VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GURSEL TURIZM

HURER FETHI GUNDUZ

GUNDUZ ON THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION,PHILANTHROPIC ENDEAVOURS AND SPORTS

Gursel Turizm steers the transportation sector with its experience.

 

How did the story of Hurer Fethi Gunduz, who has been un-dertaking domestic and interna-tional projects in the transporta-tion sector for the last 30 years, start?

I was born on January 30, 1974. I earned my bachelor’s degree at College of Adminis-trative Sciences and Economics at Koc University. During my time as a student, I established the University Travel company and gained experience in both tour operation and hotel man-agement within that field. I am currently serving as the Vice Chairman of the Board at Gursel Tourism, an established compa-ny which specializes in person-nel and student transportation. Additionally, I hold the position of Chairman at the Istanbul Caddebostan Foundation Tennis Club due to my personal interest in sports. Gursel Tourism engages in transportation services both domestically and internationally, and we were thrilled to secure the Bus Rapid Transit tender for the Urban Public Transport and Rapid Transit in Jordan. This accomplishment serves as a testament to our position as a leading transportation company in the Middle East and Europe. As for our vision for the future, in addition to our exist-ing domestic operations spanning across Turkey, we have also founded an SPV with our local partner CMTC in Amman, Jordan. The SPV is responsible for the “Urban Public Transport Transportation and Bus Rapid Transit line” project in Amman, and we are actively engaged in the research and development of a comprehensive ERP system that includes line and driver task planning, garage and fleet management, and vehicle track-ing modules. In this regard, we have established the most modern and environmentally-friendly garage in the Middle East.

WE ARE AMONG THE COMPANIES THAT ARE IN DEMAND FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA WITH OUR WAY OF DOING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OUR KNOW-HOW.

Do you have other international projects in the transportation sector?

In our vision for 2023, we aim to provide public transportation services in Europe as well.

Gursel Turizm has become a publicly-traded company. Can you tell more about it?

We have gone public in March 2022, So far, everything is on track.

You are one of the largest companies in Türkiye, providing public transportation services in many countries. What is the biggest factor for municipalities to public transportation services to private companies?

The World Bank provides loans to developing countries to improve their public transportation systems. When offering these loans, they seek foreign partners. Our company is in high demand from the Middle East and Africa due to our expertise in public transportation.

You have been sponsoring Fenerbahce, the sports club with the most achievements in Turkey, for many years. This is an inter-esting detail, possibly even a statistic. What has allowed you to maintain this sponsorship for so long?

Our connection to Fenerbahce comes from the heart, not just for business purposes. We are fans of the club, and I am a former national rower for Fener-bahce and a member of the club's congress. Since 2000, we have been Fenerbahce's transportation sponsor, the longest in the history of Turkish sports.

Could you discuss your philan-thropic efforts?

Education is crucial to me, and I have supported it through several projects we have com-pleted and those we plan for the future. I am the chairman of the Youth Service and Culture Foundation, and I am on the board of Irmak Schools, in which the foundation is a partner. This foundation provides education-al scholarships to teacher can-didates studying in education faculties. As part of this initia-tive, we also strive to develop teachers currently working in rural areas, thanks to the assis-tance of the European Union. I am an education volunteer who is committed to education and aims to establish a "Coding and Technology University" through this foundation.