Turkish investment bank expands to New York, eyes Iranian market

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s leading investment banking services and asset management group, ÜNLÜ & Co, has announced it has set its sights on becoming the leading investment bank in the region. As a step toward this goal, which requires an on-the-ground presence in the finance capitals of the world, ÜNLÜ & Co has obtained a license for brokerage activities and opened an office in New York, the bank said in a press release on Sept. 30. The company said it also aimed to step into the Iranian market in a gradual manner. 

This makes ÜNLÜ & Co the only Turkish finance group to engage in investment banking services in the United States, said the company. 

Speaking at a press conference to celebrate 20 years in service, ÜNLÜ & Co Chairman and CEO Mahmut L. Ünlü said that their objective was to establish a presence in key financial centers worldwide, adding that the license for brokerage services in New York represented a major step. 

“The license will enable us to serve the U.S.-based funds that invest in developing countries. We will thus play an important role in introducing more U.S. funds to Borsa Istanbul as well as other markets that ÜNLÜ & Co will operate in, in the near future,” he said. 

With 20 years of experience, ÜNLÜ & Co was seeking to reinforce its leadership in Turkey while expanding to the Middle East and North Africa, aiming to reach a leading position in the region within 10 years, noted the company. 


Entrance to Iranian market

Stating that they would assess organic and inorganic growth opportunities in the region, Ünlü continued, “Our first step in this direction will be in Iran. As the market further opens up, we will be providing merger and acquisitions advisory, fund management and brokerage services to our clients in Iran.” 

ÜNLÜ & Co also has representatives in Malaysia and Singapore, he said, adding that they would become an active player in London, at the heart of European financial markets. 

The financial solutions and investment banking services offered by ÜNLÜ & Co to corporate investors range from financial advisory services to capital markets, debt capital markets, venture capital advisory, institutional sales and brokerage, NPL management and portfolio management, which will be leveraged by the company to offer financial advisory and brokerage services to qualified and professional individual investors in the future. ÜNLÜ & Co plans to create value for qualified investors with its customized solutions and wide-ranging selection of funds and structured products in Financial Advisory and Brokerage Services (FABS).