New initiatives for the east and southeast

In the year 1996, in the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey, "unresolved murders" were commonplace. The "East Report" by the head of Sabancı Holding, Sakıp Sabancı, had just been issued at the time. An enormous cycle of violence was about to end in the southeast. 

The former head of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Mehmet Yıldırım, founded a company with 200 famous industrialists, including Sabancı, Koç and Eczacıbaşı, called Doğu Holding. It was founded to operate in the region in such fields as frozen food, green housing, floriculture and tourism; it also invested in the poultry sector and hotels over the years. 

Over the years, as a result of internal clashes and regional issues, the initiative failed. Executives of Doğu Holding had to face cases that dragged on for many years. 

This holding was quiet for a long time. 

In 2011, the executive board changed, the company was restructured and Ahmet Yüzbaşıoğlu became its head. I had the opportunity to talk to Yüzbaşıoğlu as the holding was becoming active again. 

Since 2015, they have initiated projects not only in the east but also in low-income regions, Yüzbaşıoğlu said.

The number of partners in the holding has been decreased from 200 to 60, but groups like Koç and Sabancı have remained. The holding is establishing new investment projects with figures such as Ali Koç and Faruk Eczacıbaşı, while they have also been in close contact with the government. They have also formed a call center in Diyarbakır. 

They will also go into agriculture, centers of attraction and logistic projects. They have pursued intense cooperation with public institutions, universities and nongovernmental organizations as well as project firms.

"The government...