Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) has announced the end of its strategic partnership with IC Holding at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Turkey’s second-largest airport.
This decision marks a significant shift in the airport’s operational strategy.
In the official statement, MAHB highlighted the comprehensive optimization efforts initiated on December 11, 2023, alongside IC Holding. These efforts have substantially improved the management and operational efficiency of Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (İSG) in line with MAHB’s goals for operational excellence and sustainable growth. The optimization process is expected to be completed by the end of June.
A major leadership change accompanies this strategic shift. Serhat Soğukpınar, who has been serving as the CEO of İSG since December 26, 2023, will be stepping down from his position on May 31.
Kerem Maybek, currently the Director of Strategic Planning and Treasury Management at İSG, will assume the role of CEO. Maybek will continue to oversee his directorate responsibilities alongside his new role.
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, is Turkey’s second-busiest airport. Since May 1, 2008, İSG has operated under a partnership between Limak, GMR, and Malaysia Airports. As of October 23, 2014, MAHB fully manages the airport.
MAHB, which has been managing airports since 1991, currently operates 39 airports, including 5 international ones. The company services 44 million passengers and 47 airlines, handling one million tons of cargo annually.
MAHB announced that its Malaysia operations saw 21.8 million passenger movements in 1Q24, a 16.5% increase from 1Q23, with an 85.9% overall recovery against pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, its Türkiye operations saw an increase of 18.2% in passenger movements from 1Q23 to 9.5 million, mainly driven by a 22.1% growth in its international passenger movements.
