TEAS Business Forum London 2013 Draft Programme (Oct 2013)

The Third Annual TEAS Business Forum London

ENHANCING AZERBAIJAN’S COMPETITIVENESS AND BUSINESS CLIMATE The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) serves as a networking and knowledge-sharing platform aimed at fostering business network creation, investment possibilities and strategic commercial alignments. Following the successes of 2011 and 2012, this flagship event will serve to: • • •

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Outline the opportunities and risks when undertaking business and trade in Azerbaijan Provide updates on Azerbaijan’s investment climate and investors’ concerns Discuss recommendations for new policies and governance practices to further promote investments in and by international and domestic businesses Raise awareness of the non-oil growth sectors in the country to assist with achieving economic diversification.

Designed to act as a platform to develop business networks and to highlight the wealth of business and investment opportunities that exist in Azerbaijan, the conference this year will focus on topics including: • • • •

Agribusiness Large-scale infrastructure projects Energy issues in the region ICT Industry.

The TEAS Business Forum brings together investors, policy-makers, bankers, journalists, analysts, NGO representatives and government executives for an extensive programme, including: • •

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Challenging and insightful discussion panels Opportunities to exchange views with government policymakers and have access to business leaders Facts, expertise and forecasts Networking opportunities.

Our partners

Draft Agenda – Subject to change 08.30 Registration 09.00–10.00 Azerbaijan means business – key messages to investors and businesses Opening remarks: Vanessa Raine – Business Co-ordinator, TEAS Moderator: John Patterson, – Chief Executive, I2Offshore Keynote welcome speeches: H.E. Fakhraddin Gurbanov – Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UK Speakers: • Tale Heydarov – Chairman, The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) • Charles Hendry MP – Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan • Javanshir Feyziyev MP – Member of the Committee on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations • Ilham Aliyev – Deputy Executive Director, Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) • Rufat Mammadov – President, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) • TBC – State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan 10.00–10.30 SESSION 1: Challenges and opportunities – meet the ICT Startups: legal framework for investment Moderator: Movlan Pashayev – Country Managing Partner, PwC Azerbaijan Azerbaijani legislation has evolved considerably in recent years due to the adoption of a legal system that will attract foreign investors. The government is encouraging foreign investment in the non-oil sector by introducing special economic zones, industrial parks and chemical parks.

What role do national and international banks play in supporting and financing corporate growth in Azerbaijan?

The ICT Industry – the start-up, a new business model in Azerbaijan?

This session will discuss new business prospects, elaborate on how to mitigate the risks and challenges that investors face and offer experience-based policy recommendations.

Speakers: • Neil McKain – Head of Azerbaijan Resident Office, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) • James Hogan – Partner, Denton’s, Baku ICT Industry Start-ups: • Farid Ismayilzade – Founder and Chief Executive, GoldenPay • Teymur Kuseba – Director, BeSmart.az • Söhrab Farhadov – CEO, Komtech

10.30 – 10.45 : COFFEE BREAK

10.45–11.45 SESSION 2: The role of Azerbaijani agriculture in achieving economic diversification: performance, challenges and opportunities Moderator: Dr Shailaja Fennell – Director of Research, Cambridge Central Asia Forum; Fellow, Jesus College.

The importance of agribusiness in developing Azerbaijani economic diversification.

The agricultural sector has played an essential role in the Azerbaijani economy for centuries. The country’s diverse climate (featuring nine of the 13 world climatic zones) enables a vast range of crops to be cultivated. The sector employs 40 per cent of the rural workforce, and is currently averaging 6 per cent growth year-on-year. This session will focus on: • Azerbaijani agribusiness – investment potential • Agriculture and its connection with the environment • The development of food hygiene standards • Exploring methods to improve the competitiveness of Azerbaijani agribusiness Keynote speaker: Tahir Gozal – Vice-President, Azersun Holding (TBC) Speakers: • Rashad Majidov – Director, International Co-operation Department, Azerbaijani Ministry of Agriculture • Natig Madatov – Executive Director, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) • Rufiz Chiragzade – Senior Operations Officer, The World Bank.

11.45–12.45 SESSION 3: Infrastructure and grand projects Moderator: Philip Bates – Strategic Infrastructure, Buro Happold The OECD Report entitled ‘Strategic Transport Infrastructure Needs to 2030’ says that international air passenger traffic could double, air freight could triple, and port handing of maritime containers could quadruple, yet most gateway and corridor infrastructure could not handle even a 50 per cent increase in demand. The OECD estimates that $53tn of investment, equivalent to an annual 2.5 per cent of global GDP, will be needed to meet future demands. Over $11tn of this will be required for ports, airports and key rail routes alone. Increased private sector investment in strategic transport infrastructure will be essential.

The upgrading of key infrastructure will drive competitiveness, boost trade and promote economic growth. But new ways of financing are needed, as the traditional model of public funding for major projects is likely to dry up.

Countries need to consider the relationship between strategic infrastructure planning and long-term infrastructure funds. It is also likely that there will be more privatisations, increasing efficiency and reducing public funding requirements. Pension funds are likely to become more active in providing finance, but before committing large amounts of capital, more transparency and regulatory certainty are needed.

What are the challenges facing the development of transportation infrastructure in Azerbaijan, and what role can the private sector play in the design, funding, construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure in the coming years?

Speakers: • Lin O’Grady – Deputy Director for Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) • Farruh Heybatov – Project Manager, Rail Trade and Transport Facilitation Project, Azerbaijan Railways • Samir Gasimov – Director of Legal and International Relations Department and Member of the Management Board, Akkord Industry Construction • Samir Z. Gasimov - Director of Legal and International Relations Department, Member of the Management Board, Akkord Industry Construction Investment Corporation OJSC • John Robinson – Partner Audit, Deloitte & Touche LLC

12.45–13.45 NETWORKING LUNCH 13.45–14.45 SESSION 4: Changing directions in world energy: how will Azerbaijan be positioning itself?

Moderator: Mehmet Öğütçü – Chairman, Global Resources Corporation Now that the Shah Deniz Consortium has selected the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) to bring Caspian gas from the European border of Turkey to Italy, attention is now turning towards the final investment decisions regarding resources from the Shah Deniz II field, which will be finalised by the end of this year. However, these developments are only one element in the projected Southern Energy Corridor that will eventually carry Central Asian, Caspian, Iranian, Iraqi and East Mediterranean gas flows via Turkey to high-value international markets. It is a bigger game, coupled with huge geopolitical and economic opportunities and risks, that Azerbaijan and investors should keep playing with the utmost prudence.

Speakers: • Christopher Pincher MP – Member of the Energy and Climate Change select committee, Secretary of the

Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) • Rufat Afandiyev – Director, UK Representative Office, State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) • Alastair Cook – Vice President, Shah Deniz Development, BP • Michael Hoffmann – External Affairs Director, Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) • Michael Ritchie – Editor, Nefte Compass • Gustaf Nobel – Chairman, Nobel Sustainability Trust 14.45–15.30 Conclusions - Keeping the energy of growth running Moderator: John Patterson, – Chief Executive, I2Offshore Keynote address: The Vice-Rector, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA) Closing comments Speakers: • Javanshir Feyziyev MP – Member of the Committee on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations • Tale Heydarov – Chairman, The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) • H.E. Fakhraddin Gurbanov – Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UK

15.30–17.00 B2B MEETINGS Interested companies are kindly requested to register with: Vanessa Raine – Business Coordinator, TEAS Email: vanessa.raine@teas.eu