# Özer Matlı BTSO presidency campaign

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/zer-matl-btso-presidency-campaign
> Updated: 2026-08-18T13:21:21.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3.

Özer Matlı, a candidate for the presidency of the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO), has campaigned on a platform of increasing production capacity and organizational competitiveness for the chamber’s 60,000 members.

During tours of various industrial zones, including Bursa Deri İhtisas ve Karma OSB, Hasanağa OSB, TOSAB, Kayapa OSB, and the Çalı Sanayicileri ve İş İnsanları Derneği, Matlı addressed member concerns regarding energy costs, infrastructure, skilled labor shortages, export obstacles, and the necessity of green transformation. He pledged to implement a “field-based” management model to provide financing, technology support, and improved market access, aiming to turn green-transition costs into competitive advantages for the local textile and manufacturing sectors.

Matlı further detailed a vision to shift BTSO away from person-centered decision-making toward a system reflecting the collective will of its membership. His proposal includes empowering 61 existing committees, integrating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into a unified structure, and establishing a Co-working Center to serve as a strategic hub for the Bursa business community.

As the election approaches, discussions regarding the city’s economic leadership have intensified. Matlı recently met with the ‘Thinking for Bursa’ working group to emphasize a holistic approach to development. Meanwhile, the chamber’s current leadership faces scrutiny as reports indicate Bursa’s contribution to Turkey’s total exports has declined from 10% in 2010 to an estimated 6% in 2025, leading critics to question the role of current President İbrahim Burkay in the city’s shrinking economic influence.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-18: Bursa economic leadership faces scrutiny amid export decline

Bursa's economic leadership faces scrutiny as BTSO presidential candidate Özer Matlı proposes new development strategies amid reports of the city's declining share in Turkey's total exports.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bursa-economic-leadership-faces-scrutiny-amid-export-decline

### 2026-08-10: Özer Matlı proposes new management model for BTSO

BTSO presidential candidate Özer Matlı proposes a new management model for Bursa’s Chamber of Commerce, focusing on member-driven decision-making and SME integration.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zer-matl-proposes-new-management-model-for-btso

### 2026-08-05: Özer Matlı vows production boost for BTSO’s 60,000 members

BTSO candidate Özer Matlı visited Bursa’s industrial zones, promising a member‑focused BTSO that will boost production, financing and green transformation for its 60,000 members.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zer-matl-vows-production-boost-for-btsos-60000-members

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Cite as: Özer Matlı BTSO presidency campaign. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/zer-matl-btso-presidency-campaign