Board of Directors

NURLAN YUSIFOV

Born in Baku in 1967, he was talented in the art of painting. He studied at Azerbaijan Azim Azimzade Art High School and Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts. He became one of the founders of the Baku Fine Arts Center and later established Zirve company in Turkey. He realized projects such as Ankara Heydar Aliyev Park, Khojaly Museum in Kizilcahamam, Istanbul Heydar Aliyev Park, Shahdag Summer-Winter Tourism Complex, and Marxal Resort Hotel. He is also the founder of the Association for Spreading and Preserving Azerbaijani Culture. Among his recent projects is the establishment of a facility producing high-quality olive oil using Italian technology in the Assos region of Canakkale with the support of the European Union. He also organizes various festivals, exhibitions, and concert programs to promote Azerbaijani culture and history.

URAL AKÜZÜM

Akuzum is a lawyer, entrepreneur, and sports executive born in Kars. He studied at Galatasaray High School, Montpellier University, and Marmara University. He completed his doctorate in constitutional law. In his professional life, he is the founding partner of Kabine Law Office, which focuses on arbitration practices. He has been active in the field for 20 years, including arbitration, expert witnessing, mediation, and party representation. In his business life, Akuzum has served as partner/board member in family companies and managed his own ventures, taking on roles such as shareholder, board member, auditor, and inspector in many other companies. As a sports executive, he has served as a board member of Galatasaray Sports Club and Galatasaray Sportif Inc. since 2011. He has also served on various committees of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), TBESF, and the Tennis Federation. He is married and has one child.

ZENFİRA ALİYEVA

Attorney Zenfira Aliyeva completed her law degree at Istanbul University Faculty of Law, followed by a master’s program in Capital Markets and Commercial Law with her thesis titled ‘Brokerage Firms and Public Offering Intermediation Agreements.’ She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Private Law at Altinbas University. During her university years, Zenfira Aliyeva made significant contributions to social responsibility projects by serving in the management of civil society organizations and associations. She served as a speaker representing Turkey and Azerbaijan at the United Nations Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and participated as a delegate at the Trade Cooperation Council in Pakistan/Islamabad with DEIK. Working as a lawyer with an extensive international network, Aliyeva also serves on the board of directors of the Istanbul Law Association.

EMİN İMANOV

Born in Azerbaijan in 1976, he is a graduate of Bogazici University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Political Science and International Relations. Between 2000-2005, he held various positions at major commercial organizations such as Samsung and Coca-Cola. In 2005, he started as operations manager at BGN International Holding’s Moscow office, was appointed as General Manager of the Swiss Commercial Organization in Zug, Switzerland in 2007, and served in this position until 2009. In 2009, he was appointed as Director of the Trade Department at the company’s Istanbul office. He has been serving as CEO of BGN International Holding since 2013. He also serves as an Independent Board Member of Galatasaray Sportif Inc.

ELSHAN RASULOV

Elshan Rasulov was born in the city of Shirvan, Azerbaijan. After completing his high school education in Baku, he obtained his bachelor’s degree from Istanbul University Faculty of Political Science. He completed his master’s degree in International Finance at Ghent University. He began his career as a sales analyst at a national firm in Belgium, then served as regional sales manager at the global BSCH company in Vienna, Austria. In 2011, he returned to Turkey and established his own companies and factories. He is currently the founder and partner of ARS SPOR and UNIXPADEL factories.

AKİF MAMMADOV

Akif Mammadov was born in 1978 in the city of Sheki, Azerbaijan. He graduated from Bogazici University Department of Mathematics and Marmara University Department of Business Administration (English). Between 2001-2003, he completed his master’s degree in finance at the same department. Between 1999-2008, he served as export manager of an international company. In 2009, he established his own company producing printing, promotional items, and corporate gifts. The company has offices in the USA, Europe, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Canada.

TUĞRUL VELİ

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1980, Tugrul Veli completed his bachelor’s degree at Gazi University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of International Relations in 1999, and his master’s degree at Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of International Relations in 2003, graduating first in his class with his thesis on ‘The European Union’s South Caucasus Policy.’ He received his doctoral degree from Ankara University in European Union International and Economic Relations with his thesis on ‘The European Union’s Enlargement Strategy and New Neighborhood Policy.’ Between 1997-2000, Veli served as Turkey representative of Azerbaijan’s ‘525-ci Qazet’ newspaper and is a member of the Azerbaijan Journalists Union. Between 2003-2004, he taught the course ‘Decision-Making Mechanisms in Regional Policies’ in training programs conducted by Ankara Bilkent University Regional Countries Directorate. Between 2003-2008, he served as Founding Member and Vice President of the Eurasian Democracy Association. He is a Founding Member and Vice President of the International Council on Alcohol and Addictions (ICAA) Turkey National Committee, Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Initiative and Cooperation (AVIB), Vice President responsible for Economic Affairs and Coordination and Turkey Representative and Legal Counsel of the International Union of Lawyers of the Black Sea-Caspian Countries, a respected international legal organization bringing together 20 countries, and Chairman of the Board of Veto Group of Companies operating in construction, tourism, publishing, glass industry, elevator industry, and other service sectors. Tugrul Veli has served multiple times as an observer in OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) election observation missions and currently continues his academic work in the fields of foreign policy, geopolitics, ecopolitics, security, conflict studies, and other areas of international relations and political science.

KAMRAN BAGİYEV

Born in Azerbaijan in 1980, Kamran Bagiyev graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Communication and worked as a tourism journalist for a while. From 2001 onwards, he was involved in many different areas of the tourism sector he was passionate about. He continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of Everest Tour and Tourism company, which he founded in 2007. In addition, Eka Export company, of which he is a founding partner, operates in the export and construction sectors. Kamran Bagiyev has taken and continues to take active roles in institutions such as the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) and ISATAG. With his priority always being to contribute to the development of the tourism sector, Kamran Bagiyev places great importance on innovative developments and technology investments.

YEGANE GULİYEVA

Born in 1981, Yegane Guliyeva studied English Simultaneous Translation at Azerbaijan University. She settled in Istanbul in 2001 and worked in the media sector. In 2017, she founded TurkAz PR and TurkAz Magazine, focusing on her entrepreneurial career. She organized the Turkey-Azerbaijan Businesswomen Summit and supported women’s entrepreneurship. She serves as president of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Businesswomen Platform, which she founded in 2022; and continues production of home textiles and glass products with AMT Tekstil ve Aksesuar Tic. San. Ltd. Sti. She has also assumed the role of Turkey Representative of AQSIA, established under the Azerbaijan Ministry of Economy, and works on the Turkic World Businesswomen committee within TOBB.

TURAN HALİLOVA

SECRETARY GENERAL

KAMİL SALDUZ

Born in Uskudar in 1970, Kamil Salduz is originally from Kars and served as Chairman of the Kars Ardahan Igdir Development (KAI) Foundation Business Council for 3 years. He established his own company in mechanical installation at the age of 22. For 30 years, Miriogullari Inc., a construction and installation company headquartered in Umraniye Serifali, has been providing mechanical heating, cooling, fire protection, and construction services to business centers. Additionally, through his company Raumir Inc., he operates in a 6-story building with 1,500 m2 of enclosed space in Yukari Dudullu. Salduz has been a TAIB member since 2019 and also serves as a full member of the TAIB Audit Board.

ALİ ŞAYİR

Born in 1965 in Susuz district of Kars, he completed his primary and secondary education in Kars. He started his high school education at Yesilkoy 50th Year High School and completed it at Kars Commercial Vocational High School. He graduated from Anadolu University, Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance. In 1992, he entered the telecommunications sector in Istanbul with car phone, pager, and internal switchboard services. In 1994, he founded Yasarlar Iletisim and became one of Turkcell’s first dealers. He provided wholesale and retail services to over 700 dealers across 7 districts of Istanbul and corporate services to more than 10,000 companies. Headquartered in Kucukcekmece, Yasarlar Iletisim serves its customers as a Turkcell communication center with 9 branches in Arnavutkoy, Arenapark, Bakirkoy, Basaksehir, Besiktas, Istanbul Airport, and Kucukcekmece districts. With Sayir Gayrimenkul Inc., which he founded in 2008, he conducts land sales in the Thrace region and urban transformation and construction work in the Kucukcekmece area. In 2023, he opened the Qrista Managed by Dedeman Hotel in Kars, and also began production and sales of Balloon Garage for vehicles. He has started the Caravan Park and Bungalow Hotel project at Cubuk Lake in the Goynuk district of Bolu, which was planned to open in 2024.

AHMET MEHMETOĞLU

Born in Azerbaijan in 1982, Ahmet Mehmetoglu completed his secondary education at Bursa Isiklar Military High School in 1997. Between 2001-2005, he studied at Ankara Military Academy and graduated with the rank of lieutenant. After a year of internship and field experience in the Turkish Armed Forces, he began active duty in the Azerbaijan Army in 2006. During his service until 2017, he was honored with a medal by the President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, for his outstanding achievements, and voluntarily left the army with the rank of major. The same year, he settled in Turkey and took over the management of the family business. Since 2017, he has been managing the strategic growth and operations of the group companies operating in the healthcare sector. He is married and a father of two children.

BARBAROS BULUTOĞLU

He received his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management at Tampa College in Florida, USA between 1994-1998, and studied Business Administration between 1998-2000. He has been serving as General Manager of Bulutoglu Gida Inc. since 2000. He served as Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Assembly Member between 2004-2009, and as IKV Audit Board member between 2004-2009. Bulutoglu also serves as Istanbul Divan Board member of the Victory Party and as Istanbul Provincial Vice President responsible for the Business World of the Victory Party. He is a raw material supplier with various investments in the food sector.