With its territory bridging Europe and Asia and longstanding economic ties to the world’s largest trading powers, Turkey is a growing economic powerhouse in its own right. The country is a member of the G20 forum and is one of the 20 largest economies in the world. Of course, such growth would be impossible without the contribution of innovative companies spanning sectors like energy, finance, transportation and aerospace. Here are a few companies in Turkey you should know.
Top Companies in Turkey to Know
- Koç Holding
- Turkish Airlines
- Sabancı Holding
- Ford Otosan
- Erdemir
Top Companies in Turkey
Established in 1959, Ford Otosan is a publicly traded company in which Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding each hold 41 percent of the shares. The company describes itself as the “largest commercial vehicle production center in Ford Europe” and exports its output to more than 90 countries across five continents. The company has more than 23,000 employees, including 2,000 working in research and development.
Its history dating back to 1925, Sabancı Holding is an Istanbul-based conglomerate with more than 60,000 employees. Its operations span industries ranging from energy and financial services, to hotels, grocery stores (in partnership with Carrefour) and tire manufacturing in partnership with Bridgestone.
One of Turkey’s largest publicly traded companies, Erdemir produces millions of tons of crude steel and finished steel products for customers around the world. Founded in 1960, the company and its subsidiaries employ more than 13,000 people.
Headquartered in Istanbul and boasting more than 119,000 employees, Koç Holding has the distinction of being Turkey’s only representative on Fortune’s Global 500 list. The company operates in sectors including energy, automotive, appliances and finance, working with international brands like Avis, Ford and Grundig.
Mondelēz International is a global snack food retailer that owns some of the most iconic brands, such as Clif Bar, Toblerone and Sour Patch Kids. It uses machine learning and artificial intelligence in its research, development and manufacturing processes. The company has an office in Istanbul.
Gusto offers a cloud-based HR platform that aims to serve the needs of startups and small businesses. The platform creates automation for tasks like managing benefits, filing payroll taxes, onboarding employees and tracking PTO requests. It enables managers to ensure that their remote staff meets state compliance requirements. The company’s platform also has a concierge plan for founders to scale without their own HR team by getting personalized support from Gusto’s team of HR consultants.
Founded in 1933 and serving travelers on every continent, Turkish Airlines is the eighth-largest airline in the world by revenue. The company’s 440-craft fleet serves more than 320 destination cities in 128 countries and markets itself as the “airline that flies to most countries in the world.”
With an office in Istanbul, Udemy offers a digital learning platform with a marketplace full of skills-based courses. Its Intelligent Skills Platform provides tools like its skills mapping program and an AI learning assistant. This helps clients know what kinds of upskilling would most help them with their personal portfolio.
