“Esas’s target is to become one of the top three”

At the end of 2006, Tufan Darbaz, who was behind important decisions in during the growth of Doğan Holding, stepped down as CEO. He became a member of the board of directors at Esas Holding. He sees himself as an ambitious and aggressive professional when it comes to growth and says: “Esas Holding’s target is to become one of the three biggest groups in Turkey within the next few years.” He has some very ambitious targets for the steel construction business he has recently established.

For years, the Turkish business community knew Tufan Darbas from his career as an executive at Sabancı. After serving in various positions, he was appointed Group President Responsible for Strategy and Business Development and oversaw important acquisitions and partnership agreements at Sabancı. Then he moved to Doğan Holding and in January 2003 was appointed CEO of Doğan Holding. It was during his term that Petrol Ofisi was bought, Dışbank sold to Fortis and important decisions taken such as the partnership with OMV in Petrol Ofisi.

Darbas left Doğan Holding at the end of 2006. At the moment he is a member of the board at Esas Holding. On workdays, from 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, he is, in his own words, engaged in “cerebral” work for Esas Holding. After 4 o’clock he devotes himself to the new business he has established. Darbaz has ambitious targets for both of his businesses. He says: “Within five years Esas Holding will be one of the three largest groups in Turkey.”

He plans to make his own business, in cooperation with Bade Çelik which was established by his brother, the leading company in the steel construction sector and enter neighbouring countries.

Here are Tufan Darbaz’s new plans for his business career:

- What are Esas Holding’s new targets? What will you bring to Esas Holding?
At the moment Esas Holding’s main fields of activity are air transportation, health and foodstuffs. I believe that Esas Holding is an institution which operates in three dimensions in Turkey. There is no other holding like this in Turkey. One of the innovations it has made has been “private placements”. There is no limit to this business. This method allows investments to be made in every sector.

The second is fund management. The third is in the subjects it has chosen as its field of operations; I mean investing in air transportation, health, foodstuffs and real estate.

In the next few months we shall establish a joint venture in real estate and enter the market. This will be the first thing I shall have done at Esas Holding. So my first business deal will be the establishment of a joint venture with a foreign company.

- Will you enter other fields apart from the sectors you are already in?
At the same time, we are working like a ‘private investment fund’. When good opportunities appear, then we can invest in other sectors. We shall invest our money, expand the business, then take our money and leave.

- How will Esas Holding’s business volume grow over the next five years?
I am telling you that within the next five years we shall be one of the top three. I think this ambition shows how big we are.