English - Türk Sanayicileri ve İşadamları Derneği

TIBA: what is it, what will it do for its members?

TIBA aims to gather all business owners under one roof.
To protect all Turkish entrepreneurs, service sector and businessmen and to show them
-Production of goods with high added value,

-To do business with goods with high added value,
– To direct entrepreneurs towards investments that will provide high profit margins in long term.

To show its members what they can do outside their workplaces by planning and implementing the necessary information transfers,
To carry out activities that will increase the knowledge and manners of its members in modern business administration, to organize courses and seminars,
To lead the way in the establishment of foundations of cooperatives and financial institutions that will strengthen their members in the short and long term.

How was TIBA founded?

In the early 1970s, Britain decided to bring in about 5,000 tailors from Türkiye. For this reason, the Turkish Turks living in England in the 1970s and 1980s generally worked in the textile sector and then operated in small and large workshops (factories) as business owners.

At that time, there were more than 150 businesses in North London alone, although their exact numbers are unknown, they were run by Turkish and Turkish Cypriot business owners. The mode of operation was generally known as the contract mode of operation (cut, make, trim); and fabrics and patterns were supplied by the big merchants, chain stores. Fabrics were cut and sewn according to the given models and after being ironed and cleaned, produced garments were delivered to the merchants and or chain stores.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the introduction of very cheap labour from Eastern European and Far Eastern countries (especially China and Indian Sub-continent) upset all balances. Textile sector began to lose their ability to be a source of livelihood and create employment.

For this reason, Turkish businessmen have entered into various searches. Some of the Turkish entrepreneurs in London turned to food, fast food (döner kebab) and restaurant business. But, there was no organization and no conscious entrepreneurs.

In 1994, the experienced businessman Saim Köksal decided to raise public awareness and take the lead by establishing an association on this issue.

A series of seminars and conferences were held during the foundation phase of the association. Universities and organizations in the region were contacted. For the seminars, the meeting hall of the Federation of Turkish Cypriot Associations, the Hackney Business Centre and the meeting rooms of the universities in the region (University of North London, Middlesex University etc.) and the collections of the projects affiliated to Business Link in Lea Valley Techno park, Tottenham Business Centre were used.

Name of the association

The name of the association was much debated. Among the names put forward and insisted on, İNTÜRK (British Turks Solidarity Association), which was first adopted by the participants, was renamed as the British Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association on the grounds that it could not reflect the activities of businessmen and that it would encounter difficulties in representing all segments of Turkish-speaking society. And it was accepted as the Turkish Industrialists and Businesspeople Association (TIBA – UK) as its English equivalent; and this name was recorded in the charter of the association prepared by Saim Köksal.

After repeated seminars and advisory board meetings, the TIBA-UK charter (constitution)was adopted and TIBA was officially established on 3 May 1995.

Activities of TIBA

First Turkish Conference and its aftermath

After having completed its establishment, TİBA accelerated its activities. On 20 September 1995, President Saim Köksal organized the first Turkish Conference in the Lewisham area of South London, where a wide-ranging, very intense participation was achieved and senior executives also participated. In this conference, many group meetings (workshops) were held, Leader of Lewisham Council, Director of Social Services, Director of Housing, Chief Executive of LSI, Health Commission and representatives from the Ministry of Education, heads of Turkish educators and associations of Turkish schools in London and other representatives, as well as Deputy Leader of Hackney Council, Cllr Meral Ece participated.

Although they were invited and the conference program was sent, there were no participants from the Turkish Embassy and the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye.

A comprehensive report prepared at the end of the conference. Copies of the report were sent to all Lewisham and Hackney organizations, associations and to the Turkish Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye and the Consulate General in London and the Turkish Cypriot Representative.

TIBA's successfully ongoing conferences and seminars have also caused a stir in the Turkish Embassy. Ambassador of Republic of Türkiye, Özdem Sanberk attended the conference held at the University of North London on 4 November 1995.

TIBA at the conference proposed some suggestions new ideas to Turkish businesspeople, such as:-

Instead of making dead investments, entrepreneurs should turn to areas with high returns in

planned way;

Establishment of a Turkish economic consortium,
A private pension fund will be established in Türkiye and the money to be collected in the fund will be used in high-yield projects,
Establishment of a Turkish Trade and Finance Center in London,
Establishment of an economic and technological information center in London, and ensuring the contributions of the Turkish governments in these activities.

Suggestions such as were presented.

In this context, letters were written to the Parliament and the prime ministers of the time, and

Activities outside the UK 1996 -1998.

TİBA contacted the European Confederation of Turkish Businessmen (ATIAD), which was established in Germany in 1996, and held several high-level meetings in Türkiye with representatives of associations in Europe. Meetings were held with almost all executive ministries in Türkiye and with the prime ministers of the time, Tansu Çiller, (deceased) Mesut Yılmaz and (deceased) Necmettin Erbakan, the opposition leader of the time (deceased) Mr Bülent Ecevit. During the high level meetings, the problems of the European Turks were conveyed.

On behalf of TİBA, President Saim Köksal actively participated in the Turkish Businessmen of the World meetings held in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara in 1996, 1997 and 1998 and made speeches at conferences.

As the President of TIBA together with ATIAD, he was invited by the then President Süleyman Demirel(deceased); ATIAD and TIBA were presented with the Presidential Certificate.

TIBA has been actively involved in the programs and workshops supported by the European Parliament. He participated in the 'Third System and Employment' in Brussels on 24/25 September 1998 and presented proposals (papers).

First and Second Turkish Business Conferences

Turkish Business Conferences and projects:

Until the establishment of TİBA, there was no interest in the Turkish community in the UK from the Turkish Embassy and Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye. It was not known that Trade Counsellors and Trade Attachés were seen in public.

Entrepreneurs in England acted only with their own talent and experience and by taking some institutions and organizations as an example. TİBA wanted to intervene in this situation. In this context, Saim Köksal, the Chairman of TIBA decided to organize a series of conferences and prepare educational projects. On March 23, 1997, he held the First Turkish Business Conference with the semi-official business organization: Business Link at London Holloway Road and the second Turkish Business Conference with Middlesex University on December 10, 1997. The main theme of these two conferences was the organization of Turkish entrepreneurs in different business lines and the increase of the knowledge and skills of business owners.

In the last conference, it was highly recommended that Turkish businesspeople establish a Housing Corporation and start their own production with their own brand names and creation of their own designs from contract manufacturing in textiles.

ETMİN and TUSMET PROJECTS

Two projects prepared by President Saim Köksal were awarded by European Social Fund: were the ETMIN (Ethnic Minorities Training Project) and TUSMET (Turkish Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Training Projects).

With an effective advertising campaign, more than a hundred delegates (112 applications were received) were participated. Later, this figure continued with the participation of 102 delegates/members who followed the courses run in partnership with the Middlesex University, TIBA and Arcis Management Consultancy. Projects successfully continued with 3-monthly training programs. At the end of the project, 34 participants who completed all the programs without interruption and successfully, were awarded certificates by the Middlesex University. 6 Participants were granted the right to attend other postgraduate courses.

Consul General of Türkiye in London, Mr. Erdoğan İşcan and Education Attaché of Türkiye Prof. Dr. Karagözoğlu also attended the certificate ceremony and gave certificates to the successful participants.

Through the mediation of TIBA, the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye in London and Middlesex University signed a protocol to provide a 20 percent reduction in the fees of students coming to Middlesex University from Türkiye.

In the meantime, TIBA prepared a program and persuaded the Consul General of London, Mr. İşcan, to visit textile factories in London, and a series of visits were made and the problems of citizens and textile manufacturers were listened by the Turkish officers.

Within the scope of ETMIN and TUSMET projects, a weekly ETMIN Newspaper and monthly TIBA newspapers started to be published. Later, with the efforts and contributions of President Saim Köksal, LONDON News newspaper was established, and successfully (albeit with changing owners) continued its publication life until the COVID 19 outbreak in 2020.