Turkish Delight for Nortel Assets?

By Mark Evans | Published: January 15, 2010

What does Godiva chocolate and Nortel have in common? On the surface, not much but that could change if Yildiz Holding AS, a Turkish company that owns Godiva, buys Nortel’s Turkish business unit as part of a diversification plan away from food.

According to Bloomberg, Yildiz is talking with Nortel’s bankruptcy administrators to purchase the business. Yildiz is looking to increase its non-food sales to $5-billion by 2015 from $286-million in 2009.

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  • exNTII

    286M to 5B in 6 years just under 2000% growth.What is in that turkish tobacco? I want some of it even if it is for a pipe dream.

  • indifferent

    They'll get it for peanuts?

  • protosphere

    Turkey is a Muslim country with an atrocious record of human rights violations. The USA needs them for its its geographic strategic alliance, being so close to the middle east. Perhaps why they didn't intervene in Southern situated Cypress' annexation as they had done with Kuwait, regardless of whether they turned their back on a humanitarian nation that was the greatest influence to Western civilization. One that also opposes all war and does not allow US military bases on its soil and one that set a precedent for the rest of Europe to follow in Nazi defiance with the Battle for Crete/Operation Mercury to delay invading Russia into the Winter and real cause of defeating them….with the traditional non existent profile. I may write a book on this invisible nation some day with an ethnocentric bias=)

    Anyways, as for getting to $5 billion in a few years with under $300M sales today, even at 30% growth, this doesn't stand to logic. Buying Nortel;s division there, albeit a shoe in for any sinister or barbaric nation to eye this fraud evil empire, it will hardly foster the growth they target ridiculously. Good luck… 5 billion, phhht, why not a trillion and take the Roman catholic church public while they are at it… …horsefeathers, let them have Nortel… why not, they deserve it.

  • vb_c

    Just three questions to you. Who is now killing people in Iraq and Palestine? Who killed Algerian people in the past? Who is the barbarian?

  • indifferent

    Business is business. I don't know why the achievement of a country is amplified when a perceived weakness of another country is highlighted as if it is the only thing that defines it.
    There are some subtending insinuations in protosphere's text that are absolutly wrong! Like for example “Turkey is a Muslim country with an atrocious record of human rights violations”. This is not only false but outrageous!

  • TongueInCheek

    Looks like Yildiz Holding is similar to Onex in Canada, a holding company with a broad set of assets. According to Business Week, Yildiz already has investments in Telecommunications and Information Technology so acquiring the Nortel share in Netas could be of value to them.

  • freqmgr

    When the Cypriot events were unfolding did any friends of Greece do anything beyond verbal protests? My experiences in Turkey and working with Turkish nationals gives me a very different view of the country. I clearly remember the joint Greek-Turkish military drills – Greek military working in Turkey and Turkish military working in Greece.

    When did Greece stop allowing the US Navy and other NATO forces use of its ports, airfields and facilities?

    Yildiz seems to be a well run company….maybe they can make something out of the Nortel portion of Netas.

  • less

    The festive soundtrack for this historic event is already written!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5o-xLcTmTs

    The audience is mostly German and French, clapping happily because they received their NT severance checks in the mail (clearly depicted 50 seconds into the video),
    The American severance agreement is shown briefly from 1:38, and the NT BoD makes a cameo immediately afterward..

    Canada will likely revamp this classic number with a moose and lumberjacks

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg7WG6tCbrw&feat…

  • less

    There are a few reasons why Turkey isn't yet) in the EU. I can say that the Turkish language sounds hilarious. To me, anyway.

  • less

    !!!!

    I can't believe I didn't notice it – Godiva. Hello, Godivaya?

  • bankrupt_bob

    Anybody have any doubts about this company being a turkey? ;>)

  • borissss

    ı adore your view of human rights.Why did you need to mention that Turkey is a Muslim country?What is the connection?What is the problem with Muslim people?
    The info you have given is partially right but I feel that you suppose bad people goes to Turkey after they die.
    In fact Turkey would not be my first choice to be a citizen of,if I could select but I strongly suggest you planning a vacation to Turkey. :) It seems that you don't know much about Turkey.

  • Another_Nortel_Watcher

    Helllooooo! People! The patient died a while ago. Mike Z, Hackney, Roese, Riedel, Lowe, etc. killed it.

    Move along now. Time to get a life. Meet you back here in 20 years for some nostalgic memories.

  • wasthere

    To summarize :
    A chocolate firm run by a bunch of turkeys is looking for a sweet deal …….. which have a good chance of turning sour ;-)

  • dyogenes

    It is a pity that someone can make such a racist comment on this blog.

  • protosphere

    What's so racist about it?

    Why not muster up a few brand new IDs to fabricate against the facts.

  • protosphere

    everything you wrote is pure BS… why?

  • protosphere

    Who killed the Armenians, Barbaqued Kolokotronis alive, shoot an unarmed person for removing a flag, visit their prisons or courts to see, etc…

    Also ask others just who tried to exterminated the Jews, that oppose Palestine since you brought that up for some strange reason that may expose your bias.

    There is good and bad in all, as you have exemplified, and criminals are mean spirited and stupid. We do not share the ideals of those who violate the value of human life.

    Albeit, things are improving as we modernize, as I am pleased to see the global aid to Haiti. others extremists would rather kill infidels and innocent people by crashing planes into the ground or into towers. All of us if they could, and in all fairness is wasn't that long ago we burned witches or wore white pointed hats… we are modernizing thank goodness. There are good and bad in all races, anyone neglecting this is not being truthful. Iraq, Germany, etc., all fell under sinister rule at some point.. They are corrected, as should some comments be.

    However, ignorance breeds contempt alike stupidity breeds hatred, We are against tyrants that fabricate/frauds, barbarians that behead or take innocent lives, and we expose these poor excuses for human beings when ever we can.

    Dare we abandon what the past has taught us in fighting for for civility and humanitarian values and the very value of human life.

    Those who have been name calling or accusing others of anything have also been outraged by our comments in the past with many new IDs. Shameless like MooseChaser and others, we know who you are. You know who you are, how truthful you are, and what you see in the mirror than to slander and fabricate. Shame on you if you had any. I

    Twisting things out of context so grossly, as usual, patronizing or cowardly backstabbing, totalitarian reporting BS to suppress the truth, stalking or name calling, etc., is this what you want your children to become? Is this how you are teaching your children to reason or get what they want? With lies and derogatory accusations or unethical tactics. Shame on you,

    Turkey is corrupt, and as Less indicated, there is good reason why they are not a member of the European Union yet, for the concessions they balk at. If you think this is racist, perhaps you judge another from your own reactions or you are simply utterly challenged inventing how they exchange forces by visiting or inventing who the barbarians are, or calling others false and reiterating outrageous with a few IDs etc… shame on spineless fraud and tyranny, shame, and I am not to shy to expose it!

  • protosphere

    ya, the math struck me as absurd too… =)

  • protosphere

    “There are a few (valid) reasons why Turkey isn't (yet) in the EU.”

    Yes exactly, Cypriot concessions are a major one.

  • ooooozz

    If you want to talk about Armenians, learn something about them first;

    http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10681…

  • vb_c

    I wonder where you learned all of that, which books you read. Ottoman Empire governed some countries in europe, africa and asia for about 500 years. What happened to Ottomans to kill Armenians after 500 years?

    The best way to demolish a country is to set aganist people in the country. Now the same plans are set on Turkey, to make the country weak economically.

    Some countries, which i dont want to give name, sells guns to Turks and the terroris group. It is a good play to earn money and weakening the country. Do you want a poor member to participate to your family, to spend money from your pocket for him or her. The main reason for Turkey not to be a member of EU is that. If the reason is the Turks are barbarian then France who killed Algerian and Germany who killed Jews and made soap from them would not be the member of EU

    As you said, all the members in a community are bad. Not all Turks are good or not all Germans are bad. All what happened was in the past. We dont need to make same mistakes. If we have prejudgements then there will be no diffrence betwen us and our anchestors.

  • ooooozz

    Israel and Palestine.. well, check this out, maybe u can find something which is not shown at your TV channels. (Please do not misunderstand me, it is not my intention to protect some terrorist organizations at Palestine, but I believe that you should not comment on topics which you have no idea about )

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6862864…

  • dyogenes

    it is a shame that you dont even notice that you are a racist. You should first face this fact before being a “Nazi” against the people who feel and live different.

  • freqmgr

    I take it you have never been to Turkey. Never saw the Turkish F-16s land in Greece and their commander report to the Greek base commander? Or the amphib landing by both countries on the others beaches? Or the massive help to each other after earthquakes and other natural disasters? Or the Greek Orthodox cathedral in Taksim Plaza (Istanbul)? Yeah, you probably haven't “been there, done that”!

  • protosphere

    How can one justify this horrific retribution like what the Turks did to them in genocide to last so many years thereafter.
    Or the Israelis trying to thwart rocket attacks on their soil after another nation tried to wipe them out completely.

    History leaves bitterness to the effected lives. Do two wrongs make a right? What if we witnessed our parents and siblings butchered before our very eyes? How would we feel or respond?

    I have no answers than education before it even gets started, the best preventative measure to crime too.

    It is this very imperfect world we human animals must strive to correct what we witness as totally incomprehensible and unacceptable as a disassociated third party looking in from the outside in. How do we tell them to stop killing? I wish we had the answer for this lacking immortal tolerance.

  • protosphere

    I haven't.
    Bases are kept in utmost secrecy there so I am suprised you have.
    Not military bases, water bombers, and certainly not F16's maybe… ya

    Can't see them sharing with some one who they maintain them for to begin with. However, in times of crisis, it is understandable that all of Europe works to assist each other, so that is a good point and perhaps a good direction to maintain pursuing in cooperation. They did provide water bombers, yes. Good point.

    It is not as though they are formally at war than like the US and Russia during the cold war. Where we too offered them aid in times of crisis.

    When world leaders determine the fate of their citizens, it is time for global change to reflect the intent and lives of those citizens, to preserve, and maintain the value of human life. Sometimes this is not possible as they try to limit the number of civilian casualties to ironically serve to wards this end.

    Bickering fosters no answers. In a few hundred years we will see how primitive we are today.

  • scalppeeler

    Gonna find brad davis
    Ain't gonna treat him right.
    Gonna treat him with Turkish delight.
    Afternoon Delight.

  • asefe

    As socrates said first know yourself. Even you are unaware of your racist nature. Do you think that people on this blog are soo keen to hear your racist ideas?

  • asefe

    Lol. it doesnt mean that they have just 286M now. They have just stated their plan for non-food bussines.

  • protosphere

    Mustering a few new IDs just to convince me it was racists doesn't cut it as you call others “Nazi”. Have you any idea how challenged you sound? Most readers can read unlike you.

    Again. explain where you think this is racist than keep name calling.

    Are they or are they not a Muslim country.
    Do they or do they not have an atrocious record of human rights violations. End of story, these are facts not racial slurs. I already explained there are good and bad in all peoples. So stick it your ear, you judge others from your own limited capacities, worse yet twist terms and expect them to believe it.

  • interesting_idea

    As far as I know the Yildiz group has plans to buy more companies to achieve the 5B. But i am still in doubt about a chocolate company's success in telecommunication area. Their existing telecommunication company is growing but is it possible for them to maintain a bigger company like Netas?

    Looking forward to hear their new plans. I bet they plan to compete with NASA about space projects too.

  • keanefun

    To protosphere

    This is not the blog to write your racist ideas. Still i do not understand what sense you wrote those words against Turkey? Have you ever been in Turkey? have you ever witness how people behave you on street? This is the country you can see Mosque,Church and Synagogue just next to each other and great tolerance.
    I suggest you to get rid of your racist glasses and investigate world with clear eye sight.

  • protosphere

    No, and have you ever been to a Turkish prison, or through their legal system?

    Even this new fraud and challenged ID of yours fails to show how the post was racist in any way even as I have detailed my views

    you slander with unsubstantiated fabrications

    do you really think readers are as challenged as you to swallow your hit and run mean spirited accusations and not see what was explicitly written, no matter what ID you comer up with it seems you are ignorant to how utterly challenged you sound trying to pick a fight where there is none only to lose over the last half decade..typically challenged and rude

  • dyogenes

    I am not Keanefun or Asefe. Stop blaming people of using “fraud” ids. (This is what I understand from your post above) And please (please) stop writing down your racist ideas. This is not the right place for this kind of stuff. Netas for almost 40 years was a part of the family for which this “memorial” site has been created. More than thousand people in Netas worked very hard for the same cause, to save an ill fated company. Please respect them as well as their culture, country, religion.

  • wasthere

    How sweet it is : Nortel Netas shares are up 6 fold in a year

    http://markets.ft.com/tearsheets/financialsSumm…

  • protospherical1

    I do not believe you. Plaster your slander and BS elsewhere.

    I think you are one of the rude pumpers, always wrong, and unethical if I may add.

    reflected by this:
    “More than thousand people in Netas worked very hard for the same cause, to save an ill fated company. “

  • protospherical1

    to accuse a country of human rights violations isn't being racist

    Are you challenged or rude and antagonistic? Which is it?

  • freqmgr

    protosphere – I base my comments first on 23 years in the military including NATO assignments. Both Turkey and Greece are members of NATO. Maybe Canadian forces have top secret bases (I think not) – since they certainly seemed to like training at Fort Drum in the US – I have been there when Canadian forces were there. Even now when I travel I still find myself looking for military installations – most are not easily hidden.

    Since retirement from the military and prior to the time I worked for NT I worked in defense related telecom. With NT I traveled extensively (sometimes ~200 days a year) – with my eyes wide open. Turkey may not be “perfect” but it is not the hell hole you described.

  • freqmgr

    protosphere – I base my comments first on 23 years in the military including NATO assignments. Both Turkey and Greece are members of NATO. Maybe Canadian forces have top secret bases (I think not) – since they certainly seemed to like training at Fort Drum in the US – I have been there when Canadian forces were there. Even now when I travel I still find myself looking for military installations – most are not easily hidden.

    Since retirement from the military and prior to the time I worked for NT I worked in defense related telecom. With NT I traveled extensively (sometimes ~200 days a year) – with my eyes wide open. Turkey may not be “perfect” but it is not the hell hole you described.

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