Donald Trump looks for new projects with Doğan

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Ivanka Trump, Sema Doğan, Donald Trump and Aydın Doğan (front row, left to right), as well as Begümhan Doğan Faralyalı and Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ (back row, left to right), pose for cameras at a press event at the Trump Towers Mall in Istanbul. The mall was opened on April 20 with a ceremony, in which PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

The Trump Organization is interested in engaging in new real estate projects with Turkey’s Doğan Holding, as well as a separate plan to take its Trump Hotel Collection business to Turkey, according to Donald Trump, chief executive of the global company. 

“Turkey is a perfect country for investments. I can certainly say that it is one of the privileged countries for our investments,” Trump said at a press meeting on Friday with Aydın Doğan, honorary chairman of the Turkish Group, and Begüm Doğan Faralyalı, Doğan Holding chairwoman, while marking the opening of the Trump Towers Mall in central Istanbul.

Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, who is the Vice President of the group’s real estate arm, her husband Jared Kushner, Aydın Doğan’s wife Sema Doğan and Mehmet Ali Yaçındağ, a Doğan Holding board member, also attended the press meeting.

The mall was opened a day earlier, with a ceremony that involved Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife.

The Trump Towers project has become one of the most successful projects of its kind across Europe, Trump told journalists. “We are strongly considering new investment [in the] real estate sector. We have a very good relationship with Doğan Holding. So it will possibly be a joint project with Doğan,” he said.

Trump said he planned to buy an apartment in the residential section of Trump Towers as he will be travelling frequently to Turkey due to new investment plans. While touring the mall Trump added that this was one of the best malls in the world and that there was no such place in the United States.

“I love what they have done with Trump Tower. It has been fantastic, a great success. We love the whole Trump Towers complex and now we will look to do something else because this has been so successful,” Trump told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Trump said new investments were on the way as they had become close friends with the Doğan family. “More than partners, we became friends. We want to continue with the new investments,” Trump said at the press conference. 

“They asked me to define the Trump Towers with one word and I said ‘quality.’ This is what we put forward. Look at the windows to see the quality of the glass. Fabulous quality was highlighted here. We brought our brand here. A young woman, Ivanka Trump, is behind this brand,” he added.

Ivanka Trump, meanwhile, responded to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s criticism on naming the mall in the English language. “A name in Turkish will come with time. There are many international brands here in the mall, European and Turkish brands which are known globally. This mall presents the mixture of them all that’s why an international name was given,” Ivanka Trump said.Ivanka Trump also said the mall was unique, especially with its children’s center. “The first Disney Theatre in the Europe is here now. A new experience for kids, this is only for kids and their families,” Ivanka Trump added.

Aydın Doğan, Hürriyet Gazetecilik Chairwoman Vuslat Doğan Sabancı and Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ also met with the Trump family at the end of their visit in a restaurant in the mall. 

The Trump Towers are located in the Mecidiyeköy district in central Istanbul. The Trump Towers Mall features around 175 different stores, introducing Turkish and global brands.