The 54th Davos Summit, traditionally held annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF – World Economic Forum), took place in Switzerland with the theme 'Rebuilding Trust.' The World Economic Forum's 54th Annual Meeting brought together nearly 3,000 participants from the public sector, private sector, civil society, and academia. During the meeting, global security issues, new employment opportunities, combating the climate emergency, and artificial intelligence applications were discussed, while solutions for the future of the world and humanity were debated.
The meetings, held between January 15-19, saw Sabancı among the groups representing the Turkish business world with the broadest participation. Sabancı Holding CEO Cenk Alper participated in the panel 'Why Stay Focused on Sustainability?' organized by CNBC on January 17, and was a speaker in one of the World Economic Forum's most interesting public sessions, 'A New Dawn for Eurasia?' on January 18.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TÜRKİYE IN THE REGION WAS DISCUSSED
At the 'A New Dawn for Eurasia?' panel, moderated by Mirek Dušek, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, and featuring participants like Odile Françoise Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Alibek Kuantyrov, Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, and Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, Cenk Alper evaluated Türkiye's importance in the region from a private sector perspective. He shared solution proposals with the participants to increase commercial collaborations and financing opportunities in the Eurasian geography.
SUSTAINABILITY, A KEY ELEMENT OF CULTURAL EVOLUTION WORLDWIDE
Emphasizing that Eurasia has always played a pioneering role in the development of civilization and humanity throughout history, Cenk Alper stated, “At this point today, the development, stability, and prosperity of Eurasia are of great importance not only for the countries in the region but also for the global economy. Türkiye is one of the most key countries in this geography. When we look at it from a broad perspective, it is not right to see Türkiye merely as a country that connects two continents. Alongside its strategic geographical location, Türkiye also serves as an example of sustainable development in the region with its strong infrastructure, quality workforce, dynamic population, and high potential it offers to investors, acting as a 'North Star' for the countries in the region.”
As a result of the pandemic period and the geopolitical turmoil in recent years, Cenk Alper highlighted the increasingly important role of Türkiye in both the energy corridor and the supply chain. He said, “In this context, the Middle Corridor initiative, in which Türkiye plays a key role, holds significant importance in creating a more resilient supply chain between Asia and Europe, diversifying transportation routes, strengthening inter-country connections, enhancing trade, and promoting regional cooperation. With the transformation happening in the world, the permeability between physical boundaries is increasing. Globalization is evolving into a multi-stakeholder, empathy-focused common culture of life, beyond the transfer of goods and people. In such a context, the importance of such comprehensive collaborations is continually increasing. Today's sustainability, which directs the world economy, is actually a part of this cultural evolution. Especially with the European Green Deal, the sustainability approach will become one of the main determinants of the business culture in the region. At this point, the approach demonstrated by the Turkish business world will play a key role in the economic development of the region.”
WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENERGY SUPPLY SECURITY OF BOTH TÜRKIYE AND THE REGION, AS WELL AS EUROPE
Adding that the Sabancı Group sets an example not only for Türkiye but also for the entire region, Cenk Alper said, “Our Group Purpose, which centers on sustainability, is actually the strongest indicator of Sabancı’s firm commitment in this area; it represents the vision we put forth for the future of the world, the region, and humanity. We support this with all our investments. We are fulfilling this purpose. Particularly with the steps we have taken in the field of energy and climate technologies, we are making significant contributions to the energy supply security of both Türkiye and the region, as well as Europe.”
SABANCI'S ENERGY VISION, A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY FOR EUROPE
Adding that Sabancı Group will invest 6.2 billion dollars in energy in Türkiye over the next 5 years, Cenk Alper said, “In Türkiye, within a 5-year period, one out of every three wind and solar plants that will be operational will bear the Sabancı signature. We aim for about 80% of our production portfolio to consist of renewable energy by 2030, and by 2050, we plan to generate 100% of our energy from renewable sources. Sabancı’s vision in energy represents a significant opportunity for both Türkiye and Europe. Türkiye’s first Hydrogen Valley, realized by our group company Enerjisa Üretim in Bandırma, is a prime example of this opportunity chain. This project, which could make Türkiye the largest green hydrogen supplier for Europe, could also open a historic page in Europe’s energy supply security. Additionally, with our work here, we are exploring ways to create hyper-scale green data centers using renewable energy. Across all our business lines, we are leading the twin transformation focused on sustainability and digital, concentrating not just on today's but also on tomorrow's technologies,” he said.