations which our businessmen may need while doing business either in national or international arena

• Analyze the potential countries and sectors which may contribute to the development of Turkish economy by examining the developing markets in addition to main markets

• Meet the members’ need for service and knowledge as rapidly and directly as possible and without trouble by evaluating with the experts of the issue

1.1. Dernek ve İletişim bilgileri

İŞHAD-İŞ HAYATI DAYANIŞMA DERNEĞİ

Merkez Ofis

Levent Mah. Levent Cad. Karanfil Sk. No: 7 1.Levent/İst / Türkiye

 +90 (212) 368 86 86

 +90 (212) 368 86 90

Email info@ishad.org.tr

Web sitesi www.ishad.org.tr

2.1 Association & Contact İnformation

BLCA-BUSINESS LIFE COOPERATION ASSOCIATION

Head Office

Levent Mah. Levent Cad. Karanfil Sk. No: 7 1.Levent/İst / Türkiye

 +90 (212) 368 86 86

 +90 (212) 368 86 90

Email info@ishad.org.tr

Web site www.ishad.org.tr