Güler Sabancı, Chairman Of Sabancı Holding, Awarded With The Highest Honour Of The Republic Of Austria.

PRESS RELEASE 14 APRIL 2010

• GULER SABANCI, CHAIRMAN OF SABANCI HOLDING, AWARDED WITH THE HIGHEST HONOUR OF THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA.
• GULER SABANCI: “THIS DECORATION IMPOSES ON ME MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REINFORCING ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL RELATIONS EXISTING BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES"
• “TURKEY IS MORE CLOSELY AKIN TO THE MAASTRICHT CRITERIA COMPARED TO MANY EU MEMBER STATES"
• "IT WOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO EXPERIENCE A 5 PERCENT GROWTH THIS YEAR"
• “As a result of the radical reforms IMPLEMENTED in the financial sector upon the crisis of 2001, it is Turkey who has the only banking system in Europe that has managed to weather the global crisis without receiving any support."
• MITTERLEHNER, AUSTRIA'S FEDERAL MINISTER OF ECONOMY, FAMILY AND YOUTH: "BECAUSE OF HER DEEP SOCIAL COMMITMENT, HER OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENTS, AND HER PIONEERING ROLE, GULER SABANCI IS A WORTHY RECIPIENT OF THE DECORATION "SILBERNES EHRENKREUZ DER REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH" FOR HER SERVICES TO THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA”
• VERBUND'S CEO ANZENGRUBER: “ENERJISA WAS ABLE TO ATTAIN ALL ITS GOALS UNDER FAVOUR OF GULER SABANCI'S HUGE EFFORTS AND FARSIGHTEDNESS”

Guler Sabanci, Chairman of Sabancı Holding, was awarded with the decoration "Silbernes Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich", the highest honour of the Republic of Austria.

Sabanci received the decoration from Reinhold Mitterlehner, Austria's Federal Minister of Economy, Family and Youth.

In her speech, Guler Sabanci stated, pointing out how she felt honoured for being given this award, that such decision of the Austrian Government was based on their successful partnership with Verbund in Enerjisa. Sabanci emphasised that Enerjisa had become the most valuable energy company in Turkey within a short time.

“5 PERCENT WOULD BE NO SURPRISE”

Having made mention of the developments related to the Turkish economy, Sabanci noted the following: “As a result of the radical reforms implemented in the financial sector upon the crisis of 2001, it is Turkey who has the only banking system in Europe that has managed to weather the global crisis without receiving any support. Turkey has remarkably grown during the last decade to transform into a competitive and global economy with a gross national product of 800 billion dollars. As a developing market, Turkey has established its place among the G20 countries. International companies such as Verbund, who invest in the Turkish private sector, have made the major contribution to such remarkable growth. It would come as no surprise to achieve a growth rate of 5% this year. With its geopolitical position, as well as stabilised and democratic structure, Turkey is a country contributing to the power supply and security of Europe. Turkey is more closely akin to the Maastricht Criteria compared to many EU member states.”

“This decoration I am being awarded by the Austrian Government today imposes on me more responsibility for reinforcing the relations, and, for developing the economic and cultural activities, between the two countries, as well as for me to create value for both Turkey and Austria to the highest extent of my capacity”, added Sabanci to complete her speech.

“SABANCI-VERBUND COOPERATION HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE BILATERAL RELATIONS”

At the beginning of his speech at the ceremony, Austria’s Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth Reinhold Mitterlehner imparted details about the career of Guler Sabanci. Mitterlehner also noted that Guler Sabanci was an active name as far as social issues are concerned.

Minister Mitterlehner said regarding the Decoration: “The Republic of Austria wishes to honour Guler Sabanci with "Silbernes Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich" (the Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver) for her services to the Republic of Austria. This medal of honour is presented to personalities who have accomplished outstanding achievements and exceptional services for the Republic of Austria. Because of her deep social commitment, her outstanding business achievements, and her pioneering role, Guler Sabanci is a worthy recipient of "Silbernes Ehrenkreuz der Republik Österreich" for her services to the Republic of Austria.

Stating that there were many reasons why this decoration is being conferred upon Guler Sabanci, Ministry Mitterlehner noted that Sabanci’s achievements in the economic sector, and contributions in the charitable sector played a role in such decision.

Having drawn attention to the importance of the Holding-Verbung partnership as well, Minister Mitterlehner underscored that in 2006 Austria became the third-largest foreign investor in Turkey, and such fact contributed significantly to the improvement of bilateral relations between Turkey and Austria. “The cooperation between Sabanci Holding and Verbund constitutes an important contribution to the improvement of the intergovernmental relations between Turkey and Austria and the enhancement of mutual understanding between these two countries,” said Minister Mitterlehner.

Having taken the floor at the ceremony, Verbund’s CEO Anzengruber talked about the operations of the Sabanci Group in the energy sector, the cooperation between the Sabanci Group and Verbund, and the position of Enerjisa in the Turkish energy market. Anzengruber underlined the fact that all the goals of Enerjisa could be attained thanks to the huge efforts and farsightedness of Guler Sabanci. Anzengruber completed his speech saying: “I am delighted with the good relations between our two companies, and I am confident that the cooperation between Verbund and Sabanci will continue to be just as constructive and effective in the future.”

NOTES

Prior to the ceremony, Sabanci Holding Chairman Guler Sabanci, Sabanci Holding CEO Ahmet Dördüncü, and Verbund CEO Wolfgang Anzergruber held a meeting with the Turkish and Austrian journalists.

• The ceremony was attended by the leading businesspeople of Austria, as well as numerous Turkish names from the worlds of business and art. The attendance included the fashion designer Atil Kutoglu as well. Held at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, the ceremony was attended by the top level executives of Sabanci Holding, Enerjisa and Verbund.
• It was a noteworthy detail that the setting of the “Musensaal” Hall where the post-ceremony lunch was served to the guests merely consisted of female statues.
• Before and after the decoration presentation ceremony, the all female “String Quartett” performed a short concert. The concert attracted great admiration from the audience.