Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce is a well-established organization that has provided significant services to both its city and country since 1898. Known for its breakthrough projects and works not only in Turkey but also around the world, GTO has been awarded the world leaders award twice in the World Chambers Competition. With over 36 thousand members, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest and most effective civil society organizations in the city and the region.
This broad membership base is a source of power supporting the activities of the chamber. When the employees and families of the members are also taken into account, it has become an institution that touches almost the entire city.
Turkey's Shining Star Gaziantep
Gaziantep's preservation of its position as a central city of trade throughout history is due to the city's strategic geographical location. Gaziantep, which has been the intersection of different cultures and trade routes for centuries, now has become one of Turkey's shining stars with its increasing industrial capacity and developing production infrastructure. Despite the economic difficulties experienced at both national and international levels in recent years, there is full confidence that Gaziantep's trade potential and economic growth rate will continue. The city has the ability to overcome these difficulties with its dynamic structure and entrepreneurial spirit in the business world.
''We Are Pleased to Support''
Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce President Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım emphasized the importance of the textile sector for Gaziantep industry and said, ''The textile sector in particular is an indispensable and leading sector for Gaziantep. Textile plays an important role in the development of the city both economically and socially.''
In his evaluation of the GTM 2025 fair, which will be held for the first time in cooperation with the city’s public and non-governmental organizations at the Middle East Fair Center between October 15-17, 2025, President Yıldırım said, “We are pleased to support the Gaziantep Textile Machinery Fair (GTM), which we believe will create value for the textile sector and will be held for the first time. We always draw attention to the importance of fairs. Establishing new business connections, opening up to new markets and being able to follow trends are very important for every company.
This fair offers opportunities for companies operating in the textile sector to establish new business connections, open up to new markets and follow current trends. Fairs provide many benefits not only to participating companies but also to city life with the national and international guests hosted in commercial and social platforms. We know that unfortunately the life of companies that cannot pursue the trends and keep up with the existing technology of the sectors is remain limited. In this context, I believe that GTM will make significant contributions to our members and companies operating in the textile sector. Such events increase the competitiveness of companies while also allowing them to follow innovations and developments in the sector. While I wish GTM to be beneficial, lucrative and fruitful for the entire textile sector family, I would also like to emphasize the value that such organizations will add to the sector.’’
’’Investments Will Continue’’
President Yıldırım stated that while possessing full faith in investments which will continue despite the negative situation in the economic outlook in the recent period and said, ‘’Despite the slowdown in investments made in the sector due to the negativities experienced in the recent periods, these still continued. The city is an important center that produces both finished and semi-finished products in textiles.
In addition, it has started raw material production with the strategic investments made by some companies. These investments strengthen Gaziantep's position as a leader in the textile sector and contribute to the diversification of the city's economic structure. As the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, we will continue our efforts to support our members and contribute to the economic development of the city by considering their specific demands in this process.
WHO IS MEHMET TUNCAY YILDIRIM?
Born in Gaziantep in 1976, Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım graduated from Muğla University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Business Administration in 1998 as an honor student due to his academic success.
He was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce in the 2018 Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Organ Membership Elections. He was elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors once again in the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Organ Elections held on October 1, 2022.
During Yıldırım's term as Chairman of the Board of Directors, GTO achieved the most important successes in its history and twice became the world champion in the World Chambers Federation Competition with the projects it implemented, and became the first and only chamber of commerce in Turkey to receive the "EFQM 5-Star Certificate of Excellence". Again during Yıldırım's term, GTO became the 2nd chamber with the highest score amongst the chambers of commerce in the TOBB Accreditation System and became an A CLASS CHAMBER.
Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım, who has a very active and productive profile, has many titles on local and national platforms:
∞ Gazişehir Gaziantep Football Club Board Member (2021)
∞ Vice President of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Commerce Council (2018 – 2023)
∞ Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone Board of Entrepreneurs Member (2015 - …)
∞ İpekyolu Development Agency Board Member (2018 - …)
∞ Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) Vice President (2022-…)
∞ Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Commerce (TOBB) Board Member (2023-…)
Yıldırım, who speaks English fluently, is married and has two daughters.
