Azerbaijan
Since its earliest days in the region, Grayling has worked on projects that involved Azerbaijan, particularly in the area of Foreign Direct Investment and for the energy sector, and in 2007 opened a an office in Baku. Azerbaijan is one of the most dynamic countries in the greater Caspian region and its energy wealth has given the country a new confidence in international affairs which is reflected in how the country does business with Western firms.
Working closely with Grayling's regional Eurasia leadership, our local Baku team works on both Government Relations and Public Affairs mandates and manages specialist local affiliates who handle media relations and event management projects.
Azerbaijan is a fascinating country: rich in oil and gas it has key strategic relationships with Moscow, Ankara and, as the second largest Shiite country in the world, Tehran. Its culture of doing business reflects its extraordinary mix of Persian, Ottoman and Soviet influences. This makes personal relationships essential for Public Affairs work and we have an excellent contact network, noting that Government often plays a pivotal role in many business decisions. Western style Public Relations is not yet established in Azerbaijan and although we focus on Public Affairs we can still help clients with Public Relations and in particular CSR consulting, launches and other events.
The Baku team has also worked closely with our Kazakhstani colleagues, specifically on large infrastructure and energy projects affecting the Caspian region. We advise foreign multinationals entering the Azeri market and provide strategic issues management in-country. We also work with Azeri entities that have international communications needs. Our credentials include the oil and gas market; construction and building materials; transport issues; competition policy and electricity generation and distribution. Our Public Relations and Event specialists know the national, consumer and trade print and broadcast media well.
Practice Areas
- Public Affairs
- Public Relations
- Events
Industry sectors
- Energy, Environment & Industry
- Healthcare & Pharmaceutical
- Financial & Professional Services
- Technology, Media & Telecoms
Ilgar Kerimov
Corporate Affairs Consultant
ilgar.kerimov@grayling.com
Melnikov Vladimir
Deputy General Director, Russia and Eurasia
Telephone: +7 903 790 28 22
vladimir.melnikov@grayling.com
Vladimir Melnikov is well-known amongst business journalists in Eurasia for his work for UES CEO and President of the CIS Energy Committee, Anatoly Chubais, as well as for his work with the owner of System Capital Management, the biggest investor in Ukraine. He was also secretary of the IPO Communications ‘SWAT’ Committee at state oil firm, Rosneft, which became Russia’s largest-ever IPO ($11bn) and is still the largest IPO on the London Stock Exchange.
Vladimir started his Public Relations career, after a period in state service, with the Vologda regional government where he became Communications Director. During this time he was campaign manager for Vladimir Putin's Presidential Election campaign in 2000.
Vladimir joined Grayling Russia in 2004 and has been working for a number of Russian and international clients handling financial issues management and Public Affairs. He is an experienced high-level media handler but has also worked with clients who have ‘government relations crises’, helping western clients navigate the complexities of Russian governmental and state agency structures. Vladimir’s unique talent is to share the same cultural and political DNA of the Russian state, but to combine this with the absolute best in western-style communications techniques. He is a pre-eminent crisis management counsellor.
A graduate of Vologda State University, Vladimir was awarded an MSc in economics and finance from the Russian Academy of Civil Service (Krasny Diplom) and, in 2001-2002, completed a second MSc in media and communications from the London School of Economics. He has guest-lectured on PR and media in Russia at California State University.
Kerimov Ilgar
Corporate Affairs Consultant
ilgar.kerimov@grayling.com
- Baku
