The global e-commerce platform WORLDEF is bringing together the leaders of the e-commerce and retail sectors under the “ELC GLOBAL” community. The launch of the community, which aims to build a corporate-based ecosystem, attracted great interest. WORLDEF CEO Ömer Nart said, “We are at the beginning of a structure where employers and leaders who speak the same language, carry similar responsibilities, and think at the same level come together.”
ELC GLOBAL, pioneered by WORLDEF and aiming to create an exclusive community that will shape the future of the e-commerce and retail sectors, was introduced with an official launch event attended by special guests. The program, held at Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, was attended by leading figures from the e-commerce and retail ecosystems. At the beginning of the program, participants watched promotional videos of the WORLDEF ISTANBUL and WORLDEF DUBAI events. In addition, a presentation was made covering the platform’s structure, community model, and participation requirements.
Ömer Nart: Real power is being able to sit at the same table with the right people
WORLDEF CEO Ömer Nart said in his speech at the program, “We are at the beginning of a structure where employers and leaders who speak the same language, carry similar responsibilities, and think at the same level come together.” Pointing out that ELC GLOBAL is a closed-circuit network established in 2019, Nart said, “This structure is being revived today to bring together employers and leaders who truly have a say in the world of digital commerce and retail. It is necessary to be able to discuss the right topics with the right people on the right ground. Today, it is still very difficult to find a space in the business world where there is reliable, qualified, and open communication. ELC GLOBAL responds exactly to this need.”
Emphasizing that ELC GLOBAL is built on a model beyond the traditional understanding of networking, Ömer Nart stated the following: “It is a system where every contact is meaningful and every meeting produces a return. Through strategic roundtables, mastermind sessions, and carefully designed matches, we are building a structure where time is used in the most efficient way. From content production to stage positioning, we aim to increase the visibility and impact of our members in every area. Communication based on trust, mutual respect, and disciplined participation form the foundation of this structure. Because this place was established not to spend time, but to create value.”
Ömer Nart concluded his words as follows: “We believe this: Real power is being able to sit at the same table with the right people. Real impact is the implementation of what is discussed at that table. ELC GLOBAL is exactly the meeting point of employers and decision-making leaders who want to create this impact.”
Sezgin Şener: The winners will be those who manage quality, not quantity
ELC GLOBAL Advisory Board Chairman and ToptanTR CEO Sezgin Şener emphasized that e-commerce is undergoing a very serious development process compared to traditional commerce and said, “Almost one out of every five trades is now being conducted online. This attraction has naturally led to the emergence of many investments, many investors, many entrepreneurs, and more competition. When we look at it today, we are in a massive ecosystem with many players, including dozens of logistics companies, hundreds of software companies, and thousands of service providers. In other words, we are now in a period where quantity has reached its peak. This is exactly where ELC GLOBAL comes into play, and a breaking point begins here.”
Şener stated the following: “We say that from now on, the winners will be those who manage quality, not quantity. Because time is now very limited for all of us. The attention of our customers or target audience has become much more critical. In a world with a population of 8.1 billion, where everyone is speaking, we are together to create an ecosystem made up not of those who make noise by raising their voices, but of those who will truly make a difference by raising their value. We want to bring together the most qualified players in the sector.”
Cem Oğuz: The right leaders are together
Sürat Kargo General Manager Cem Oğuz stated that it is very important to come together with the right people and the right community and discuss the right topics, and noted the following: “The leaders of the e-commerce world here are truly leaders; the right leaders are together. How can we understand that this is the right time? We want to look only at the last 5 years of Sürat Kargo. I never forget our presence at WORLDEF; we started with a small booth in 2020. Today, we continue as the main sponsor. This shows our growth. I hope that these opportunities provided to us will be provided for everyone.”
Aytaç Akıncı: ELC GLOBAL will help enable successful transitions from export to e-export
Ship to More Founder Aytaç Akıncı said, “It is a great honor to see everyone who manages, grows, and shapes e-commerce in Türkiye here this evening. You are people who ship thousands of packages in Türkiye and have previously entered the homes of millions of people. I believe that ELC GLOBAL will increase the exports of those who export. It will also help those who do not export to make successful transitions from export to e-export.”
Sadem Pehlivan: It became a structure where very positive experiences were shared for the development of the ecosystem
eStar Global E-Commerce General Manager Sadem Pehlivan also said, “I was probably the most inexperienced e-commerce person in the closed-circuit ELC GLOBAL structure mentioned. Because I had no network at all. That is why, at the very beginning, I felt it was completely like a networking platform. At that time, it became a structure where we did business together and very positive experiences were shared for the development of the ecosystem. There are dozens of people here who are devoted to this sector. In this sense, being together will be valuable in terms of productivity and efficiency.”
ECOM BRANDS 100 Awards Ceremony was introduced
Meanwhile, at the launch, WORLDEF Vice President Orxan Isayev provided information about the “ECOM BRANDS 100” project, where the best of the e-commerce ecosystem are awarded. Isayev shared the methodology and vision of the award ceremony that will determine the giants of e-commerce. ECOM BRANDS 100 awards the most innovative and successful internet brands shaping the future of the sector. The ECOM BRANDS 100 Awards Ceremony will be held at the WORLDEF ISTANBUL 2026 event, which will take place at Yenikapı Event Area between June 11-13, 2026, following the announcement of candidate lists, public voting, evaluation with the Power Index, and the announcement of the winners.
About ELC GLOBAL
ELC GLOBAL aims to build strong connections among e-commerce and retail leaders, support strategic collaborations, and create an exclusive community that will shape the future of these sectors. Company owners with a minimum annual e-commerce turnover of 5 million dollars, decision-making executives of brands with a minimum turnover of 25 million dollars, and high-growth entrepreneurs with a growth rate of 400 percent or above can join the platform.