AmCham Green Finance Conference
AmCham xəbərləri
AmCham Green Finance Conference
On September 24, 2024, The American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham) successfully convened its exclusive Green Finance Conference, setting a new standard for the region’s efforts to address climate change and accelerate the green finance agenda. The conference, driven by the initiative of AmCham's Banking, Finance, and Insurance (BFI) committee, congregated government officials, financial leaders, and sustainability experts to explore innovative financial solutions aimed at supporting Azerbaijan’s transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy in anticipation of COP 29.
The event achieved its exceptional success through the esteemed support of key partners, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Unibank, Yelo Bank, ExxonMobil, Baku Stock Exchange, Unicapital, InvestAZ, and Dayaq,, whose collaboration was instrumental in organizing such a meaningful and impactful conference.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Dayanat Sadullayev, President of AmCham Azerbaijan, underscored the critical role of green finance in transforming Azerbaijan’s economy and safeguarding its future. He emphasized, “This conference reflects AmCham's commitment to aligning Azerbaijan's financial systems with global sustainability goals. As COP 29 approaches, we are focused on leveraging green finance to position Azerbaijan at the forefront of the climate action movement.”
Following Mr. Sadullayev, Mr. Shahin Mahmudzade, Executive Director of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, stressed the responsibility of the financial sector in mobilizing capital to meet the country’s ambitious environmental targets. The third speaker, Ms. Gunay Jalilova, Chairperson of the BFI Committee and Deputy CEO of Yelo Bank, highlighted the pivotal role the BFI committee played in organizing the conference and stressed the importance of the financial sector's ongoing commitment to sustainability. Ms. Jalilova spoke about how Azerbaijani financial institutions are uniquely positioned to advance green finance initiatives by integrating sustainable practices across all levels of the economy.
The conference’s first panel, Sustainable Market Opportunities, was moderated by Ms. Stefanie Stallmeister, Country Manager for the World Bank in Azerbaijan. She opened the discussion by presenting the Azerbaijan Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), which outlined the nation’s climate priorities. Ms. Stallmeister was joined by industry experts who shared insights on key areas of sustainable development. Mr. Murad Sadikhov, Country Manager at Masdar, and Ms. Khayala Nagiyeva, CFO and Member of the Board at Azerbaijan Green Energy Company, highlighted the latest developments in Azerbaijan's renewable energy sector, focusing on ongoing initiatives and future opportunities in solar, wind, and hydropower. Mr. Taciano Custodi, Head of Sustainability at Rabobank Brazil, addressed the significance of climate-smart agriculture in increasing productivity while minimizing environmental impact, a vital area for Azerbaijan’s agrarian economy. Ms. İrem Barzilay, Head of Sustainable Finance at Garanti BBVA, contributed by discussing decarbonization opportunities and the financial sector's essential role in reducing carbon footprints and facilitating a transition to a low-carbon economy.
The second panel, moderated by Ms. Leyla Huseynli from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), focused on Sustainable Finance Products. Ms. Huseynli and her fellow panelists offered in-depth case studies on green bond issuances and the development of green portfolios. Mr. Kyrylo Mykhomedzyanov from IFC provided international expertise on green portfolio development. Ms. Ana Osadze, Head of ESG and Sustainability at Bank of Georgia, shared the bank’s innovative approach to green financial products, emphasizing the importance of education, partnerships, and tailored lending frameworks in promoting sustainable development. She highlighted the bank’s progress in fostering green finance initiatives. Mr. Nurlan Hajiyev, Senior Director and Country Manager at Visa, introduced the concept of green calculation, a tool designed to help businesses and consumers track and reduce their carbon footprints through financial transactions. Additionally, Mr. Farid Abushov, Chairman of the Management Board at Unibank, offered a local perspective, detailing how Azerbaijani financial institutions are adapting to global trends by developing and offering sustainable financial products.
The third panel, Green Finance Investment and Infrastructure, explored how investment in sustainable infrastructure can promote long-term environmental and financial resilience. Moderated by Mr. Vugar Namazov of Unicapital, the discussion featured leading voices in the field of green finance. Mr. Manas Gizhduaniyev, CEO of the Astana Green Finance Centre, discussed his Centre’s leadership in promoting sustainable bonds across Central Asia, while Ms. Samra Talishinskaya-Abbasova from Unibank highlighted the transformative potential of technological innovation in green finance. She emphasized the importance of accurate ESG data and the role it plays in mitigating greenwashing. Other panelists addressed the importance of governance, technology, and market mechanisms in supporting green finance initiatives. Mr. Ruslan Khalilov, CEO of the Baku Stock Exchange, examined how leveraging technological innovations can foster green finance through capital markets, positioning the exchange to attract sustainable investments. Mr. Boris Janjalia, ESG Advisory Team Lead at IFC, spoke about the significance of E&S Risk Management and the role of transparent ESG reporting in preventing greenwashing and building trust in green financial products.
This landmark event came at a pivotal time, as Azerbaijan prepares for its participation in COP 29. Throughout the conference, speakers emphasized the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to scale up green investments and build a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Discussions also underscored the essential role of financial institutions in achieving the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, particularly through the development of innovative green finance products and sustainable infrastructure investments.
AmCham Azerbaijan’s Green Finance Conference, organized with the valuable contribution of the BFI committee, represents a significant milestone in the country’s green finance journey, reaffirming its commitment to leading regional efforts toward sustainability and climate resilience.
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Uyğun xəbərlər
Bank, Maliyyə və Siğorta Komitəsinin Fevral Görüşü
On February 6, AmCham hosted BFI Committee`s Meeting.BFI Chairperson, Mrs. Aytan Rustamova, opened the meeting by welcoming members, guest speakers Sanan Hasanov (Demir Bank) and Nazim Mammadov (Alliance Group LLC) as well as informing the committee members on the achievements & challenges of the past year.Within the first part of the meeting Committee Chairperson passed the floor to the guest speaker of the meeting, Mr. Sanan Hasanov, the representative of Demir Bank who delivered a report on “EnergoCredit”, the collaborative project of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with Demir Bank. The presentation was followed by Q&A session.Short bio of our guest speaker:Mr. Hasanov holds a master of Finance from Azerbaijan State University of Economy. He is currently working for DemirBank OJSC as Marketing Director. He has more than 10 years experience in banking sector in Azerbaijan. He has managed and implemented many local and international projects.During the second part of the meeting Mr. Nazim Mammadov, representative of Alliance Group LLC has delivered a presentation on “Case studies from Georgia on EnergoCredit project”. The presentation was followed by Q&A session.The Committee meeting finished by networking and one-to-one conversations.Powered by Froala Editor
Bank, Maliyyə və Siğorta Komitəsinin Mart görüşü
On March 16, AmCham hosted BFI Committee Meeting.BFI Chairperson, Mrs. Aytan Rustamova, opened the meeting by welcoming committee members and guest speaker – Mrs. Julie Nutter, Director of the Office of Sanctions Policy and Implementation in the Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.Within the first part of the meeting, Mrs. Julie Nutter delivered a very informative speech on “US Policy & Sanctions on Russia and Iran” followed by Q&A session.During the second part of the meeting, Mrs. Nutter introduced Mr. W. Stuart Huffman, Foreign Service Officer of the Office of Sanctions Policy and Implementation, who joined her during the Q&A session.Short bio of our guest speaker:Julie Hagarty Nutter is the Director of the Office of Economic Sanctions Policy and Implementation (SPI) in the Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB). Prior to her current posting, she was the Economic Minister-Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in London. From 2005 to 2008, Ms. Nutter was the Director of the Office of Development Finance in the Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Bureau. She previously served as the Economic Counselor in the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels. During her Brussels tour, she volunteered for an Iraq Provincial Reconstruction Team Leader position and spent seven months in Iraq, mostly in Basra, working to improve governance capacity at the provincial level. In earlier jobs, she headed the Ukraine desk of the State Department in the run-up to the Orange Revolution, worked closely with other donors on G-8 and Balkan reconstruction issues, and did political and economic reporting during the Liberian civil war. Ms. Nutter has a Masters’ degree in National Security Resource Strategy from the National Defense University and a Masters’ degree in International Economics from Georgetown University. She has two daughters, and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Powered by Froala Editor
Bank, Maliyyə və Siğorta Komitəsi və Korporativ Sosial Məsuliyyət Komitəsinin birgə görüşü
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