29.10.2026 16:57
In the election in which ITO's 80 professional committees and 270 assembly members were determined, President Şekib Avdagiç announced that the lists they supported won 229 members in the 270-member assembly.
İTO President Şekib Avdagiç stated that they won the majority in the İTO Assembly consisting of 270 members with 229 members, and said that İTO had won once again.
THEY WENT TO THE POLLS FOR THE İTO ELECTIONS
Istanbul-based companies went to the polls starting at 08:00 today at the Istanbul Expo Center (İFM) in Yeşilköy to elect the professional committee and assembly members who will represent them for four years at İTO, Turkey's largest chamber.
The election of a total of 620 professional committee members representing more than 800,000 companies that make up Istanbul's business world at İTO, and 270 assembly members from these committees, was held. Thus, the members of the 80 professional committees at İTO and the names who will serve in the İTO Assembly from these committees were determined.
AVDAGİÇ WON
Speaking to members of the press after the elections, İTO President Şekib Avdagiç thanked the members who once again deemed him worthy of this duty and said, "The lists we supported obtained the majority with an 85 percent large majority in the İTO Assembly consisting of 270 members. İTO has won once again. The results from the ballot boxes, which reflect the will of our 800,000 members, show that the services and projects we have carried out at İTO have been approved by the overwhelming majority of those who participated in the election."
Stating that İTO had undergone a great test in today's elections, Avdagiç said that they had held the largest election of the Turkish business world and that, despite all adverse weather conditions, they had carried out the elections with a higher turnout compared to 2022.
Avdagiç said that they had taken all measures to ensure the election was held comfortably and that they had provided all conditions for members to vote comfortably in this election.
"ISTANBUL'S BUSINESS WORLD GAVE US THE GREEN CARD"
Emphasizing that Istanbul's business world had held a qualified election with great maturity, Avdagiç noted the following:
"At the end of this election, together with our colleagues with whom we served, we have in a way received a vote of confidence for the services we performed during the 2022-2026 period. Istanbul's business world also gave us the green card for the 2026-2030 period. We have renewed our vote of confidence. God willing, in this new period, together with our 270-member assembly, which took on new duties today, we will continue our efforts to build a better Turkey and a more prosperous Turkey, first for Istanbul's business world and then for our country's business world, our economy and our people, together with all our stakeholders with whom we struggle.
"THERE WAS A VERY HIGH TURNOUT IN THE ELECTIONS"
I especially thank, in your presence, all our stakeholders who supported us during this process, all our valued members, and all our members, whether they voted for us or not, who expressed their will by participating in the election today. I thank our members in your presence who ensured that the elections took place with a very high turnout and great maturity. Because in elections that passed with great calm and maturity, İTO once again proved that, with its more than 800,000 members and its groups with different views, it is a true family."
İTO President Avdagiç stated that the new chairman of the board, the board of directors, the disciplinary board, TOBB delegates, the assembly chairman and the assembly presidency council will be determined by the election to be held on Wednesday, November 4.
Avdagiç, who said that together they had opened the doors of the 22nd term, in which they would both complete the projects and activities they started in the 20th term and continued by adding new ones in the 21st term, and add new ones, made the assessment: "Now is the time to implement our ideal for our country and our city. Now is the time to work for Istanbul and for Turkey until our last breath."