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House Awards Winner Insights QNB Türkiye’s Yeliz Ataay Arıkök: Hitting Sustainable Finance Milestones

Yeliz Ataay Arıkök, director of Treasury Gross sales and Monetary Establishments and chair of the Sustainability Committee at QNB Türkiye—this yr’s Best possible Financial institution for Blue Bonds in CEE area—discusses her financial institution’s position within the sector.

International Finance: Sustainable finance (SF) is a rising phase in Turkish banking. Why, and what sectors are essentially the most dynamic?

Yeliz Ataay Arıkök: SF has grown swiftly in Turkey because of regulatory alignment with international requirements, expanding climate-related dangers, and powerful call for from corporates looking for get entry to to global capital. Turkey may be very uncovered to weather transition dangers because of the prime choice of manufacturing-related sectors, and corporations wish to meet ESG necessities in an effort to export.

A lot of the call for is from renewable power firms. As well as, blue-chip firms—in particular the ones in sectors akin to cement, aluminium, and iron and metal—are looking to scale back emissions via investments in modernization. Banks have goals to scale back emissions generated via their shoppers, so their get entry to to finance may be an important.

GF: It’s been 10 years since Finansbank was QNB Türkiye. It’s now one of the vital greatest banks in Turkey. How has being a part of QNB, a Qatar-based banking staff, impacted your talent to increase SF trade, given the energy and dimension of alternative in the neighborhood founded banks?

Arıkök: Being a part of a Gulf-based banking staff with a cast stability sheet, a long-term strategic outlook, extensive global marketplace get entry to, and a powerful SF and product framework has considerably enhanced our talent to increase SF answers. As well as, robust determination at staff degree—in particular in structuring inexperienced, social, and transition finance tools—has performed a vital position in accelerating our SF adventure.

Leveraging the energy of the gang, we have now offered a number of firsts in Turkey, together with the first-ever international transition bond issuance; one of the vital first actual blue bond issuances on this planet, and the 1st within the Center East and Turkey; the 1st native inexperienced/sustainable deposit; and the 1st local-only, long-term, sustainability-linked syndicated mortgage.

GF: In past due 2024 you issued a significant blue bond, the 1st of its sort in Turkey. Are blue bonds a most likely expansion space for QNB Türkiye?

Arıkök: Sure, we see blue finance as a promising and herbal extension of our SF technique. We can not disregard that Turkey has seas on 3 aspects.

Turkey and the entire international face expanding water rigidity, making investments in water potency, wastewater remedy, and marine ecosystem coverage seriously vital. The blue bond addressed this want whilst opening a brand new thematic investment channel for the marketplace.

Development on our first in 2024, we have now endured to execute blue bond transactions, together with a non-public placement in early 2026, and we think this trajectory to proceed. We consider blue finance will achieve additional momentum as marketplace consciousness grows. Thru those projects, we stay dedicated to supporting Turkey’s weather ambitions and advancing sustainable, long-term have an effect on.

Profitable International Finance’s Best possible Financial institution for Blue Bonds in Central and Japanese Europe is extremely rewarding and a good way to look our projects known.

GF: Your weather transition bond with the World Finance Company (IFC) was once any other first. What made this distinctive and why is it vital?

Arıkök: This transaction marked a significant global milestone, representing the IFC’s first-ever funding in a weather transition bond globally, whilst additional reinforcing QNB Türkiye’s management in SF. It additionally completed the honor of being the first-ever weather transition bond issuance via a monetary establishment international. As well as, the bond was once some of the first globally to be totally aligned with the World Capital Marketplace Affiliation’s Local weather Transition Bond Tips, printed final November.

The weather transition bond was once distinctive as it eager about financing the transition of hard-to-abate sectors, somewhat than solely inexperienced or already low-carbon actions. In an financial system like ours, the place trade performs a central position, transition finance is very important to reach significant emissions discounts.

GF: How do you notice the way forward for SF in Turkey, and which tools might be most efficient?

Arıkök: We consider SF will keep growing strongly, shifting from thematic issuance towards extra built-in, transition-focused financing. As weather insurance policies, disclosure necessities, and investor expectancies evolve, sustainability will an increasing number of form core banking merchandise and transform embedded in wholesale investment methods. Whilst transition finance is gaining expanding prominence, inexperienced and social financing will proceed to play an important position. As the worldwide financial system continues to reshape round sustainability, SF will transform ever extra vital in Turkey as neatly, supporting the adventure towards its 2053 net-zero goal.