ÖZER MATLI: “WE HAVE TRANSFORMED BURSA COMMODITY EXCHANGE INTO A REGIONAL POWER TRANSCENDING BORDERS”
Bursa Commodity Exchange (Bursa TB) Chairman of the Board Özer Matlı evaluated his 13-year tenure since 2013. Stating that the Exchange has recorded massive growth in every field, from the number of members to transaction volume, President Matlı expressed that Bursa Commodity Exchange is no longer just a registration institution; it has become a power that shapes the city's economy, touches its social life, and adds value to Turkey's agricultural vision.
Özer Matlı, Chairman of the Board of Bursa Commodity Exchange (Bursa TB), described the journey of change and development of the Exchange from 2013, when he took office, to the present day with figures and projects at a press conference he organized. In his speech at the meeting held at the Bursa TB Conference Hall with the participation of Assembly President Mustafa Aksu and Members of the Board of Directors, Matlı stated that they have made the Exchange a regional power and shared the "mastery period" projects to be implemented in the coming period with the public.
Multi-Dimensional Growth Move
Sharing the growth figures of Bursa TB at the opening of the meeting, President Özer Matlı stated that they have carried the flag they took over in 2013 to a proud point today. Noting that they increased the number of active members from 425 to 925, an increase of 118 percent, Matlı said, “We experienced the real big leap in the registration transaction volume. The registration transaction volume, which was around 980 million TL in 2013, achieved a multi-dimensional scale growth by exceeding 70 billion 970 million TL with a record increase of 7,141 percent as of 2025. This performance has moved Bursa Commodity Exchange, which we took over in 36th place among 115 commodity exchanges across Turkey, to 15th place, and to the position of the 4th largest commodity exchange in the Marmara Region. The leap in registration transaction volume is also a direct reflection of our transparent transaction infrastructure, the reliable service approach we offer, and the trust our members have in our institutional structure”.
The First and Only Turkish Commodity Exchange in Europe
Stating that they have certified the institutional service quality of Bursa Commodity Exchange with international standards, President Matlı said, “Our Exchange has carried its service quality to the highest level with the '5-Star Accredited Exchange' status given by TOBB, which provides services at European standards. One of the most strategic successes we achieved in this period was gaining the title of the first and only Turkish Commodity Exchange accepted into the European Stock Exchanges Network. Thanks to this membership, we have become a strategic gateway connecting Bursa to the global world. While proudly representing our country in this prestigious network, we also contributed to our members establishing stronger ties with European markets, especially Germany, through our membership in the Turkish-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry”.
Pioneering Role in TÜRİB and Marmara ÜPAK
Noting that they have combined the traditional exchange approach with technology since the first day they took office, President Matlı drew attention to their strategic roles in the establishment of the Turkish Product Specialized Exchange (TÜRİB) and the Marmara Product Market Intermediary Institution (Marmara ÜPAK). Expressing that they are an active part of the digital transformation in agricultural trade, Matlı said, “As one of the Group A major shareholders and an authorized agency of TÜRİB, we offer our members a secure and transparent transaction infrastructure. Furthermore, as a Member of the Board of Directors at TÜRİB, we are involved in the kitchen of the national agricultural vision. We transformed this vision into a regional union of forces with Marmara ÜPAK, of which we are also a founding partner, strengthening trust and financial access in the agricultural market”.
“We Have Raised the Standards of Agricultural Trade”
Stating that they supported the digitalization move with physical infrastructure, President Matlı reminded that they provide services at 9 different points from Gaziantep to Edirne, and from Konya to Tekirdağ through Bursa Commodity Exchange Laboratory and Warehousing Inc. (Bursa Ticaret Borsası Laboratuvar ve Depoculuk A.Ş.). Expressing that they have raised the standards of agricultural trade in product analysis, quality control, and storage processes with this widespread service network, Özer Matlı emphasized that they have thus carried the Exchange's service network far beyond the borders of Bursa to a national scale.
Export-Oriented Transformation in the Food Sector
Referring to the Food UR-GE project they implemented to increase the competitiveness of Exchange members, Özer Matlı said they brought their members together with global markets in Europe and the Middle East, from Dubai to Bucharest. Stating that they will turn the export route to the Asian market with Japan in the coming period, President Matlı said, “This process is a strategic transformation aimed at export-oriented, high value-added, and sustainable growth”. Stating that they have also taken steps for the peace of commercial life, Matlı said, “We have implemented the TOBB Harmony Mediation and Dispute Resolution Center so that our members can conclude their commercial disputes without going to court and without losing time or money. With this center, we maintain continuity in the commercial activities of our business people and contribute to a safe business environment”.
Strategic Investment in Education and Human Resources
Defining the importance they give to education and qualified workforce as the 'most important heading' in his speech, President Özer Matlı stated that Bursa Commodity Exchange has become a multi-faceted value center touching the city's educational life. Reminding that they have undertaken the patronage of Hamidiye Agricultural and Vocational Technical Anatolian High School, Turkey's first agricultural high school, President Matlı said, “Thanks to the work we carry out at Hamidiye Agricultural School, our school has become a reference point shown as an example to all agricultural high schools in Turkey today”.
Stating that they have carried out over 100 training programs in more than 4 years at Bursa TB Academy, which is positioned not only as an education platform but as a transformation center for the business world, Özer Matlı said, “To date, over 50,000 participants from Turkey and abroad have been included in our online training programs. In addition, with the 'Off The Record' project we put forward within the scope of the academy, we protected our local brands by carrying the local delicacies of our city to the digital world”.
A Strong Signature on Bursa's Brand Value and Social Fabric
Emphasizing that their success lies in a common will, institutional solidarity, and a strong teamwork culture, President Özer Matlı summarized the Exchange's role in the city's socio-cultural life with these words: “During our term of office, we established a strong ground for cooperation with all our stakeholders, from our Governor's Office to municipalities, from our deputies to SIADs and NGOs. We have become an active institution shaping the economic and social development of Bursa through protocols and joint projects. We stood by our city not only in the economy but also in many areas from education to security, and from health to cultural investments. In addition, we have taken the brand identity of our city under protection on a global scale with the geographical indication registrations we received for our values such as Bursa Meatball with Pita (Bursa Pideli Köftesi) and Bursa Towel (Bursa Havlusu)”.
Two Major Projects of the Mastery Period: Food Specialized OIZ and ET-BA
Emphasizing that Bursa Commodity Exchange has completed its institutional transformation in 13 years and become one of the strongest exchanges in Turkey, President Matlı described two giant investments symbolizing the future vision of the Exchange as 'mastery period' works.
Noting that the Food Specialized Organized Industrial Zone project, which will add value to Bursa and its region, will be implemented in Yenişehir, Matlı said, “The project, positioned as our Exchange's mastery period investment, represents Turkey's first exchange-affiliated Food Specialized OIZ model by offering a planned and holistic ecosystem integrated with logistics on an area of 4,200 decares. On the other hand, we are bringing the ET-BA land, owned by our Exchange, back to Bursa's social life with a modern transformation project of over 100 thousand square meters. These investments, shaped by the institutional vision of Bursa Commodity Exchange, are indicators that Bursa Commodity Exchange directs not only trade but also the quality of life in the city”.
Emphasizing that Bursa Commodity Exchange, with its 102-year deep-rooted history, is no longer just a registration institution but a strong structure that produces strategy, makes investments, and guides the city, President Özer Matlı concluded his speech with the words: “We implemented all these works, projects, and investments with the devoted contributions of our Board Members, Assembly Members, and General Secretariat. This success is the product of common will, institutional solidarity, and strong teamwork. We grew together, we transformed together, and we will resolutely continue to produce together for Bursa”.
