New board members appointed to Turkcell

ISTANBUL

Turkcell CEO Sureyya Ciliv speaks during a news conference. REUTERS Photo

The Capital Markets Board (SPK) has announced the appointment of two board members to vacant positions on Turkcell following a proposal by shareholder TeliaSonera.

The watchdog released a written statement yesterday, noting the appointment of Erik Belfrage and Jan Erik Rudberg to Turkcell’s board of directors at the suggestion of Sweden’s TeliaSonera.

The SPK had earlier asked all three shareholders of Turkcell, Russia’s Alfa Telecom, Turkey’s Çukurova and TeliaSonera, to declare their nominees, but Alfa Telecom and Çukurova chose not to nominate any figure, the statement read.

The SPK appointed independent board members throughout the year, as the shareholders of the company were unable to agree on the composition of its board and unable to distribute its dividends.

The watchdog appointed two independent board members to Turkcell on Aug. 15. The members appointed at the SPK’s meeting were Bekir Pakdemirli, the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) İzmir deputy provincial head, and Mehmet Bostan, chairman of state-run Vakıfbank’s pension arm.

The SPK also appointed three independent board members in March, including Ahmet Akça, head of Bezm-i Alem University’s board of trustees, as well as former Turkish ministers Hilmi Güler and Atilla Koç.