Doğan Holding Chairwoman Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı spoke at the Uludağ Economy Summit

Reiterating that Turkey ranks 154th at the World Freedom of Expression Index, Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı said, “The necessary leap forward for economic development is possible through innovation. Turkey must internalise imagining and innovation. And for this, an environment of free thinking and debates must be brought about.”

Doğan Holding Chairwoman Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı said that while implementing at once the reforms that will ensure the economic transformation in Turkey, on the other hand, the cultural reform that will make it possible to internalise imagining and innovations, which in turn will bring along the real economic development needs to be accomplished as well. Stating that the indices measuring the development levels of countries across the world give important indicators for countries, Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı said, “Turkey ranks 154th in the Global Innovation Index. As for the social development index, Turkey ranks 64th. We rank 154th in the World Freedom of Expression Index. And 77th in the Happiness Index. I believe that the most important common denominator of the highest ranking countries in all these indices is freedom. Freedom is indispensable for innovation, and innovation, for economic development. It has to be emphasized that there must be freedom of thought and free discussion platforms.”

Start by imagining

Speaking during the panel “The Global Agenda of CEOs” held with the moderation of Boyner Holding Board Member Ümit Boyner at the summit, Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı said, “”Imagining’, of critical importance for cultural reform is not much popular in Turkey. However, we need to imagine and dream. What lies beneath all great successes is imagining. We need to encourage our youth for imagining.”

Digital transformation is essential

Noting that the growth rates of the past decade will not be experienced in the next decade, Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı said, “I believe that the most important threats and the opportunities facing the CEOs have to do with digitalisation. I believe that any company, regardless of the industry it is operating in, is bound to lose if they cannot attain maximum digitalisation in the business processes in the present, and fail to set forth its future digital strategy in the present. The digitalisation is taking place so fast throughout the world that when I say digitalisation, I mean bringing about a transformation, and creating a digital strategy. Technological transformation is of great significance in the way business is done. More importantly, companies which do not have a clear digital strategy in the present are like infantry going into the battlefield without shields. They are so vulnerable at every point. A company from the US can incredibly affect and change all the companies in that business throughout the entire world. Let’s take Uber for instance. Uber significantly changed the transportation business in the world. Netflix changed television broadcasting. In automotive, electric cars changed all the processes. Therefore, if we want to actualise the target of being in the top 10 economies, we can definitely make this come true by creating global brands that change the ecosystem through innovation.”

We are in contact with half the population every day as the Doğan Group

Noting that the main sectors of the Doğan Group are media, energy, and retail business, Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı said, “As the Doğan Group we have a very important foot print in the digital world. We are in contact with 50 per cent of the population every day through our written, visual, and digital platforms. The visitors buy books from one of our digital platforms, download music from another, read news at yet another, and download videos. Our target is to become the leading culture, education, and entertainment platform in Turkey. If we can accomplish this, we can set an example for Turkey, for the region, and for the world.”

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