“Sabanci Lacks Dynamism”

Hazım Kantarcı, the first CEO both for Sabancı Holding and Turkey, left the group and went into retirement in 2003. Even though it was announced that he was stepping down to retire, the real reason was upheaval during the institutionalization process in a family company. Kantarcı says that, in addition to blockages in the process, there was a disconnect with the group’s mission and that was the reason he and Sabancı parted ways. He evaluates the group’s current performance as follows: “I can say this, their rivals are more aggressive. I sense a lack of dynamism.” Kantarcı, who left when he was at the top, spoke for the first time seven years later with Capital.

* You worked at Sabancı Holding for fully 32 years and spent all of your career in the group. What kind of experience was this for you?
32 years is a very long time for one company. But even though I was always under the roof of the same group, I had different missions and goals. I first served as a general manager at Brisa. Brisa became an exemplary company in terms of its market share, exports, turnover, profitability, quality and concept of management. Just at the moment when things were going to become more relaxed, Özdemir Sabancı and Haluk Görgün were murdered. At that time, a restructuring was organized in the Sabancı Group. In July 2000, I was appointed CEO. From one perspective, I started off at the bottom in the Sabancı Group and rose as a professional to the highest level. In April 2003, I stepped down from the Sabancı Group and retired.

* So how did you take the decision to retire?
I had not prepared myself for retirement. I chose such a path because the mission was halted. But when I looked back I did not ask: “Why did I retire?” I was happy when I retired. When I look back, I say: “If only I had retired earlier.”

* During your 32 years, did you want to leave the group and try other companies?
Yes, I had offers. But there was no halt in my 32 years, a mission finished and after it another began. At that time, one of the largest companies wanted to employ me as CEO. But then there was the assassination of Özdemir Sabancı and it would not have been appropriate for me to get up and go.

* How did the difficulties which led to your retirement begin?
My appointment as CEO came during a difficult time for the world, for Turkey and for the Sabancı Group. The 2001 crisis started and the dollar and interest rates soared. Then came the earthquake. And while I was CEO of Sabancı Holding we started some very important work. We formulated a portfolio of which businesses Sabancı should leave and in which it should stay. Our third and most task was transferring the management to the CEO, I mean leaving entire responsibility for operations to professionals and the family being on the board of directors. But later this process became blocked. The blocking of this process prevented my most important mission at Sabancı. In 2003 we parted ways.

* How do you evaluate Sabancı Holding, during Sakıp Sabancı’s time and afterwards?
The exit from some branches of business was slower in the portfolio that was formulated. In terms of entering new areas, the only energy was that of a new field of business. There is no other branch of business. I can say this, its rivals are more aggressive. I sense a lack of dynamism.

Nilüfer Gözütok
ngozutok@capital.com.tr