Career

Azerbaijan
1991–1992 (1 year)

Responsibilities:

• Managed a laboratory specializing in the production of medicinal herbal mixtures.
• Developed and implemented technologies for processing and extracting active plant components.
• Organized the production of essential oils, which were in short supply at the time.
• Collaborated with leading scientists and pharmacology experts.
• Optimized production processes to enhance efficiency and profitability.

Achievements:

• Successfully established the production of essential oils, transforming it into a highly profitable venture.
• Reinvested proceeds into pharmaceutical technology development and production expansion.
• Ensured competitive salaries for employees, boosting motivation and overall productivity.

Personal Reflection:

As a young entrepreneur, I saw myself as a pioneer — an alchemist blending science and business. In the lab, we extracted active compounds from herbs to create natural remedies. With the support of scientists, we turned essential oil production into a thriving business, using profits to drive innovation and growth. That’s when I realized: business is the art of finding solutions.

Azerbaijan
1992 – 1995

In 1992, with the rise of the private sector, my friends and I founded one of Azerbaijan’s first advertising agencies. With little competition, we quickly gained a strong foothold in the market, securing a significant share and establishing ourselves as industry leaders.

Responsibilities:

• Founded one of the first private advertising companies in the country.
• Developed marketing and advertising strategies in a rapidly evolving economic landscape.
• Managed projects and created advertising campaigns for various clients.
• Collaborated with major corporations and international brands.

Achievements:

• Became one of the early pioneers in Azerbaijan’s emerging private sector as the economy transitioned to a market model.
• Quickly captured a significant share of the advertising market due to minimal competition.
• Played a role in shaping the country’s first advertising industry.
• Secured Philip Morris as a key client, leading to an unexpected career opportunity.

Personal Reflection:

Philip Morris was one of our major clients, and they ultimately offered me the next step — a job that opened up a whole new world.

Azerbaijan

September 1995 – March 2000 (4 years, 7 months)

Responsibilities:

• Led the commercial direction of Reemtsma’s distributor company (now Imperial Tobacco).
• Developed sales strategies for tobacco brands Davidoff and West in the Azerbaijani market.
• Optimized the distribution network and logistics operations.
• Designed and implemented marketing strategies for brand promotion.
• Managed relationships with international partners and manufacturers.

Achievements:

• Increased market share of Davidoff and West brands.
• Optimized logistics, reducing costs.
• Introduced innovative marketing strategies that drove significant sales growth.
• Established strong partnerships with international manufacturers.

Personal Reflection:

Working at Planeta Co Ltd felt like a business university — no lectures, just real-world challenges. We built a distribution network, developed marketing strategies, and found creative ways to promote brands like Reemtsma, Davidoff, and West. I quickly learned that the tobacco industry isn’t just about selling cigarettes — it’s a sophisticated science of sales, psychology, and strategy. Optimizing logistics, increasing sales volumes, and predicting market trends sharpened my ability to analyze, strategize, and make quick decisions — skills that proved invaluable in my future career.

Baku, Azerbaijan

April 2000 – May 2008 (8 years, 2 months)

Managing the commercial activities of a brewery isn’t just about sales — it’s about understanding the market, anticipating trends, and shaping consumer perception. Our goal was to prove that great beer can be both local and high quality.

We launched a groundbreaking marketing campaign under the slogan:
“Adı bizim, dadı da bizim” (Our brand, our taste).
This wasn’t just a slogan; it was a philosophy. We preserved a legendary brand while modernizing production to meet the highest quality standards. The result? Strong consumer loyalty, sales growth, and the revival of a beloved local brand.

Responsibilities:

• Developed and executed a commercial strategy to drive company growth.
• Negotiated with international suppliers and forged strategic partnerships.
• Expanded and optimized the distribution network.
• Led marketing and PR efforts to strengthen brand presence and attract new customers.

Achievements:

• Introduced new beer brands, securing a dominant market position and increasing industry share.
• Optimized logistics, reducing operating costs by 30%.
• Built a sustainable distribution network, ensuring steady sales growth.
• Designed and executed a powerful marketing strategy, significantly boosting brand awareness and sales.

Personal Reflection:

Working with Baku Castel taught me two key lessons:

1. Sales aren’t just numbers — they’re about understanding the consumer.
2. The right marketing can turn a product into a legend.

After eight years in this industry, I was ready for new challenges and opportunities.

Tbilisi,Georgia
2008 – 2012 (4 years)

After eight years in the fast-paced brewing industry, Baku Castel was successfully sold to an international company. It seemed like the perfect time for a break — but life had other plans. The plant’s owner invited me to bring my expertise to Georgia and help elevate his business.

The market was different, but the mission remained the same: develop the brand, strengthen the company’s position, and optimize operations. Georgia’s beer industry was both exciting and demanding, where success required balancing product quality with tradition, local taste preferences, and consumer perception.

Responsibilities:

• Advised the CEO on growth strategy and business optimization.
• Developed a marketing strategy tailored to local consumer behavior.
• Managed relationships with key distributors and partners.
• Optimized logistics and production processes.
• Conducted market analysis to adapt brands to local preferences.

Achievements:

• Enhanced the marketing strategy, increasing brand recognition and consumer trust.
• Streamlined logistics, reducing costs and improving profit margins.
• Expanded the distribution network, ensuring steady sales growth.
• Adapted product offerings to match Georgian consumer tastes.

Personal Reflection:

Georgia became a new chapter — one that required adaptability, cultural insight, and strategic thinking. I gained a deeper understanding of how local traditions shape consumer behavior and how leveraging these nuances can create a competitive advantage.

After four years of optimizing operations and maximizing performance, we successfully sold the business at a strong profit — closing another exciting chapter in my journey.

Baku, Azerbaijan
In parallel with work in Georgia 2008 – 2012 (4 years)

As a chess player who thrives on simultaneous games, I never limited myself to just one board. While developing Castel Sakartvelo in Georgia, I also launched three ambitious projects in Azerbaijan — each carving out its niche and achieving remarkable success.

Frupro – Sonti Juices

Azerbaijan’s juice market was monotonous and predictable — until we disrupted it. Sonti wasn’t just another drink; it was an alternative to dull flavors. Unique recipes, bold marketing, and a clear distribution strategy quickly positioned Sonti as a market leader.

Kalina Cosmetics Distribution

Beauty is more than an industry — it’s a philosophy. As the official distributor of Russia’s Kalina brand, we built a strong sales network, introduced high-quality products, and earned consumer trust.

Borjomi Distribution in Azerbaijan

Handling a legendary brand means ensuring its legacy. We elevated Borjomi’s distribution, making it accessible in every corner of Azerbaijan while maintaining its premium status.

Results & Achievements:

• Sonti became one of Azerbaijan’s most recognizable juice brands.
• Kalina’s distribution solidified its market position.
• Borjomi strengthened its presence in the premium mineral water segment.
• All three ventures thrived despite fierce competition.

This period was like a high-stakes simultaneous chess match, where each move required strategy, foresight, and precision. I learned that success isn’t just about launching businesses — it’s about creating ecosystems where brands don’t just survive but dominate.

Kyiv, Ukraine
2012 – 2020 (8 years)

After several years in Georgia, I felt it was time for a new challenge. In 2012, I moved to Kyiv and founded Robecons, an investment company that opened the doors of Arab capital to Ukraine. In a world where investments are more than just numbers — they’re strategic decisions — we became the bridge between the Middle East and the Ukrainian market.

Ukraine offered vast resources: a strong agricultural sector, emerging technologies, and ambitious infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE represented financial power, investment funds, and a drive for international expansion. My mission? To unite these two worlds — to create opportunities where capital drives growth and economies flourish.

Key Responsibilities:

• Attracting investors from Qatar, Oman, and the UAE to high-potential Ukrainian projects.
• Analyzing investment opportunities in agriculture, real estate, infrastructure, and technology.
• Managing strategic investments, minimizing risks, and developing optimal financial solutions.
• Leading international negotiations and building long-term partnerships.

Achievements:

• Secured multi-million-dollar investments from Middle East partners for Ukrainian projects.
• Built an effective investment platform that connected Arab investors with local businesses.
• Developed risk management strategies that ensured investment stability.
• Established a strong international partner network, positioning Robecons as a key player in Ukraine’s investment ecosystem.

Business isn’t just about transactions — it’s about thinking globally, recognizing opportunities, and breaking barriers. Robecons became a testament to how economies from different regions can connect to create sustainable, high-impact investment projects.

Baku, Azerbaijan
June 2013 – October 2015 (2 years 5 months)

Ukraine opened new horizons in investments, but soon an intriguing opportunity arose — a return to Azerbaijan to lead the commercial division of Milla Dairy Products, one of the country’s largest dairy producers. Milla isn’t just a brand; it’s a symbol of quality and trust, and my task was to strengthen its market position, optimize sales, and take the company to new heights.

The dairy industry is a world of its own — where raw material quality, logistics, shelf life, and marketing strategy are critical. Managing the commercial division meant balancing innovation, pricing, and consumer trust to ensure sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing a sales strategy to expand market share.
• Optimizing distribution and logistics for efficiency.
• Introducing new product lines to the Milla portfolio.
• Building partnerships with key retailers and distributors.
• Leading the sales and marketing teams, enhancing business processes.

Achievements:

• Increased sales volume and market reach.
• Optimized logistics and distribution, reducing costs and boosting margins.
• Successfully launched new dairy products, gaining strong consumer recognition.
• Implemented a marketing strategy that reinforced Milla’s position as a market leader.

Working in the dairy industry taught me that behind every great product is precise calculations, efficient processes, and strategic marketing. Milla was another challenge I embraced — and transformed into a success story.

Baku,  Azerbaijan
2012 – 2018 (6 years)

Azerbaijan faced a critical shortage of qualified specialists, and the solution came unexpectedly — straight from our own family.

Our children’s education at top UK universities (King’s College London, UCL, LSE) was more than just a parental journey; it became the inspiration for a business. Together with my wife, we decided to help other families give their children access to world-class education.

This vision led to the creation of Carfax Education Baku, an educational company that didn’t just teach English but operated under British educational standards. We brought the Carfax franchise — one of the UK’s most prestigious educational brands — to Azerbaijan, establishing the country’s first center of its kind.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading the strategic development of the educational center.
• Implementing British educational standards, adapted to local needs.
• Recruiting and training highly qualified teaching staff.
• Advising families and assisting students in gaining admission to top universities worldwide.
• Building international partnerships to expand educational opportunities.

Achievements:

• Created a unique educational platform that delivered more than just English lessons—it provided a true British education.
• Helped graduates gain admission to prestigious universities in the UK and Switzerland.
• Successfully transformed personal experience into a thriving business, empowering new generations to achieve academic excellence.
• Established Carfax Education Baku as the leader in premium education in Azerbaijan.

Education is more than knowledge — it’s an investment in the future. We proved that dreams of attending the world’s top universities can become reality with the right strategy and expertise.

Kyiv, Ukraine
2015

After successfully restructuring Milla Dairy Products, I returned to Ukraine to focus on my business. By then, Robecons had firmly established itself in the investment sector, but our ambitions demanded more.

We set our sights on the IT industry — a field where innovation drives progress, and strategic decisions shape the future.

Entering this dynamic world was a challenge, but we quickly found our place in the digital economy. We became residents of UNIT.City — Ukraine’s own Silicon Valley — where cutting-edge technologies and startups were transforming industries. Here, we successfully launched multiple IT projects, solidifying our position in this fast-growing sector.

Baku, Azerbaijan
2015 – 2019

In 2015, I received an offer that was impossible to refuse. Taleh Ziyadov, the new CEO of Azerbaijan Ports, invited me to join his team as Chief Advisor. The mission was both ambitious and noble:

Creating a free economic zone at the port of Alat, positioning Azerbaijan as a central transport and logistics hub at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. This involved modernizing port infrastructure, implementing global standards, and driving the digitalization and optimization of logistics.

This project wasn’t just about development—it was about transforming an entire industry. We crafted the concept for the free economic zone, attracted investors, and mapped out a strategic vision for the port’s evolution into a key link on the Silk Road.

Results and Achievements:

• Established the free economic zone in Alat Port, unlocking new trade opportunities for Azerbaijan.
• Modernized the port to global standards, increasing its throughput capacity and optimizing logistics.
• Strengthened Azerbaijan’s role as a key transport hub, solidifying its place in the Silk Road.

The success of this project was driven by the visionary leadership of Taleh Ziyadov and the dedication of our team. It proved that great ideas can become reality with the right strategy, determination, and strong leadership.

Baku, Azerbaijan
November 2015 – present

After successfully leading projects in investments, logistics, and production, the next logical step was to steer a company that would shape Azerbaijan’s technological future. This led me to Eurasia Group, an IT company specializing in digital technologies and artificial intelligence solutions.

In today’s world, digitalization is not just a trend — it’s a necessity. Our mission is to introduce cutting-edge innovations into businesses and government structures, making processes smarter, faster, and more efficient.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing AI-powered solutions to optimize business processes.
• Implementing digital technologies across key sectors of the economy.
• Creating innovative products for businesses and government agencies.

Achievements

• Designed unique AI-driven solutions that enhanced business efficiency.
• Led digital transformation projects across multiple industries.
• Positioned Eurasia Group as a leader in Azerbaijan’s IT sector.

Eurasia Group is more than an IT company — it is an innovation powerhouse, shaping the digital ecosystem and helping businesses stay one step ahead.