More women on board of Turkish football clubs

The good news first came from Kayserispor. One of the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri’s prominent industrialists, Berna Gözbaşı İlter, who is the chairwoman of BRN Yatak (which means “bed” in Turkish), made it to the board of the Kayseri sports club. She became a deputy to Erol Bedir, the president of the club.

We then heard the news about women who assumed important roles in the team of Ali Koç, who was elected to head the Fenerbahçe sports club. Sevil Zeynep Becan and Simla Türker Bayazıt were elected as board members.

Football is a male-dominant sport. Even though there has been a rise in interest from women, the swearing in the stadiums and violent acts have reached shameful dimensions.

Yet football is a big industry. It cannot be a sphere solely dedicated to men. That’s why the new trend of including women in management is set to change this situation.

I spoke with İlter about this new trend which has also influenced an Anatolian football club.

She told me she participated in the football clubs’ meeting last week. And she was the only woman present. She said all football clubs are showing willingness to take women on board. She seems to have set a good example.

It was not very possible for women to go to football matches until recently in Kayseri. But in a first, the Board of Women Entrepreneurs has watched a match to congratulate İlter. “They asked a lodge from me,” she said. “They will come watch the games next season,” she added.

Kayserispor has shook hands with Ertuğrul Sağlam for this season. Besides sportive success, İlter believes in the importance of the city to endorse its team.

Her board membership was made possible thanks to the vision of Erol Bedir, according to her. “He supported me and continues to support me. My aim is to increase the support of sponsors. I want to contribute to efforts that will increase the quality of football both in terms of the game and the fans.”

I hope the trend that started with Galatasaray, and continued with Kayserispor and Fenerbahçe, will influence the entire Turkish football. Because we, women, also love quality football.

Erdoğan Demirören

“Life very is long, success is very short.”

The owner of these words, Erdoğan Demirören, lost his life at the 61st year of his work life, which he used to define as “successful.”

Demirören was one of the first generation businessmen of Turkey’s short industrial history.

He started to work when he was just a child in his father’s business of car spare parts.

He continued to go to school while working. He assumed his father’s entire business when he lost him in 1957. He started taking another track when in 1972 he bought the company that was the first to distribute liquid gas in Turkey.

“With the investments we made, the gas sector became Turkey’s biggest investment sector. Suddenly we had 48 companies. We decided to downsize following the Jan. 24, 1980 economic decisions,” he said in a book written by Bülent Şenver.

“When I look back I feel proud seeing that we have reached our targets. I feel great joy and pride to see the success of Demirören Group, which competes in several sectors, from energy to media, from real estate to construction,” he had said in a recent interview.