# Istanbul Chamber of Industry leadership transition

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/istanbul-chamber-of-industry-leadership-transition
> Updated: 2026-09-08T11:04:21.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (İSO) is undergoing a leadership transition. Current Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan, who has held the position since 2013, announced he will not seek re-election. Bahçıvan noted that his tenure involved navigating various crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic and high inflation, and emphasized the need for industrial policy to combat deindustrialization.

Ender Yılmaz, the current Assembly President, has officially announced his candidacy for the chairmanship. Yılmaz aims to transform the İSO into a proactive intelligence center to shape industrial policy and increase the global competitiveness of Turkish industry. He also expressed a desire to strengthen the connection between the İSO and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).

## Timeline

### 2026-09-08: Istanbul Chamber of Industry President Erdal Bahçıvan to step down

Istanbul Chamber of Industry President Erdal Bahçıvan will step down after 13 years, endorsing Ender Yılmaz. Separately, Antalya's ATSO candidate Davut Çetin proposes hosting Olympic events in the city.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/erdal-bahvan-to-step-down-as-istanbul-chamber-of-industry-chairman

### 2026-08-28: Ender Yılmaz announces candidacy for Istanbul Chamber of Industry chairmanship

Ender Yılmaz has announced his candidacy for Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (İSO), focusing on global competitiveness and strengthening ties with TOBB.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ender-ylmaz-announces-candidacy-for-istanbul-chamber-of-industry-chairmanship

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Cite as: Istanbul Chamber of Industry leadership transition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/istanbul-chamber-of-industry-leadership-transition