Sabanci Goes for Energy
Guler Sabanci, chairperson of Sabanci Holding, one of Turkey’s largest conglomerates, is betting on energy. The bulk of the diversified group’s $1.5bn investments this year will be in electricity as the company tries to take advantage of “the serious transformation of Turkey’s energy sector,” Sabanci explains in an interview in FT’s special report on Turkey published on December 7th, 2010. The conglomerate, which now has half of its consolidated revenues in financial services, aims to seize a 10 per cent share of the fast-growing power market by 2015 through the jointly-owned generator and distributor Enerjisa.
US power producer AES Corporation has entered into an agreement with Koc Holding to form a joint venture to develop and operate power generation projects in Turkey. Under the deal, AES will buy almost 50% interest in Turkish utility Entek Elektrik Uretimi from Koc unit Aygaz. 
Hong Kong based trade fair organizer United Business Media (UBM) announced that it has agreed to acquire a 65% stake in Rotaforte International Trade Fairs & Media, the owner of the Istanbul Jewelry Show. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The announcement follows UBM’s pending $289 million acquisition of Canon Communications in the U.S. 
Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK), a leading supplier of metal packaging products worldwide, announced today a major expansion of its beverage can production capacity in Turkey. The investment plan includes increasing capacity at the Company's existing two-line facility in Izmit, near Istanbul, and the construction of a new manufacturing plant in the Osmaniye region, in south-central Turkey. 
İstanbul, Turkey - September 29, 2010 - İstanbul Bilgi University will host a speech by President Bill Clinton, the honorary chancellor of Laureate International Universities, on October 2, 2010. President Clinton will speak to 500 guests, including Bilgi students, alumni and faculty as well as Turkey’s leaders in education, government and business. 
A large group of American politicians and chamber presidents is to visit several major Turkish cities between September 19-26 Turkish – American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TACCI) is joining its peers in Turkey and co-organizing series of events with the initial leadership of Turkish – American Businessmen Association (TABA/AmCham). More than 40 business leaders and politicians will be exclusively traveling from different parts of USA to attend this trip, including TACCI President Celal Secilmis. The trip will take place between September 19 - 26. 
The European Commission selection committee declared on April 11, 2006 that Istanbul, along with Hungary’s Pecs and Germany’s Essen, were chosen as the 2010 European Capitals of Culture. On November, 2006, with the approval of the European Parliament and European Union Commission of Culture Ministers, the awarding of the title of 2010 European Capital of Culture to Istanbul was announced. The President of the Agency for Istanbul European Capital of Culture 2010, Sekib Avdagic, answered TURKOFAMERICA’s questions: 
By Murat Yalçıntaş- As the President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, one of the most important organizations representing the Turkish business community, I feel great happiness to address you once again in this issue of the magazine TURKOFAMERICA. On these pages, I will try to cover the options to increase the possibility f cooperation between our countries. The visit President Obama paid to Turkey within his first months of taking office was a turning point in the relations between Turkey and the United States. 
