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Meet our judges
Azerbaijan's Best Managed Companies
Javid Gouliyev
Javid Gouliyev graduated from the Azerbaijan University of Languages and from the Azerbaijan State Economic University majoring in Finances and Credit. In 1999, he also graduated from the Higher School of Management of the HSBC Group (HSBC Group Training Management College).
Javid Gouliyev began his career in 1996 as Head of Clients Department in British Bank of the Middle East, a subsidiary of HSBC, and in 1999, he served as Head of Financial Control Department of the bank.
In 2003, J. Gouliyev joined Unibank first as advisor to the Board, and later, in 2004, he was appointed First Deputy Chairman of the bank. During the period between 2005 and 2012, Javid was First Deputy Chairman of Bank Standard.
In 2012, Mr. Gouliyev was appointed Executive Finance Director at Capital Resources Advisors, Azerbaijan Branch. In 2014, he joined PASHA Holding as Chief Advisor.Javid Gouliyev began his career in PASHA Bank in 2015 as Business Development Advisor to the Chairman of the Bank's Board. On 22 February 2016, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of PASHA Bank, 1 March 2018-was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Commercial Officer of the Bank.
On 12 April 2022, he was appointed Acting Chairman of the Executive Board of PASHA Bank.
According to the decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Bank, Javid Gouliyev was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Executive Board of PASHA Bank on June 9, 2022.
Zarina Zeynalova
CEO of Azercell Telecom.
Zarina Zeynalova holds post-graduate diploma in People Management & Development from Nottingham Trent University in the UK. She is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of People Management and Development (CIPD). She is a graduate of Executive Management Development Program at Texas A&M University, USA. She holds a B.Sc. degree from Azerbaijan Medical University.
Z. Zeynalova has over 25 years of professional experience in management and organizational development across multiple geographies of the world. For 20 years she has held various management positions in BP offices in Azerbaijan, UK, and the US. She also held senior management positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Pasha Construction Group.
Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli
BP Vice president communications and advocacy, Caspian region.
Bakhtiyar has been with bp for 20 years and has held number of leadership roles across communications and external affairs, tax and customs, ethics and compliance as well as business services.
In addition to professional activities, Mr. Aslanbayli is also a visiting lecturer of Baku State University, ADA University and Baku Higher Oil School. He is the author of one book and more than 50 professional articles and commentaries. He holds bachelor's and master’s degrees in International Relations from Baku State University.
In 2017, Bakhtiyar was awarded the ’Progress’ medal by the President of Azerbaijan for his significant contribution to the development of the oil and gas industry in the country.
Fariz Ismailzade
Dr. Fariz Ismailzade is Vice Rector at the ADA University (since 2006), Board member of the State Examination Center (since 2016), and former visiting research fellow at Princeton University (2021). He is also the Director of the Institute of Development and Diplomacy (IDD) and Editor-in-Chief of Baku Dialogues, ADA University’s flagship English‑language quarterly journal.
Mr. Ismailzade has a Doctoral Degree at the Maastricht School of Management. He holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School (Spain), and a Masters Degree in Social and Economic Development from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BA in Political Science from Western University in Baku with one-year interim studies at Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
Osman Khaliyev
Osman Khaliyev has been the deputy chairman of the Fund’s board since June 2021. Before that, he was the adviser of the board chairman.
Osman Khaliyev was born in Sumgayit in 1985.
In 2007, he graduated from the faculty of ‘Economic cybernetics’ of the Azerbaijan State Economic University
University, and in 2010, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Information Technology in Management. In 2012-2014, he received an MBA degree at Brandeis University in the United States.In 2010-2012, Khaliyev worked as an expert at Access Bank and the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. In 2014-2015, he was a consultant at Global Atlantic Partners LLC.
Rena Mammadova
Dr. Rena Mammadova is a renowned female business leader with nearly 30 years of experience in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sector. She has held various leadership roles in Coca-Cola’s national and regional management.
Rena Mammadova graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Baku State University. She began her professional career in 1987 and during this time worked at the Central Scientific Research Institute and later at the Industrial, Investment and Commercial Bank of Azerbaijan.Since 1996, Rena Mammadova has been working at Coca-Cola İçecek and has held various leadership positions within the company.
In 2004, she was appointed Head of Supply Systems at Coca-Cola Azerbaijan, and since 2018, she has also headed Supply Systems for Turkmenistan.In 2020, she was appointed as the General Director of Coca-Cola İçecek Azerbaijan, becoming the first Azerbaijani and female leader in the company's history to hold this position.
During her leadership, Coca-Cola İçecek Azerbaijan achieved high development and the company decided to invest in the construction of a second production plant in Azerbaijan.
Rena Mammadova is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Azerbaijan and the Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Businessmen's Association (ATİB). She is actively involved in the field of business management, sustainable development and promotion of an inclusive work environment. She particularly attaches great importance to the empowerment of women and youth, innovation and sustainability.
Rena Mammadova has improved her leadership skills at several international universities and training programs. She has participated in training programs organized by Sabancı University (Turkey), Georgia Institute of Technology (USA), Michigan State University (USA) and Harvard University (USA).
Rena Mammadova is a PhD in biological sciences and has published articles in many publications.