Dr Zeynel Abidin Erdem, President of Erdem Holding Company and Genpa Telecommunications, Chairman of TABA AmCham - Turkish-American Business Association, Chairman of DEIK (Foreign Economic Relations Board) Turkish-Spanish Business Council, Vice Chairman of Turkish-French Business Council, Member of Executive Board of Turkish-Iraqi Business Council, and Honorary Consul of Sudan, owes these titles to the love and respect he feels for his country. Dr Zeynel Abidin Erdem, who takes his every step with consideration of Turkey’s future, and through those steps establishes bridges toward the future around the world, has been successful in his every attempt from making efforts in Genpa, to establishing international relationships with a view to changing Turkey’s false image in other countries, and has made great contributions in the representation of Turkey’s changing face. The success story we are about to read covers only certain aspects of Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem’s life. However, the story involves profound issues from which everyone, and especially the youth, can derive their own conclusions.

THE PRIZE GIVEN TO ME BY THE SPANISH KING IS A PRIZE THAT I HAVE ACCEPTED ON BEHALF OF THE TURKISH NATION. SO, I AM PROUD TO HAVE RECEIVED A PRIZED THAT WILL MAKE A COUNTRY WILLING TO BE A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION HAPPY.

QUESTION: First of all, would you tell us about the foundation and purpose of Genpa?

Genpa was founded in 1965 as one of the thirteen holding companies under Erdem Holding Company. Within this process, certain stages were involved. One of them was the importing of chemical substances; I am at the same time a Chemical Engineer. Within this category, were conducting the purchase, sale, ordering, international sale, distribution within the country, and transportation of 121 types of products, which we still continue to do. Later, Genpa made food exports that covered the Middle East, namely, Iraq, Syria and Jordan, which mounted to rather high figures. Here, Genpa was in some cases the supplier, while in others it simply exported the product. The marketing within and outside Turkey, of the rubber valve Genpa produced itself, the provision of its raw material, its manufacturing, its subjection to quality controls, and its transportation to the third world countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordn and Saudi Arabia were other activities carried out by Genpa. There is another attempt of ours, which has yielded its fruits in the recent years, that is; our entrance into the IT sector. The innovation of late 1993 in the telecommunications system significantly raised the sale of GSM telephones firstly through Ericsson, and later through Nokia, and finally all other great trademarks were involved in this huge sector. Although Genpa, due to the internal crisis incurred in 2001, like all other companies, opted for shrinking and maintaining its existence in a more dynamic, but smaller structure, today, it still holds in hand 35% of the related Turkish market. Briefly, Genpa, today, competes with great and important trademarks such as Noka, Siemens, Motorola, KVK, and Sony, selling its product through its seven head offices in the seven geographical regions of Turkey and its approximately 300 sale points, and one day, it will surely become one of the bosses in the telecommunications sector.

QUESTION: So, may we say that the activities recently carried out by Genpa in the field of telecommunications have gained further significance?

Yes. Genpa has made significant progress in this field recently. And while doing that, it never made mistakes such as providing telephones, batteries and earphones in unlawful ways, which are nowadays very common. So, we are doing business in this country within the framework of what we have learned at universities, and our principles of integrity and accuracy. Here are many ways of making money. What takes guts is doing the right thing, serving the right trade, and winning the right money. Here, you may make less money, but at least you are earning it in the right way and you deserve the money you make.

QUESTION: While there is a certain competition in the communications sector in Turkey, on the other hand, unlawfully provided telephones can easily be sold. What can you say about this matter?

Yes, there is significant competition in telecommunications. I think that there is a true competition among those who avoid trafficking, fulfil their duties against citizens and the government, and pay their taxes. However, while we pay our taxes, as telephones brought by traffickers are cheaper, they are found to be more preferable, yet, those who buy those telephones soon regret it because the telephones they buy have neither warranty nor maintainability. Sometimes, in England, France and Italy, second hand telephones my be sold after their covers are changed. Here, too we sometimes come across such situations. In those cases, we notify the concerned authorities of the actions of those people responsible for the problem. Sometimes lawsuits are brought against them, where they lose all their rights. Here, the important thing to do is to pay a little more, take the right decision, and buy taxed, serviceable products that are under warranty. Enough useless household machinery and out-of-warranty telephones are sold in Turkey. It is my unique advice to the consumers that they, instead of assuming the later costs, buy their telephones from companies who have a name and a proven quality, such as KVK and Genpa.

QUESTION: Can you make any predictions as to when unlawful production and purchase will end? Or, do you think that this illegality prevail in Turkey?

In my opinion, until Turkey gains membership to the European Union, this situation ill continues to exist. Moreover, I do not see people making any efforts to take measures. As our interventions also failed to reach at an end, we, too, renounced from making interventions. In fact, this problem is not only encountered in the telephone sector. The same problem exists in many other sectors such as music, televisions, households, etc. We are the victims in the telephone sector.

QUESTION: Given that distinction is required to be successful in an environment where competition is dominating, would you describe us how Genpa attains its properties that distinguish it from other companies?

A company with sound principles has to act in compliance with the rules set by the government. If you do not obey these rules, you cannot talk about principles. While everyobody else in Turkey sees the government as an enemy, we think of it as the greatest organization. That’s why we are growing slowly, but consistantly. So, I may say that the most important thing that lies beneath our principles is our respect for the government. If we are still standing on our own feet and have been making further progresses day by day since 1965, that is because we are strictly attached to what we call our principle.

QUESTION: Given that, as the person who has the administrative responsibility of Genpa you must be unbiased in your approaches to any events, do the realities sometimes make you pessimistic?

I have never encountered any unfavorable situations created by such factors yet. When you think about your responsibilities and consider the fact that you will be the one to be affected by the results, you get to be more prudent and careful. Even now, we are making preparations against any crisis periods that country may have to go through in the future. As a person with 37 years of experience, I am taking the necessary measures against possible problems. So, I want to tell institutions, each of which are within themselves separate governments, that they have to be careful about their revenue-expenditure balance. Their revenues must be heavier than their expenditures. If you always have budget deficits, and even receive debt interest and act imprudently, you will continuously end up in despair. However, if the new government manages to beat those problems such as fraud, irregularities, corruption, etc. we will overcome all the problems that seem to threaten us. We may even change the European Union’s decision and take it to year 2003.

IF A BUSINESSMAN KNOWS HIS TURNOVER, HIS REVENUES, AND DOES NOT ACT ADVENTUROUSLY, HE WON’T GET LOST IN THE INCONSISTENT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IN TURKEY WHERE RISKY SITUATIONS MAY OCCUR IN HOURS. THEREFORE, YOU MUST KEEP IN YOUR MIND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE BALANCES IN THE LONG RUN. OTHERWISE, YOUR SUCCESS WILL TURN TO FAILURE.

QUESTION: If we regard the year 2003 as a year when a new government takes office and when the process regarding accession to the European Union is accelerated, what do you think will happen on Turkey’s part in the New Year?

Although it would not be right to be very straightforward yet, the years 2004-2005 seem to be promising. Even the fact that there is a one party government is enough to believe that. Because now, we have young, energetic and idealistic people, not an old and weak government that resists the European Union. Of course, the new party, too, will be put to the test. If the new government makes the same mistakes as the former one, the Turkish people will effectively evaluate that, because Turkish people will rely on wisdom and culture. But if this new government attains its objectives and keeps its promises, it will take Turkey to a better future. However, there may be some ideological obsessions. Especially sources outside of Turkey may receive support and try to make Turkey lose its principles through their activities. However, if the new government does not let this happen, it will see how dedicated Turkish people are to their country, because the Turkish nation is clever, and will not let opportunistic people rule them. And clever people who experience an unfavorable situation they had experienced before have to do what it takes to stop the same things from happening.

QUESTION: From the point of view of the private sector, how will this renewing process affect Genpa’s objectives?

We always have our A, B, C and D plans. These plans vary according to colors and events. Let’s assume that Turkey made some great progress in economy that led it to provided a better economic environment. Here, we may implement plan A. If the odds of being successful are weaker, we take either plan B, or C or else, D. All these plans are within our mind book, which is organized and maintained according to scientific facts and economic terms. In April 2001, many companies collapsed at a time. Our company went through a process of getting to be smaller, but more dynamic. Because we were always ready for such situations. While Turkey lost itself in a dream of stock exchanges, neither me, nor Genpa adopted a commercial approach based on stock exchanges, repurchase agreements, and interest rates. For instance, I, personally have never had any stocks. Indeed, if you asked me the difference between wallpaper and a stock certificate, I’d say they’re both the same, stick them all around the wall and it will look good. That’s because those are imaginary products. Countries, which make money out of money, cannot survive, they always beg. Your real sector cannot guarantee that your children and their children will not depend on others, it cannot import what you produce, and it cannot make progress toward upholding you to the level of higher civilizations; it only makes you a country constantly seeking money, which Turkey has done for one year. I do not think that the new government will make the same mistakes lead Turkey into such situations again.

QUESTION: Executives have a significant role in any success attained by their institution or organization. What, do you think, earns you your personal successfulness, which leads Genpa to further progresses day by day?

The most important thing here, is being honest and realistic with myself. If a businessman knows his turnover, his revenues, and does not act adventurously, he won’t get lost in the inconsistent business environment in Turkey where risky situations may occur in hours. While inflation gradually falls in many other countries around the world, in Turkey, the inflation rate, which once used to be around 20%, now comes and goes between 60 – 80 %. When this is the case, we see that, in Turkey, the country of risks, what we take as revenues get lost in seconds. Therefore, you must keep in your mind the need to maintain the balances in the long run. Otherwise, what you receive will suddenly slip away and you’ll find yourself empty handed. I have always believed that you cannot really get anything without doing what it takes to deserve it, and that when you get it, you must be prudent about its utilization. Therefore, for me, there is no room for dreams on my way to my objectives.

QUESTION: What would you tell us about your duty as the honorary consol of Sudan?

Sudan is a country that is geographically three times as big as Turkey. It remained under indirect control of the Ottoman Empire for 420 years, and under direct control of her for 57 years, and although they also remained under English sovereignty for 300 years, they adopted Ottoman culture in their administration and lives. And today, the model they accept as perfect is the modern Ataturk government. They admire the Turkish nation and believe that one day Turkey will save Sudan, and they will be our partners. So, in order to intensify this sympathy, I accepted the honorary consulate proposed to me by the President of Sudan and established the bridge for an attempt that could help control the entire Middle African population, and improve Turkish trade in Middle Africa, because we must intensify and focus on our exporting activities to Asian, Arabian and African countries. Currently, our businessmen are making investments and further efforts on that bridge, and trying to control the entire Africa together with those peoples with whom we share a common culture, which means that we have been successful in our attempts.

QUESTION: A short time ago you have been awarded a prize by the Spanish King, and Turkey was flattered as well as you. Can you tell us about that prize?

I have dedicated myself to the welfare of Turkey. Due to my visits to Spain, which I have been making for about 16 years, the commercial capacity, which was, then about three hundred million dollars, has amounted to three billion dollars. So, I made many efforts and together with the support I received from our government finally realized an objective, enlarging the commercial capacity by ten times it used to be. And currently, I am taking steps to ensure that the republics founded by Turks are given the loans that they need to enhance political contacts with them. So, the King of Spain expressed his gratefulness for my attempts and efforts by awarding me a prize. Receiving this prize, which has been given to a very small number of people in Spain, on behalf of Turkey made me very proud. Furthermore, I am flattered to receive a prize, which is very meaningful for a country that has been willing to become a member of the European Union for a long while. So, I am very happy that my efforts are appreciated and promoted by another country.

QUESTION: As a person with substantial experiences and accomplishments, how do you regard the Turkish youth, what kind of advises do you have for them?

The youth seems very promising to me, and I believe that, in the future, those people will shape Turkey’s map. In today’s civilizations, geographical wars have been substituted by wars of culture, economy, and operation. As to wars of operation; the more reasonable you are, the more successes you achieve in commerce. We can observe wars of culture under two headings; the first group involves historical and geographical culture, and the second one involves the culture of the computer system that the new world has established and continues to construct. The more familiar with this type of culture you are, the more you grow. Geographical and other cultures are those that you must conserve. Our aim is to ensure that the new generation upholds their efforts above the global standards and moves beyond them. If you think that the global standards are enough, you will be overpowered. As I am a member of the board of trustees of the George Washington University in America, I sometimes meet the Turkish students there and I get excited by hearing about their aims. This shows that a Turkey’s future is bright. Briefly, I am very happy to see the sight in front of me. Because our youth is much more clever, hard working, and reasonable than those of Europe. However, there is a major problem that I observe, which is the Televole hole that the country has fallen into. Letting the media drag us to a world that tears us apart from our pride is unacceptable and devastating. All around the world, life is a challenge, which has its cultural, economic and political aspects. The better equipped you are, the more benefits you make from the challenge and appropriately improve yourself. However, if you pursue only one specific capability like certain groups do, you cannot get anywhere, instead, you regress. Therefore, I hope that the big media bosses, for the sake of Turkey, considering the perverted outcomes they arrive at and the loses they make which they mistake for profits, give an end to these actions, because some day, their own grandchildren will fall into this hole. However, people are like clocks and they go in the directions they set for themselves. They cannot move forward or backward when they like to. Those bosses, instead of creating a youth half buried in evil, must guide the youth into an environment of competition where they will compete against great countries like Russia and the United States. So, when I look at Turkey’s future, instead of the Televole youth, I want to see the descendants of the Ottomans, of Ataturk, and of the Menderes family.

QUESTION: Lastly, leading a life dedicated to Turkey and your business, what do you enjoy doing when you have spare time?

I like playing golf and tennis, and traveling abroad. However, as I have dedicated my life to the welfare of the Turkish people, my greatest hobby and my major resource are my love for Turkey. During my international contacts, what I consider as my principal duty is to tell people that Turkey is a secular country and try to erase the false image on their mind regarding Turkish people. The time I spend for the sake of my country, to me, is the most important time. So, the better I can express what I want to at those times, the better I feel. I do not know how good I am at this, but I can say that the future is promising.