The Türkiye Energy Transition Investment Forum — co-hosted with the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye and Bloomberg — brought together investors, policymakers, and energy leaders for a landmark invitation-only gathering at Bloomberg HQ, London, during London Climate Action Week 2026.

Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Türkiye plays an increasingly strategic role in the global energy transition — both as a critical energy corridor and as an emerging hub for renewable energy investment and regional connectivity. Europe's mature capital markets and expanding climate finance ecosystem, combined with Türkiye's rapidly growing renewable energy pipeline and infrastructure ambitions, are creating significant opportunities for cross-border collaboration. As Türkiye prepares to host COP31, this moment carries particular weight — and this event was designed to reflect that.

  • Convened 200+ attendees from 150+ organizations across 20+ countries — with institutional capital and financing capacity exceeding $10 trillion represented in the room.

  • Opened with keynote addresses by H.E. Murat Kurum, COP31 President-Designate and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and H.E. Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Türkiye.

  • 22 speakers across 2 panels, one fireside chat and one pitching session — spanning energy market opportunity, transition finance, and breakthrough technologies.

  • Featured speakers from Polat Energy, Baker Hughes, RES Group, Hitachi, HSBC, BBVA, EBRD, EYDK and leading energy transition scale-ups.

  • Marked the official launch of the Türkiye Transition Factbook, produced by BloombergNEF and commissioned by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

  • Part of London Climate Action Week 2026 — one of the world's most concentrated moments for climate capital.

H.E. Murat Kurum, COP31 President-Designate and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, underlined the historic importance of Türkiye's role as COP31 host — framing it as a unique opportunity to bring together governments, investors, and industry around a shared agenda for climate action and investment-led energy transition. As a country bridging regions, markets, and cultures, he argued, Türkiye is well positioned to shape a more inclusive global climate dialogue and accelerate the mobilisation of both public and private capital.

İlkay Demirdağ, Founder & CEO at Energy Shift Capital, opened the Forum by making the case for why this gathering mattered. Capital, technology, and climate urgency exist — but they still don't find each other fast enough. That is not a market failure. It is a structural one. She framed Türkiye not as a peripheral market but as a country at the intersection of Europe's deep capital markets and a rapidly growing renewable energy portfolio — and argued that with COP31 approaching, the window to position ahead of the global capital reallocation is now.

H.E. Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Türkiye, outlined the scale of Türkiye's energy transformation — from rapidly expanding renewable energy capacity to major nuclear power investments and one of the region's largest grid modernisation programs. He positioned Türkiye as a strategic regional energy hub connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and a key player in the future of regional energy markets and the global energy transition.

KEYNOTES & OPENING REMARKS

The Forum opened with keynote addresses from two of Türkiye's most senior ministers at the forefront of the country's energy and climate agenda.

​Mary L. Schapiro, Vice Chair of Global Public Policy at Bloomberg L.P. emphasized the critical role of transparent climate data and credible sustainability disclosures in mobilizing global capital — noting that investors seek markets with strong policy frameworks and long-term certainty. In this context, she recognized Türkiye's strategic position, growing clean energy ambitions, and expanding infrastructure pipeline as increasingly difficult to overlook.

​Ali Kamil Özmen, Head of Public-Private Partnership Department at Invest in Türkiye highlighted Türkiye's vision as a "Powerhouse for Investments" — underscoring its strong PPP track record, investment-friendly environment, and emerging role as a regional hub connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East across energy, digital, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

  • ​Mary L. Schapiro

    ​Mary L. Schapiro

    VICE CHAIR OF GLOBAL PUBLIC POLICY AT BLOOMBERG L.P.

    Mary L. Schapiro is Vice Chair of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) and Vice Chair of Global Public Policy at Bloomberg L.P., where she oversees Bloomberg’s public policy and regulatory priorities globally and serves as Special Advisor to the Founder and Chairman.

  • H.E. Murat Kurum

    MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, URBANIZATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE OF TÜRKİYE · COP31 PRESIDENT-DESIGNATE

    H.E. Murat Kurum serves as Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of the Republic of Türkiye and has been designated as President of COP31, to be held in Antalya, Türkiye in November 2026. In this role, he leads Türkiye's national climate strategy and represents the country's commitment to accelerating the energy transition at the highest levels of international climate diplomacy.

  • H.E. Alparslan Bayraktar

    MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF TÜRKİYE

    H.E. Alparslan Bayraktar serves as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, overseeing the country's energy policy, natural resources management, and the strategic transition toward renewable energy. Under his leadership, Türkiye has significantly expanded its renewable energy capacity, positioning the country as one of Europe's fastest-growing clean energy markets.

  • Ali Kamil Özmen

    HEAD OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEPARTMENT AT INVEST IN TURKİYE

    Ali Kamil Özmen leads the Public-Private Partnership Department at the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (Invest in Türkiye), where he works to structure and facilitate investment partnerships between international capital and Turkish public and private sector stakeholders across strategic sectors including energy, infrastructure, and green industry.

  • Ilkay Demirdag

    FOUNDER & CEO AT ENERGY SHIFT CAPİTAL

    Ilkay Demirdag is the Founder and CEO at Energy Shift Capital, a trust-based investment platform. Ilkay‍ ‍is a globally experienced investor, independent board director, and strategic advisor — bridging capital, innovation, and human potential at the forefront of the global energy transition.

INVESTOR FIRESIDE CHAT

Theme: Catalytic Capital and the Future of Energy Transition Finance

A one-on-one conversation with one of the world's most influential voices in climate finance — exploring how a $14 billion multilateral fund deploys catalytic capital to unlock private investment, where blended finance is working, and what Türkiye's energy transition moment looks like from the perspective of global capital.

The conversation explored CIF's investment philosophy and what separates fundable projects from the rest; the mechanics of blended finance and how public capital crowds in private investment; Türkiye's position at the intersection of ambition, energy market maturity, and its role as COP31 host; and closed with a direct call to action for the institutional investors, family offices, and energy companies in the room — on where the real opportunity in energy transition investing lies, and where they should be looking that they probably aren't.

Tariye Gbadegesin

Tariye Gbadegesin is the Chief Executive Officer of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), a $14 billion multilateral climate fund delivering catalytic, low-cost finance to support over 80 countries in transforming their energy systems, protecting nature, and building resilience. Under her leadership, CIF operates at the frontier of blended finance — mobilizing private capital at scale by absorbing risk and structuring investable opportunities in markets that would otherwise remain underfunded. Prior to CIF, she held senior roles across international development and climate finance, building a career at the intersection of capital allocation and systemic change in emerging markets

Prior to assuming the role, she was CEO of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investments a leading Pan-African infrastructure fund investing in energy transition and climate resilient infrastructure. As well as the Co-Chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), an international organization enabling end-to-end high-integrity voluntary carbon markets for climate action. Tariye has global experience from the International Monetary Fund’s Western Hemisphere Department, the Boston Consulting Group,and Price Waterhouse Coopers. She has served in multiple climate and economic development organizations including as a member of the Climate Policy Initiative’s Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, member of the Infrastructure Advisory Committee for the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI); Member of the African Advisory Board of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ); member of the Board of Advisors - Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy and member of the Advisory Council of the Millenium Challenge Corporation.

CEO AT CLIMATE INVESTMENT FUNDS

PANEL: TÜRKİYE'S ENERGY MARKET: OPPORTUNITY, SCALE & INVESTMENT CASE

Theme:The Investment Case for Türkiye's Energy Transition

A senior industry panel examining Türkiye's renewable energy market from the ground up — its scale, its infrastructure ambitions, and what it takes for international capital and technology partners to enter and operate successfully. Featuring executives from global energy majors and leading Turkish operators, the session explored where the real opportunities lie and how Türkiye is positioning itself as a regional clean energy powerhouse.

Moderated by Ersoy Erkazancı, UK Country Advisor, Invest in Türkiye

Panelists:

  • Evren Güvenç, CEO, Polat Enerji

  • Florent Rousset, Vice President Geothermal, New Energies, Baker Hughes

  • Geert Dooms, General Manager, RES Group

  • Ram Ramachander, Chief Growth Officer, Hitachi EMEA

  • Ersoy Erkazancı

    UK COUNTRY ADVISOR AT INVEST IN TÜRKİYE

    Ersoy Erkazancı is UK Country Advisor at the Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (Invest in Türkiye), where he leads efforts to attract British and European capital into Türkiye's strategic sectors — including energy, infrastructure, and green industry. Based in London, he acts as a key bridge between Türkiye's investment ecosystem and the international financial community, facilitating high-level dialogue and partnerships between Turkish institutions and global investors.

  • Evren Güvenç

    CEO AT POLAT ENERJİ

    Evren Güvenç is a seasoned energy executive with over three decades of leadership experience across energy and industrial sectors in Türkiye and internationally. Currently serving as CEO of Polat Enerji, he brings deep expertise in financial strategy, operations, and commercial leadership across both renewable energy and industrial businesses. With deep roots in Türkiye's energy market, Polat Enerji represents the scale and ambition of domestic energy operators seeking to attract international capital and partnerships to accelerate the country's clean energy transition.

  • Florent Rousset

    VICE PRESIDENT GEOTHERMAL, NEW ENERGIES AT BAKER HUGHES

    Florent Rousset leads Baker Hughes' global geothermal expansion, combining subsurface expertise with integrated project delivery to provide clean, reliable baseload power. Since joining Baker Hughes in 2008, he has held senior leadership positions across Strategy, Market Intelligence, and New Energies. Baker Hughes, a leading energy technology company, is increasingly deploying its industrial expertise toward the energy transition — with geothermal representing one of its key growth areas in markets such as Türkiye, which holds some of Europe's largest geothermal resources.

  • Geert Dooms

    GENERAL MANAGER · RES GROUP

    Geert Dooms leads RES Group's renewable energy activities, overseeing business strategy, project development, and delivery across wind and solar energy. With over two decades of international experience, he has been active in the Turkish market since 2007 — playing a pivotal role in supporting the development of the sector and the entry of international expertise into Türkiye. Within RES, he has held senior roles across technical, engineering, and project delivery functions before taking on his current leadership position.

  • Ram Ramachander

    CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER AT HITACHI EMEA

    Ram Ramachander drives Hitachi's growth strategy across EMEA, accelerating expansion in energy, mobility, and digital transformation. With a track record of building large-scale clean energy and infrastructure programs across the region, he connects capital, technology, and industry to unlock new models of long-term growth. Hitachi's presence in the energy transition spans grid infrastructure, energy management systems, and industrial decarbonization, making it a key technology and investment partner for markets undergoing large-scale energy system transformation.

LAUNCH: TÜRKİYE TRANSITION FACTBOOK

Theme: Data-Driven Intelligence for Energy Transition Investment

The formal launch of the Türkiye Transition Factbook — produced by BloombergNEF and commissioned by Bloomberg Philanthropies — providing investors and policymakers with a comprehensive data-driven assessment of Türkiye's energy transition landscape, opportunities, and financing needs.

Sofia Maia

HEAD OF COUNTRY TRANSITION, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA RESEARCH AT BLOOMBERGNEF

Sofia Maia leads country transition research across the Middle East and Africa at BloombergNEF, where she focuses on translating complex energy data into actionable intelligence for investors, governments, and financial institutions. She presented the findings of the Türkiye Transition Factbook at the Forum, offering a data-grounded perspective on Türkiye's clean energy trajectory ahead of COP31.

PANEL: FINANCING TÜRKİYE'S ENERGY TRANSITION: WHERE CAPITAL MEETS OPPORTUNITY

Theme: Unlocking the Capital Stack for Türkiye's Clean Energy Future

A high-level panel bringing together senior representatives from global investment banks, development finance institutions, and sustainable finance advisory — examining how international capital can be structured and deployed to finance Türkiye's energy transition at scale, ahead of COP31.

Moderated by Alastair Marsh, Journalist, Bloomberg

Panelists:

  • ​Michael Ridley, ESG DCM at BBVA

  • Rodrigo Salvado, Global Head of Strategic Financing Partnerships at HSBC

  • Şafak Müderrisgil, ​Chair at Impact Investing Advisory Board Türkiye (EYDK)

  • Şule Kılıç, Director, Head of Energy Eurasia (covering Türkiye, Caucasus, Central Asia &Mongolia) at EBRD

  • Michael Ridley

    ESG DCM · BBVA

    Michael Ridley leads BBVA's ESG Debt Capital Markets team in London, advising clients on labelled bond issuance and sustainable finance structures. With a background spanning sell-side credit research, green bond strategy, and climate-focused ESG research at major global financial institutions, he brings deep expertise at the intersection of capital markets and the energy transition.

  • Rodrigo Salvado

    GLOBAL HEAD OF STRATEGIC FINANCING PARTNERSHIPS · HSBC

    Rodrigo Salvado leads Strategic Financing Partnerships within HSBC's Infrastructure and Sustainability division. With a career spanning major multilateral development banks, global philanthropic foundations, and public sector institutions across multiple continents, he brings extensive experience structuring blended finance mechanisms and mobilising private capital for large-scale infrastructure and sustainability projects in emerging and transition markets.

  • Şafak Müderrisgil

    CHAIR · IMPACT INVESTING ADVISORY BOARD TÜRKİYE (EYDK)

    Şafak Müderrisgil has built a multidisciplinary career at the intersection of law, sustainable finance, and impact investing. As Chair of EYDK — Türkiye's National Advisory Board for Impact Investing — she leads efforts to expand the impact investing ecosystem and foster dialogue between government, business, and capital at both national and global levels. She has played a key role in pioneering innovative finance structures in Türkiye and represents the country's impact investing community in international forums.

  • Şule Kılıç

    DIRECTOR, HEAD OF ENERGY EURASIA · EBRD

    Şule Kılıç is Director and Head of Energy Eurasia at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, covering Türkiye, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia. With nearly three decades of experience across project finance, PPP structures, financial advisory, and development banking, she has been at the forefront of how institutional capital engages with Türkiye's energy and infrastructure markets. Her career bridges the private and public sectors, bringing a rare combination of commercial acumen and development finance expertise to the table.

  • Alastair Marsh

    JOURNALIST · BLOOMBERG

    Alastair Marsh is a senior journalist at Bloomberg covering sustainable finance, ESG capital markets, and the intersection of climate policy and investment. Based in London, he brings a sharp editorial lens to the conversations shaping how capital is being mobilized — and where it is falling short — across the global energy transition. His work spans green bond markets, blended finance structures, and the evolving role of financial institutions in driving decarbonization at scale.

PITCHING SESSION: INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES DRIVING THE ENERGY TRANSITION

A showcase of five clean energy and climate tech ventures presenting breakthrough technologies across wind, offshore energy, green fuels, mobility, and waste-to-energy — representing the next generation of solutions driving Türkiye's and Europe's energy transition.

  • Balca Yılmaz

    CO-FOUNDER & CEO · WEROVER

    Balca Yılmaz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Werover, a company developing AI-driven monitoring solutions for renewable energy assets. With a background in control and automation engineering, she has focused on predictive maintenance technologies throughout her career. Werover's flagship product — an AI-based wind turbine blade health monitoring system — is today deployed across more than 1,000 turbines in over seven countries, working with leading energy companies to improve asset reliability and optimize maintenance operations.

  • Giles Redpath

    CEO · HIVE ENERGY

    Giles Redpath is the founder and CEO of Hive Energy, a renewable energy developer with a mission to create transformational change for a cleaner future. Hive has completed over 2.8GW of solar and battery energy storage projects and is currently developing an additional 8.2GW of renewable energy projects — alongside an 18GW pipeline of green hydrogen and green ammonia developments. The company is known for its innovative approach across both renewable energy and the circular economy.

  • Hüseyin Ardan Küçük

    VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD · 1000 YATIRIMLAR HOLDİNG

    Hüseyin Ardan Küçük is an entrepreneur and electrical engineer focused on sustainable energy and green mobility. Co-founder of BinBin Mobility, a micro-mobility company providing eco-friendly urban transportation solutions across multiple cities in Türkiye, he also serves as Vice Chairman of 1000 Yatırımlar Holding — overseeing corporate sustainability, renewable energy investments, and the vertical integration of mobility and green energy.

  • James Reeves

    CHIEF ENGINEER & CO-FOUNDER · AİKİDO TECHNOLOGİES

    James Reeves is the Co-Founder and Chief Engineer of Aikido Technologies, developing next-generation floating offshore wind platforms designed to significantly reduce assembly time and enable the use of existing port infrastructure — accelerating the scalable deployment of floating wind. With a background in aerospace engineering, he brings cross-sector innovation experience to one of the most critical frontiers of offshore renewable energy.

  • Mehmet Ali Nalçacıoğlu

    GENERAL MANAGER · BİOTREND ENERGY

    Mehmet Ali Nalçacıoğlu is the General Manager of Biotrend Environmental and Energy Investments, specialising in integrated solid waste management, biogas, and waste-to-energy projects. With a career spanning over two decades in environmental engineering and project management, he leads Biotrend's work transforming municipal and industrial waste into low-carbon energy products — contributing to both the circular economy and Türkiye's renewable energy capacity.

CLOSING REMARKS

Closing the Forum, İlkay Demirdağ and Ersoy Erkazancı reflected on Türkiye's shift from an emerging market story to a leading one — pointing to a room representing well over $10 trillion in capital and influence, from global investment banks to development institutions, private equity, and family offices across Europe and Türkiye. Their message was clear: the question was never whether capital exists, but where it flows next — and gatherings like this compress years of relationship-building into a single room, setting the stage for the deals that follow.

Delivered by:

  • İlkay Demirdağ, Founder & CEO, Energy Shift Capital

  • Ersoy Erkazancı, UK Country Advisor, Invest in Türkiye