Naksan Holding CEO Cahit Nakıboğlu said ‘We need to produce added value products if we want to meet our 2023 goals. You can change the world with a good idea. The one who holds information hold the future in his hands,”.
Businessmen and university students came together at the career activity organized during the Turkish Innovation Week-Gaziantep event initiated by the Turkish Exporters Council at ŞehitkâmilCulture and Congress Center.
Nakıboğlu, who answered 2nd year student Pervin Ayduran’s question ‘How did you arrived where you are, were there hardships?’ said, “My father was actually an herbalist. We were the wholesaler of 10 thousand different products including hardware, stationery, herbs and radios. In 1963, Turkey was introduced to plastic and we switched to industrialism. We added innovation to all the products we manufactured from day one.If you ask me which is harder, industrialism is harder.”.
Upon GAÜN ElectricFaculty student Yusuf Aslan’s question “What are your R&D investments?” Cahit Nakıboğlu said, ‘Innovation was first mentioned in Gaziantep. As Naksan Holding, we have been innovative since day one. We spent 5 million dollars on R&D in recent years. We are working on various projects with Gaziantep University, Zirve University, Uludağ Universityand Hacettepe University. We care greatly about R&D and innovation.’.
GAÜN Economy Faculty student Nuray Öztürk asked Nakıboğlu about the first time they met innovation.
Nakıboğlu, who began by saying that he was sending products to Istanbul from Gaziantep when he was only 12, said that he was studying and doing that at the same time and that he believed this was real innovation.
Öztürk then asked Nakıboğlu about the 2023 targets of Gaziantep. Nakıboğlu said, ‘they have determined huge goals for us for 2023. Industrialists have to work very hard to reach 30 billion dollars of exports. I am also the president of the Organized Industrial Zones. We have opened 5 industrial areas to zoning. The construction of 100 factories has been completed. Gaziantep is rapidly developing in industrialization. I have no doubt we will meet our goals”.
Cahit Nakıboğlu, who also gave students advice, said,“You can change the world with a good idea. Don’t be afraid to take responsibility. Be innovative. Be brave. Napoleon said ‘the only thing that can’t be copied is courage.’ Be a visionary and follow your dreams.”.
At the end of his speech, Naksan Holding CEO Cahit Nakıboğlu promised 4 students internships at Naksan companies.