ROUND TABLE

ICT Opportunities

The heads of top firms in the IT solutions business give their views on developments in the sector and on the future of R&D.

BÜLENT ARSLAN

NICHES

The development of the technology we produce came as a result of the lack of technology in the marine industry at that time. We now provide airtime for more than 2,000 vessels worldwide. We have developed close ties with clients and are distributing safety and sailing equipment for our partners in the UK and Norway.

OUT OF THIS WORLD

We are the local partner of Inmarsat in Turkey. Inmarsat launches satellites that provide coverage for the entire world via digital technology. It is the only company that launches these kinds of satellites. Other satellites have provided communication only to landmasses.

A WIRELESS FUTURE

Everything will be wireless. We will even be able to charge telephones and other electrical devices without wires, and this will revolutionize the way we work. My sons will begin to take care of technological developments and I will focus on the establishment of companies to deal with new projects.

SUAT BAYSAN

WIDE SPREAD

Telpa is a worldwide award winning GSM distributor and has the most widespread dealership network in Turkey. We sell Samsung mobiles, high-quality original accessories, and Avea operator products to 3,600 dealers and 6,200 shops directly every month.

CONSUMER HABITS

Turkish consumers appreciate added value in advanced and complex products. They are open to trying new things, new features, new applications, and replacing their phones frequently. This consumer behavior is shaping how technology develops.

BLUE SKY

My [R&D] strategy is to divide up the budget, for example, if I sign over $1 million, I ask for a 20 times return on $700,000, with the other $300,000 earmarked for blue-sky projects. I don’t mind how that money is spent, and I don’t ask for a schedule—buy a car if you need to, I don’t mind, but I want a return on the $700,000.

CEM YEKER

HIGH-SPEED GROWTH

Turkey, as a bridge between large markets, has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. SAP Turkey was the only branch of the global firm that was able to grow in double digits in 2009 and 2010, as well as in the first quarter of 2011 year-on-year.

CHANGING FACES

The software industry in Turkey will experience a similar transformation as seen in Japan, Germany, and the US in terms of a software over hardware-focused IT sector. The rise of the software sector is significant for us, and we expect our market share to increase.

THE WAITING GAME

Turks do not act impatiently when implementing new technologies, and first prefer to wait and observe the experiences of other countries. For SAP products and software technology, the same products that are demanded in Germany and other Western countries are not demanded here. Turkey is watching though.

SİNAN KILIÇOĞLU

BLANKET INVESTMENT

T-Systems has selected some countries to grow in more, and Turkey is one of them. We have been in the Turkish market since 2001. It is hard now to distinguish between telecommunications and IT, and so we are investing in both in Turkey.

TARGETS

As a country we have set aggressive targets for the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in 2023. Even in the ICT sector the aim is to achieve a value of $160 billion. Currently, the sector is worth around $30 billion.

INCENTIVIZING

We should focus on services, not just hardware and software. This should be supported by regulations and tax breaks. In Turkey, our incentives are focused on software and R&D. Companies performing those activities achieve a special status and can operate free of certain taxes in techno parks.