Australia’s only international transport industry leadership event – the Global Heavy Vehicle Leadership Summit – is rapidly taking shape, with a high-ranking trailer OEM executive now confirmed as a keynote.
According to the Australian Road Transport Suppliers’ Association (ARTSA), İffet Türken, the Executive Board Member responsible for Business Development at German OEM, Kässbohrer, will address the Melbourne leadership circle in May.
Founded and still headquartered in Germany, Kässbohrer, is one of the biggest semi-trailer manufacturers in Europe, with annual production capacity exceeding 20,000 units. The company also claims to have the “widest product range overall” in Europe.
As such, Türken is considered one of the most influential personalities in European trailer building, and one of the most powerful women in the global transport equipment industry.
The now 44-year-old joined the Tirsan Group in 1996 after graduating from Boğaziçi University in Istanbul and has since been stirring up Europe’s trailer building landscape – helping establish the Kässbohrer brand amongst the top four in Europe.
She is dedicated to continuous development and currently involved in one of the high demand Executive Master’s programs at INSEAD in France.
Türken is also a member of the Supervisory Board of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and Vice President of TAID, Turkey’s Heavy Commercial Vehicles Association, as well as a member of ESTA (European Association of Abnormal Transport and Mobile Cranes).
Just like General Motors CEO, Mary Barra, İffet Türken represents a new generation of women that are open to a career in the male-dominated automotive industry and don’t shy at the somewhat antique image it still has – making her appearance at GHVLS a very special milestone for hosting Association, ARTSA.
“Having secured İffet’s support is a huge honour for us, as it sends an important message to the global market. We truly admire her passion and achievements in a male dominated industry and can’t wait to learn from her experiences,” commented ARTSA Chairman, Dr Peter Hart