IX INTERNATIONAL BANKING FORUM

Namig Aliyev was born in 1977 in Baku. He is a graduate of Baku State University. During his student years, he worked on a number of periodical publications. In 1999-2000 he worked in the Republican Scientific and Technical Library and in 2001-2003 in the Main Department of Cultural Education of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a leading specialist. As of 2004, he worked as a correspondent, leading correspondent, assistant editor, editor at the Free Azerbaijan Broadcasting Company "Azad Azərbaycan".

He started working in the Communication Department of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan in May 2010. Since July 2011, he has been the Head of the Public Relations Division of aforementioned department. He is the presenter of "Economic News" program  at Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting Closed Joint-Stock Company (AZTV).

Born: 1987, town of Shaki, Azerbaijani.

Education:

2008 – the Baku State University, Bachelor’s degree in Informatics.

2011 – the Baku State University, Master degree in Informatics.

2015 – 2017 the EMBA joint program of ADA University and Maastricth School of Management, Master degree in International Business Management.

2020 – Kopenhagen Business School, a course in Digital Transformation in the Financial Sector.

2021 – Harvard Business School, a course in Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, Financial Accounting.

OCM certificate on the organizational architecture of the Oracle

2024 – up to now – the London Metropolitan University, Master degree in Applied Psychology.

Professional career:

2009 – Technical Specialist, the ICL LLC.

2010-2011 – Web programmer, the Infosecurity LLC.

2011-2016 – Junior Programmer, Programmer, Leading Programmer, the Azercell Telekom LLC.

2016-2018 – Head of the Product and Service Development Unit, the Azercell Telecom.

2018-2020 – Head of the Digital Engineering Division of the Digital Lab Department of the Pasha Bank OJSC.

January, 2021 – May, 2024 – Chief Technology Officer, the Pasha Bank OJSC.

May, 2024 –up to now – Executive Director of the Central Bank.

Married with 3 children.

Chairman of the Board, Banks Association of Türkiye

Born on April 7, 1975, in Imishli region of Azerbaijan Republic.

Education:

In 1992 he was admitted to the Azerbaijan State Economic University with the largest score and graduated from high school in 1997 and received his second higher education in the Journalism profession of the Georgian Institute of Public Relations in 2004. In 2009, he defended his PhD in economics and in 2017 he defended his doctorate in economics.

Prof. Dr. Vusal Gasimli was awarded a certificate of completion for the "Leading Economic Growth" Program, [February-May/2021], John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Executive Education.

In 2022-2023 Vusal Gasimli completed the University of Oxford's Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Strategy and Innovation.

In 2013 Vusal Gasimli was given the title of associate professor.

V.Gasimli was engaged in pedagogical activity in the UNEC Special Talented Group and MBA program in 2010-2014.

V.Gasimli read public lectures at Washington University, California University, Cairo University, Warsaw University, Seoul Hanyany and Hankuk University, and Rio de Janeiro University.

Vusal Gasimli got the award of Astana Economic Forum for outstanding research achievements in 2012.

Worked as a guest scientist at Korea International Economic Policy Institute in 2013.

He has 10 books and about 500 scientific and publicist articles in Azerbaijani, Russian, Korean and English.

Vusal Gasimli is professor at the Azerbaijan Public Administration Academy under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 2021.

Labor Activity:

During the 12.05.2000-06.12.2003, the economic consultant in Express newspaper edition,

15.02.2005-19.11.2005, Economic Reviewer at ANS-PRESS Publishing House LLC,

19.11.2005-30.04.2007, President of ANS-PRESS Publishing House LLC,

09.02.2009-11.05.2011, Deputy of head of the Department at Azerbaijan-Public-Political University,

In 2007-2011, he worked on projects implemented by the European Union, the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and several international organizations.

In 2011-2016, he worked as Head of the Department for Economic Analysis and Globalization of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 2015, he represented Azerbaijan at the T20 platform of brain centers of the G20.

From 10.05.2016 to present he is the executive director of theCenter for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He was awarded the Progress Medal in 2018.

Vusal Gasimli was appointed Focal Point of UNESCAP in 2021.

Married, has three children.

Chairman at IDDA

After graduating from the secondary school he was admitted to the department of “Accounting” at Azerbaijan State Economic University and completed the full course on the speciality of “Economist” in 1981. Zakir Nuriyev started his labour activity as Leading Accountant at the “Control and Inspection” department of the Ministry of Communications, Azerbaijan Republic in 1981.

 Zakir Nuriyev did his military service during 1981-1983. He worked in the capacity of Accountant – Inspector, Chief Inspector and Deputy Chief Accountant at the “Control and Inspection” department of the Ministry of Communications, Azerbaijan Republic from July, 1983 until January, 1989 after having served in the military.

 He was appointed to the post of Manager of the “Control and Accounting” division at “Regional Communication” Production Association of the Ministry of Communications, Azerbaijan Republic in 1989. Zakir Nuriyev worked in the capacity of Chairman of the Management Board at “Rabitabank” Joint-Stock Commercial Bank during 1993-1998 and has been acting as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at “Rabitabank” Open Joint-Stock Company since 1998 up to date. He was elected President of the Azerbaijan Banks Association in 1996 and worked in that capacity until 2006. He has been member of the Presidium at Azerbaijan Banks Association from 2006 till 2015. He was re-elected President of Azerbaijan Banks Association in 2015.

Emil Zeynalov, started his career at the Credit Europe Bank in Russia. His career also extended to various positions at local commercial banks in Azerbaijan. Emil Zeynalov has been with Mastercard for more than 6 years, where he played a pivotal role in growing the business and managing relationships in the country.

Eren Özkan “Mastercard Advisors & Consulting Services” şirkətində Türkiyə, Azərbaycan, Ukrayna və Moldova üzrə klaster rəhbəridir. O, Avropa, Yaxın Şərq və Asiya-Sakit okean regionunu əhatə edən 20-dən çox ölkədə 16 illik idarəetmə konsaltinq təcrübəsinə malikdir və hazırda 4 yüksək inkişaf edən bazarda 130 nəfərlik komanda onun rəhbərliyi altında çalışır. Onun əsas fəaliyyət sahəsi maliyyə xidmətlərini əhatə edir. Bura inkişaf strategiyası, loyallıq, portfelin optimallaşdırılması, rəqəmsal transformasiya, müştərinin həyat dövrünün idarə edilməsi və analitikası, yeni məhsulların inkişaf etdirilməsi daxildir.

The Deputy Director for Strategic Development of Penkių kontinentų bankinės technologijos (BS/2).

Kirill Ovsyannikov leads strategic growth at BS/2, focusing on innovation and partnerships in banking technology. He has played a key role in driving digital transformation across the Caucasus and Central Asia, helping partners adopt advanced solutions to enhance competitiveness.

With a forward-thinking approach and deep market insight, Kirill ensures BS/2 delivers cutting-edge solutions that align with clients' evolving needs.

Otabek Nasirov is the Chairman at Central Asian Fintech Association, a member of the expert council at Cyber Park, AICA, and the working groups of the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Otabek actively participates in the development of the fintech market and community in Central Asia, regulatory sandboxes and local legislation of the fintech industry, including education on blockchain technology, convergence technologies such as AI, digital assets, cyber security and others. Represents and lobbies for the interests of the fintech community within key government agencies of Uzbekistan, including the Ministry of Digital Technologies, the Central Bank, the Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee, the National Agency for Perspective Projects, and the State Tax Committee.

Otabek member of the UMAY Angels Club, ICLUB by Venture Found TA Ventures and cooperates with the Uzbekistan Venture Capital Association (UzVCA), the National Venture Capital Fund (UzVC), and the AloqaVentures.

His knowledge and experience are the result of working in international and global companies such as Coca-Cola, Carlsberg Group, General Motors, Ernst & Young and SIT Learning within the Swiss International Research Institute Schaffhausen Institute of Technology and others.

Graduate of the Tashkent State Law Institute and the Moscow School of Management "Skolkovo".

Otabek is an ambassador for Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) and Chapter Zero Uzbekistan (Climate Governance Initiative | CGI ).

She has played a leading role in initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and technology in the public sector. At the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, she has been involved in implementing key projects, particularly in the digitalization of payments, contributing to the expansion of cashless payments and the development of innovative payment solutions. Currently, she continues to support the promotion of innovation in financial technologies and the development of digital solutions.

Mr. Altunbas is a seasoned strategy, business and corporate development professional with over a decade of experience in accelerating the digital transformation across emerging markets. Leveraging his proficiency in creating collaborative partnerships, he has led a wide array of landmark projects in the eCommerce and fintech spaces across EEMEA. Currently at Mastercard, he is dedicated to scaling secure and seamless digital payment solutions, empowering people and powering economies.

Edqar Abdullayev Türkiyənin Yeditepe Üniversitesinin, Biznesin İdarə  Olunması üzrə  Magistr təhsilini almışdır.

On altı illik idarəetmə təcrübəsi vardır. İş həyatının 11 ilini Telekommunikasiya,  2 ilini Nəqliyyat və Turizm sahəsində, 6 ilini isə Bankçılıq və Maliyyə Texnologiyaları sahəsində  işləmişdir. 2008 – 2014-cü illərdə, Azercell Telecom şirkətində Daxil Olan  Müraciətlərin İdarə Olunması Bölümünün Rəhbəri kimi fəaliyyət göstərmişdir.  2014 – 2016 – cı illərdə DOST TAXI MMC-nin Baş İcraçı Direktoru kimi  çalışmışdır. 2016 – 2019-cu ilin əvvəlinə qədər PAŞA Bank ASC-də təşkilati  İnkişaf və Keyfiyyətin Təminatı Departamentinin Direktoru vəzifəsində bir sıra  yeniliklərə imza atmış və bankda boyük dəyişikliyin idarə olunması  komandasının üzvü olmuşdur.

2019-cu ildən 2021-ci ilə  kimi Azerconnect şirkətində, Müştəri və Rəqəmsal  Xidmət İdarəsinin Direktoru vəzifəsində, böyük bir komanda ilə uğurlu şəkildə çalışmışdır. Hal-hazırda United Payment MMC şirkətinin Baş İcraçı Direktorudur və ölkənin “Rəqəmsal Ödəniş Strategiyasına” öz töhfəsini verməkdədir.

Mr. Ramil Mahmudov is a Deputy Director of the Payment systems and settlements department at Central Bank of Azerbaijan Republic. He is an experienced professional in payment systems, e-banking, card business, digital payments with more than 20 years at central banking. As co-author of several regulations and recommendations for payment institutions and Fintech, he also familiar with international experience about payments systems ecosystem and payment instruments and also with risk management, fraud management, chargeback rules.

Mr. Mahmudov holds Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from University of Luxembourg and Master’s degree in Finance from Azerbaijan State Economic University. He received Executive education diploma from New York University Stern School of Business and numerous training certificates in the field of payments and management in Europe and Asia.

Fidan Tofidi joined the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2023 as an advisor on innovations. Since 2024, she has been leading the newly established Financial Technologies and Innovations Department.

Under her leadership, the department is engaged in key areas such as the Regulatory Sandbox, product research and development (including Open Banking and Distributed KYC platforms), and the development and coordination of the fintech ecosystem. Currently, a number of strategic projects are being implemented under her guidance in these areas, and efforts continue toward integrating financial technologies into public policy.

Before joining the Central Bank, Fidan worked at PASHA Bank, where she was responsible for managing partnerships and overseeing innovative projects. During this time, she contributed to strengthening cooperation between the financial sector and technology companies, and integrating digital solutions into banking services.

A significant milestone in Fidan’s career was her role at Azercell Telecom, where she worked at the Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. She led one of the first initiatives supporting the development of the startup ecosystem in Azerbaijan, focusing on promoting innovative ideas, advancing technological entrepreneurship, and supporting young startup founders.

Alexander has 20+ years of experience in payments and leads product development at eComCharge, the company behind the white-label SaaS platform beGateway.

Vic Omelchenko – CCO & Managing Partner, Banza Vic Omelchenko is the Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Partner at Banza, a global IT company specializing in CRM & BPM systems, and web & mobile applications. With 20 years of experience in IT, Vic is a passionate leader, venture investor, and startup mentor. Under her leadership, Banza has grown to over 200 employees across 17 countries and delivered more than 300 digital transformation projects. Vic focuses on the synergy of no-code platforms and process optimization to simplify IT for banking, sales, logistics, manufacturing, and customer service sectors. She brings deep insight into how modern technologies can accelerate business growth and improve customer experience. At the event, Vic will share her perspective on how no-code solutions are reshaping the way businesses operate and innovate.  

Tamerlan Mashadihasanli is the Chief Product Owner of the SİMA Digital Solutions Platform and the Head of “Products and Services” division at AzIntelecom. Recognized as a professional expert in digital solutions, Tamerlan has greatly contributed to the progress of innovative technologies in Azerbaijan. This talented young man, who earned his PhD at the age of 27, has significantly influenced the spread of digitalization in various sectors. In particular, with his leadership skills in developing secure digital identification services through SİMA, he is considered one of the leading figures in Azerbaijan's digital transformation.

With over 17 years of experience in finance and management consulting, Kutay began his career at HSBC Turkey and later joined Peppers & Rogers Group, where he specialized in financial services consulting. Since 2013, he has held several key positions at Mastercard, collaborating with leading financial institutions on impactful projects. As Vice President of Customer Management, a role he assumed in 2022, he played a pivotal role in positioning Turkey as a market leader and one of the fastest-growing markets in the region.

Ihor KAKHUTA is the Owner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the InfoPlus JSC, a leading Ukrainian IT company specializing in the development and implementation of comprehensive digital solutions for business process digitalization. Under his leadership, InfoPlus JSC has been successfully developing its proprietary brand ASKOD - an advanced platform that provides integrated tools for digital transformation, process automation, and effective management of electronic documents and records.

With over 20 years of experience in information technologies and digital transformation of public administration, Ihor KAKHUTA has played a key role in advancing e-governance and promoting innovative IT solutions that enhance efficiency, transparency, and organizational performance.

His strategic vision focuses on building secure and scalable software ecosystems that empower institutions and businesses to transition to fully digital operations. Ihor KAKHUTA actively participates in international conferences and professional forums dedicated to digital transformation, public sector innovation, and IT leadership.

Iskandar Shodiev is the Regional Director for Central Asia at zypl.ai, an AI-driven fintech company headquartered in Dubai with operations in 20+ countries. He leads strategic partnerships across Central Asia and CIS, focusing on AI solutions for risk management in the financial sector, synthetic data solutions, and digital transformation for banks and MFIs.

Iskandar has extensive experience in marketing, project management, and business development across international companies. With an MBA and a strong cross-border track record, he bridges technology, finance, and innovation to drive growth in emerging markets.

Dmytro Kovalenko leads BS/2’s business development and partnership activities in Georgia and Azerbaijan. He joined the company in 2024, bringing over 20 years of experience in the banking sector, along with a strong background in manufacturing and FinTech project development.

Mikheil is a seasoned technology and policy expert with cross-sector experience in banking, government, and more. He began his career in 1997 as a programmer, steadily advancing into strategic and leadership roles.

Since 2020, Mikheil has led Georgia’s Open Banking initiative within the Banking Association, developing national standards and guiding financial institutions toward compliance. Prior to this, he held senior roles within the Ministry of Justice’s Public Service Development Agency, where he contributed extensively to Georgia’s e-Governance ecosystem. His work included improvements to electronic ID infrastructure and co-authorship of the law “On Electronic Document and Electronic Trust Services.” His work helped shape foundational digital services and trust frameworks for the country. From 2017 to 2019, he served as Deputy Chairman and Director of IT Development in the same agency, and during interim chairmanship, temporarily oversaw broader domains such as population registry, citizenship, and migration.

In 2023–2024, Mikheil consulted on Georgia’s next-generation e-passport and e-ID programs. Earlier, he contributed to high-impact banking projects at Bank of Georgia (2006–2012), including IBAN migration, PCI DSS compliance, and RTGS integration. He remains active as a systems architect and mentor, with deep expertise in software development, cloud computing, and secure digital identity.