Turkey must project calmer and more stable image to attract investment

Echoing Şimşek’s concerns, new British ambassador to Turkey, Richard Moore, spoke in his inaugural address on 4 February 2014 about the economic importance of Turkey sending a message of stability and calmness to foreign investors. “Businessmen hate surprises, they like stability,” he told daily Hürriyet, adding that foreign investors “should be reassured by Turkey.” The ambassador spoke of how investors are influenced by how they perceive a country, highlighting again that, in these difficult times, image is key. He would like investors to be reassured that Turkey is committed to “international standards.”

The problem for Turkish businesses is laid out clearly in the low rating that Turkey received in Ernst & Young’s 2013 Attractiveness Survey. The survey cites a lack of transparency as one of the main factors negatively influencing external opinion of the country. It is still usual for Turkey to be lumbered with perceptions of corruption and non-current, non-international business practices. Companies continue to face many challenges trying to convince the outside world of Turkey’s massive potential.