Making mention of possible mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the Turkish finance industry in the months to come, Halisdemir told the Anatolia news agency in İstanbul that they did not expect new M&As in the market, underlining that more consolidation in the market would create more risks in the market. But with more players the risk, if there is one, is shared by many, he said.
Recalling that they currently have offices in Albania and Kosovo, Halisdemir said Aktif is committed to expanding its presence in both domestic and foreign markets. “We are competing with some of world’s leading banks in these two countries since they do not have their own banks,” he explained. The bank manager stated that they planned to open a new branch in a different country in the weeks to come.
He said the bank is interested in operations in the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa. Asked whether they planned a partnership with another bank, he emphasized that the bank would intensify its quest to maintain current assets in the first place. “We could consider merging with or acquiring another bank in the long run,” he said. Answering another question regarding offering the bank’s shares to the public, Halisdemir they have plans to start trading on the İstanbul Stock Exchange (İMKB) within the next five years.
