Mustafa Talha Pepe is the first candidate for GYHİB presidency ahead of the April 9, 2026, General Assembly, following Cem Seven's two-term tenure.
The Gemi, Yat ve Hizmetleri İhracatçıları Birliği (GYHİB) Election General Assembly will be held on April 9, 2026. The first candidate to announce his candidacy for the presidency is Mustafa Talha Pepe, who is currently a member of the GYHİB Board of Directors and the Vice Chairman of the Hat-San Board of Directors.
The election process at the Gemi, Yat ve Hizmetleri İhracatçıları Birliği (GYHİB) has officially begun to take shape. With the end of the current President Cem Seven's two-term tenure, Mustafa Talha Pepe, one of the experienced figures in the sector and the Vice Chairman of the Hat-San Board of Directors, has become one of the presidential candidates ahead of the election general assembly to be held on April 9, 2026.
As the umbrella organization for maritime exports, the Gemi, Yat ve Hizmetleri İhracatçıları Birliği is preparing for a general assembly to determine the new president and board of directors who will serve during the 2026–2030 period. According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly and Exporter Unions Law, the presidency is limited to two terms, meaning that the person who will take over the position after Cem Seven will be determined in this election. This process marks a critical period that will shape the sector's roadmap for the next four years.
Currently serving as a member of the GYHİB Board of Directors, Mustafa Talha Pepe has also been serving as Vice Chairman since the establishment of Yalova Altınova Shipyard Entrepreneurs Industry and Trade Inc. Pepe, who stands out with his active role in production and exports, aims to combine the field experience of exporters with the corporate structure in the new term. Pepe's candidacy is seen as a representation of an approach that directly reflects the production and export aspects of the sector.
Established Structure, New Era
Founded on March 28, 2010, under the name 'Istanbul Ship and Yacht Exporters Union,' the organization reached its current scope through name changes in 2011 and 2018. Following Başaran Bayrak, who served as the founding president from 2010 to 2018, Cem Seven held the presidency for two terms during the 2018–2026 period.
Election on April 9
In the election general assembly to be held on April 9, 2026, member companies that have exported products falling within the union's area of activity in the last two years will be able to vote. As a result of the election, the new management of GYHİB that will serve during the 2026–2030 period will be determined.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
