Our Creative Spark: In Conversation with Entrepreneurs online sessions introduce the participants to successful entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan and beyond, who share their advice and experience on creating your own business. This Creative Spark sessions bring together the higher education students and established entrepreneurs for live online discussions.
Are you interested in learning how to create business which will be sustainable and stand out? Would you like to know how to measure success in business? Join our Facebook live session on 18 September at 17.00 with successful entrepreneurs/investors from the UK and Azerbaijan.
Out next session is on 18 September with six speakers from the UK and Azerbaijan, titled "Start-up movements during the COVID-19 pandemic".
About the speakers:
Matthew Gorton
Matthew is a Professor at Newcastle University Business School, where he co-ordinates the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Digital Business research community.
Rufat Azizov
Rufat is Executive Director of Unimetal & Prometal Group. Rufat commenced his career with BP as a Material / Corrosion Engineer and gained considerable managerial experience in oil-gas projects across BP facilities.
Jafar Najafov
Jafar is an e-commerce entrepreneur and the founder of JOOPZY who has made his fortune through e-commerce and mobile applications development, and the Study UK Alumni Awards winner 2019-20.
Oruj Dursunzade
Oruj works as a manager of the “Creative Spark” project for the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication in partnership with British Council. In addition, he is also managing enterpriseazerbaijan.com
Summer Xia (guest speaker)
Summer is our Director at the British Council in Azerbaijan. He is passionate about the important role cultural relations play in the modern world and looks forward to continuing contributing to the strengthening of the Azerbaijan-UK relationship.
Vusal Gasimli (guest speaker)
Vusal is the Executive Director of the Centre for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, our partner for the British Council's Creative Spark programme.
Session recordings:
- Session 1 (YouTube)
- Session 2 (Facebook)
- Session 3 (Facebook)
- Session 4 (Facebook)
- Session 5 (Facebook)
- Session 6 (Facebook)
Previous speakers in Azerbaijan:
Antoine Poirson
Antoine is a partner at Antler - a global early stage venture capital firm. Prior to joining Antler, he was the cofounder, chairman and COO of StanPlus Tech, a VC backed startup leading the change in the Indian medical transportation market. Before his MBA at INSEAD, Antoine spent 8 years at Areva, the World Nuclear Energy leader and a growing OEM in Renewable Energy.
Jake Hithersay
Jake is a Co-Founder and Director of Soak, a successful digital experience design agency. With over 20 years experience working in digital, he has produced work for global organisations including The Economist, London School of Economics, EY and The Adecco Group. He is actively involved in running all aspects of the agency as well as helping to direct client projects.
Natasha Triay (moderator)
Natasha has supported hundreds of individuals set up businesses across an extensive range of industries in her roles at London Met University, Queen Mary University and The Prince's Trust. She has previously developed a social enterprise.
Hokuma Karimova
Hokuma is the head of PR and Communication department at Yarat Contemporary Art Space. She has more than ten years of working experience in PR and Communications, having also been a trainer for communications, public speaking, organisational behaviours and more.
Einar Iliyev
Einar is the marketing manager at the British Council in South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. He is the graduate of the University of Bristol in the UK and has almost ten years of experience in design, marketing, web and app development, and communications - in the education, arts and commercial development sectors.
Zumrud Jalilova Hutton
Zumrud is the founder of Gender Talks Baku, a social entrepreneur, and an alumna of the University of Bristol. Zumrud has also been involved with Women’s Participation Programme at Counterpart International. Her work on women’s economic empowerment supports business entrepreneurship for young women. Zumrud is also the winner of of UK Alumni Awards in Azerbaijan.
Tatyana Mikayilova
Tatyana is an entrepreneur and founder of Azerbaijan Business Women Platform. She is also the founder of SCALE UP accelerator for women entrepreneurs, an advocate for innovative education, mentor for girls and women empowerment and leadership programmes. Tatyana has extensive experience of communications, leadership and management in challenging corporate and private business streams.
Fidan Javadova
Fidan is an alumna of Cardiff University and King’s College London and a founder/CEO of BeWorks Automation, an engineering start-up established in the UK. She will share some useful tips on the main aspects of entrepreneurial journey and will stress the importance of digital transformation and unlocking success in digital era.
Ayan Aliyeva
Ayan is an alumna of Bangor University (Prifysgol Bangor) and a CEO/owner of A-Level Education Group, a provider of international education preparation programmes. Ayan will share tops on how to stay academically active during lockdown, and what her business does to respond to the needs of the education sector during the pandemic.
Turkhan Alizada
Turkhan is an alum of Chester University in the UK and a founder of Xirtaxirt, a fastfood business selling spiced potatoes across several snacks shops in Baku. Xirtaxirt launched in 2015 and is currently a leader in its sector.
Fidan Talishly
Fidan is an alumna of Queen Mary University of London and a director/founder of ABA centre. ABA tutors and consultants provide a fully-managed Applied Behaviour Analysis programme in Baku for children with autism and other special conditions.
Fuad Babayev
Fuad is the General Manager of Wolt Azerbaijan with international experience in consulting and banking, complemented by the MSc in Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovations at London School of Economics (LSE). He will lead a session called "the right time or the right way to enter the market."
Jafar Najafov
Jafar is an e-commerce entrepreneur and the founder of JOOPZY who has made his fortune through e-commerce and mobile applications development, and the Study UK Alumni Awards winner 2019-20. He will lead a session called "success: how bad do you want it?"