The fourth Koç Holding Roundtable Meeting was held in Istanbul

“Europe in a Divided World: Competition or Cooperation?” was the theme of the meeting, which addressed how changing geopolitical risks affect the global economy and national security interests. The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Europe Leo Docherty as guests of honor, while the opening speeches were delivered by Koç Holding Vice Chairman of the Board and Chatham House Trustee Ali Y. Koç and Chatham House Council Chair Sir Nigel Sheinwald. Ali Y. Koç stated, “We are in a period where power struggles, geopolitical polarization, and protectionist policies are on the rise. Under these conditions, in addition to correctly analyzing risks and opportunities, establishing strategic collaborations for common interests is of critical importance in gaining a competitive edge.”

The fourth “Chatham House - Koç Holding Roundtable Meeting,” organized as part of the institutional partnership between Chatham House, one of the world’s influential think tanks in the field of international relations, and Koç Holding, was held at the Rahmi M. Koç Museum. Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Europe Leo Docherty attended the meeting hosted by Koç Holding as guests of honor. The meeting also brought together leading figures from politics and the business world, civil society representatives, and academics from Turkey, the United Kingdom, and European countries.

The theme of this year’s meeting, where ideas and evaluations were exchanged regarding the future of global politics shaped by increasing geopolitical competition, was determined as “Europe in a Divided World: Competition or Cooperation.” In this context, the meeting discussed how changing geopolitical risks affect the global economy, trade, economic security, international cooperation, and national security interests; what the new geopolitical order shaped by power competition and a divided system means for Europe and its allies; and the impact of Ukraine on European security.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan made assessments regarding Turkish foreign policy in a changing world, while the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Europe Leo Docherty touched upon the importance they place on relations between the two countries in his speech.

Ali Y. Koç: “We are in a period where power struggles, geopolitical polarization, and associated protectionist policies are on the rise.”

Stating that they were very pleased to host the fourth Koç Holding Roundtable Meeting in Istanbul, Ali Y. Koç emphasized the importance of the strategic cooperation that has been ongoing between the two institutions for 6 years. Ali Y. Koç continued his assessment as follows: “We see that international relations and geopolitical risks are in need of more discussion and evaluation today than ever before. We are in a period where power struggles, geopolitical polarization, and associated protectionist policies are on the rise in the world. Under these conditions, I believe that in addition to correctly analyzing risks and opportunities, establishing strategic collaborations for common interests is of critical importance in gaining a competitive edge. I would like to emphasize that the cooperation successfully maintained for years between Chatham House and Koç Holding is a result of this understanding and constitutes an exemplary model.”

Bronwen Maddox: “We held a productive meeting that encouraged a diversity of perspectives by bringing together stakeholders from economics and public policy.”

Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox said, “The UK and Turkey play a critical role in finding solutions to global problems in current crises such as Ukraine and Gaza. For Chatham House, there could be no better time to realize this meeting together with its institutional partner Koç Holding. We held intellectual discussions on a wide range of topics, from economic security and conflict resolution to how we can maximize the benefits of new technologies and mitigate their risks. We held a productive meeting that encouraged a diversity of perspectives by bringing together stakeholders from economics and public policy.”