“We Are The Leaders In Notebooks, Our Growth Will Continue”

“I can understand its lifestyles, consumer habits and potential very well,” says Acer Turkey Manager Terry Brown, who first got to know Turkey 32 years ago. He is most affected by Turkey’s young population. He explains that previously Acer had lost Turkey between Europe and the Middle East, and adds: “It is necessary to focus on Turkey. When I began my job here I realized the market’s potential and business began to grow.” He says that they will strengthen their leadership of the notebook category in Turkey.

Acer Turkey Manager Terry Brown’s relationship with Turkey began in 1976. The fact that his wife’s relatives were living in Turkey meant that he visited the country frequently. The establishment of a distribution company in Dubai in 1982 gave Brown the opportunity to get to know the Turkish business community. He then had the chance to get to know Turkey better though the positions he held in different companies. This is the reason he says: “I can understand Turkey’s lifestyles, consumer habits and potential very well.”

Like other expats, Brown thinks that Turkey is a very important market. “Russia is the developing market which has grown the most. But the figures for Turkey mean that it ranks a close second behind Russia,” says Brown, and he has been particularly affected by the dynamism of its young population. Brown explains what makes Turkey different from other countries as follows: “Even if they have a high proportion of young people, other countries do not have a coherent economic balance like Turkey.”

Acer Country Manager Terry Brown told Capital views about Turkey, the technology market and Acer’s future plans.

*What is your current situation in Turkey? How are you positioned on the market?
Acer lost Turkey between Europe and the Middle East. They should have focused on Turkey. When I began working here, I realized the market potential and business began to grow. Now headquarters want me to focus only on Turkey. The market has grown by around 100 percent a year since 2004. Acer has a very important position in Turkey. It is particularly strong in the notebook category throughout the European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. For this reason, we first focused on notebooks on the Turkish market. What really make the notebook category grow are the end consumers. This market has grown very rapidly in Turkey. Turkey’s demographic characteristics pay a very important role in the growth of the market. As everyone knows, Turkey has a lot of young people. If you look at the figures for Turkey for the last two quarters, then Acer is the leader in the notebook category. These figures are mainly the result of end consumers. But we shall now step up our work on the corporate market.

* You said that the trend towards mobility was important in terms of achieving your targets. What kind of innovations will occur here?
A new platform is coming. It will be ultra small computers which have wireless connections. The future will see notebooks with telephone features and intelligent appliances. These will be closer to telephones. These computers will have very thin keyboards which are very easy to use. If you want, you will even be able to just slip it into your bag and carry it around with you. These computers will be very easy to use for consumers who are always on the move. Consumers will be able to establish whatever connections they want from wherever they want. These products will be launched on the market very soon and will create a new sector on the market. I believe that this sector will grow a lot in Turkey. We shall be one of the leading brands in this sector.

* How do you see Turkey’s plays in the developing market?
Russia is the developing market which has grown the most. But the figures for Turkey mean that it ranks a close second behind Russia. Economic growth is very flat in saturated markets. Whereas, the growth rates are much higher in developing markets. Computer penetration is very high. In Turkey in particular there is a very large, educated young population. There is a very high demand for computer use. From this perspective, Turkey is very important for Acer.

* Is consumer behavior different in Turkey when compared with other countries?
In fact, young people everywhere are more curious about technology than older generations and have a greater desire to learn about it and buy it. From this perspective, I don’t think Turkey is any different. But I can say that Turkey is different from the economic perspective. The average age is 26. This average age is low when compared with the average age in other developing countries. At the same time, the economy is growing very fast. Even if other countries have a young population they don’t have Turkey’s coherent, balanced economy.

* What are your future targets for Turkey and the world?
The market is changing very quickly. Acer ranks third worldwide in terms of the production of PCs. It is continuing to grow in different categories in Europe and America. It does not have a very large market share in America. It is aiming to strengthen its position through the agreement it has made with the Gateway retail chain in America. We shall continue to strengthen our leading position in the notebook category in Turkey.

 “Turkey Has A ‘7 Year’ Problem”

“One Should Take Precautions While Moving Forward”
The current economic situation means that companies have to take some precautions while moving forward. Turkey is a country which can use its loans well. Unfortunately, Turkish politics and laws can sometimes be an obstacle to the use of these loans. At the moment, purchasing processes are in decline.

“Everything Will Become Balanced Again”
The global economic situation has also affected Turkey. Turkey’s location means that it is part of both Europe and Central Asia. The European side stabilizes doing business in Turkey. Being a part of Central Asia brings different advantages. If the political problems can be resolved as soon as possible and confidence is re-established on the market than everything will become balanced again.

“It Recovers Quickly”
Turkey has a ‘7 year’ problem. Once every seven years, there is definitely a problem in Turkey. There is no reason for this. It just happens. If you look at last year, there were problems with Turkey’s exchange rates. But the market recovered within three months and confidence was restored and growth continued. I hope that this current situation can be resolved very quickly.

Hande Yavuz
hyavuz@capital.com.tr