The Key to Competitiveness in the Automotive Supply Industry: Developing People Alongside Technology
As transformation accelerates in the automotive supply industry, investing in human development alongside technology is essential to maintaining competitiveness. New technologies bring new skill requirements and a different approach to leadership. The 9th Talent Management Conference, organized by TAYSAD this year, focused on ways to unlock employees’ potential and place people at the center of corporate culture throughout this transformation. In her opening remarks, Nihan Sekirden Baraş, Member of the TAYSAD Board of Directors, emphasized that technological advancement and human development must progress hand in hand to secure the future of the industry.

Hosted by TAYSAD Automotive Suppliers Association of Türkiye, the conference addressed a wide range of topics, from people-centered corporate culture and new approaches to performance to resilience, leadership, and the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. The conference was opened by Nihan Sekirden Baraş, Member of the TAYSAD Board of Directors. Edenred served as the gold sponsor, while Adisa was the bronze sponsor.

The Talent of the Future Is Being Developed Today
Highlighting how artificial intelligence is reshaping the role of people in the business world and the ways in which value is created, Nihan Sekirden Baraş said: “There is no guarantee that the technical skills that make someone successful today will make that same person successful five years from now. We are all in a continuous cycle of relearning. We must be willing to let go of what we know when necessary, learn again, and adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Curiosity, learning agility, and the ability to adapt to change are becoming just as important as experience and technical expertise, and in some roles, even more important.”

The Rules of Competitiveness in the Automotive Industry Are Being Reshaped
Stating that the transformation of the automotive supply industry is increasing the need for new competencies and a strong corporate culture, Nihan Sekirden Baraş said: “According to reports, 76% of European suppliers expect profitability below 5% by the end of 2026. Nearly one in four suppliers says it expects to operate at a loss. The loss of 18,900 jobs across the European automotive supply industry was announced for the first half of 2026 alone. During the same period, imports of automotive components from China to Europe increased by 23%. The situation we face is reshaping the rules of competition in the automotive industry. The future of Türkiye’s automotive industry depends not on producing more, but on creating greater value.”

“We Must Not Forget to Invest in People While Investing in Technology”
Emphasizing that approaches to performance must also be reassessed in light of this transformation, Nihan Sekirden Baraş continued: “Artificial intelligence will increasingly provide us with better answers, but it is still humans who will decide which questions are worth asking. The leaders of the future will be those who ask the right questions and bring together the power of technology and human potential. We must not forget to invest in people while investing in technology. If we fail to equip our teams with new skills and give them the space to experiment and make mistakes, we will not be able to build the organization of the future, even if we have the world’s best technology. The companies that will truly stand out in the future are those that bring together the power of technology and human potential in the most effective way.”

Sessions Spanning Wisdom Intelligence and People-Centered Culture
The conference continued with a presentation by Prof. Dr. Acar Baltaş entitled “Wisdom Intelligence in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” This was followed by Şule Yücebıyık, Founder of Bilim Virüsü and social entrepreneur, who addressed participants with her presentation, “The Reality of 2026: The Redistribution of People, Artificial Intelligence, and Power.” In the final session before the lunch break, Tuna Arıncı, Country President of Valeo Türkiye and General Manager of its Bursa plants, and Hakan Konak, President and CEO of Toyota Boshoku Türkiye, discussed people-centered corporate culture under the title “The Egg Cracked from Within: How Does a People-Centered Culture Begin?”

The New Performance Equation Between Humans and Artificial Intelligence
The second part of the conference began with a presentation by Dr. Barış Sarıalioğlu, Co-Founder of Testeryou, entitled “From Algorithms to Humans: Redesigning the Value-Creating Mindset in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” This was followed by a panel titled “Human + Artificial Intelligence = The New Performance Equation,” moderated by Mete Yurtsever, Founder of Innolabz. The panel brought together Prof. Dr. Güncel Önkal, Head of the Department of Philosophy at Maltepe University; İdil Türkmenoğlu, management consultant and author; and Burcu Çalhan, strategic communications and leadership consultant.

The conference continued with a session entitled “The Future of Organizations and the Role of Leaders in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” featuring Beste Kaya Çilingir, Marketing and Growth Director at Edenred Türkiye, and Hüseyin Adanalı, Founding Consultant at Adisa. The program concluded with a session titled “Repositioning the Human Being: Resilience, Meaning, and Leadership Beyond Limits,” featuring Ali Türkkan, driver for Castrol Ford Team Türkiye and 2026 World Junior Rally Champion, alongside Murat Öztürk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Automotive Journalists Association (OGD).