More than 80 members and guests came along to our summer networking evening in Dublin last Thursday. The idea was simple: no long speeches, just good company, a glass of Azerbaijani tea (or something stronger) and time to talk.
Leyla Hasanova, our Vice-Chair, welcomed everyone and kept her remarks to two minutes, as promised. After that the room belonged to the guests. We spotted exporters swapping customs tips, two start-up founders comparing notes on office space in Baku, and at least one deal being sketched out on a napkin.
“What I love about these evenings is that nobody is selling,” said Ciara Doyle, who chairs our SMEs and Start-ups working group. “People come to help each other, and that’s why they work.”
Thank you
A big thank you to Lankaran Tea House for the tea and the pakhlava, and to everyone who stayed behind to help stack the chairs. Photos from the night will be shared with members by email.
Our next event is the Autumn Members’ Conference on 15 October. We hope to see you there.
Energy is one of the oldest links between Ireland and Azerbaijan, and one of the fastest-changing. So it made sense to give it a working group of its own.
The new Energy and Renewables working group will be chaired by Declan Moran, managing director of Kilbeg Energy and Chair of the IABA board. It’s open to any member working in or around the sector: engineers, suppliers, consultants, investors, and anyone who simply wants to understand the market better.
What the group will do
- Meet four times a year, in person in Dublin and online for members in Baku
- Invite guest speakers from both countries to talk about their projects and plans
- Share practical experience of tenders, partners and regulations
- Feed members’ ideas into IABA events and briefings
“There’s a lot happening in wind and solar in Azerbaijan, and Ireland has plenty of hard-won experience to offer,” says Declan. “I’d like this group to be the place where those two things meet.”
The first meeting takes place in September. To join, reply to your member newsletter or get in touch.
Every year more young people in Azerbaijan look abroad for university, and Ireland is appearing on more of their shortlists. English-language teaching, a friendly welcome and strong links to European employers all help.
At the latest meeting of our Education and Skills working group, members talked about how Irish colleges can build lasting partnerships instead of one-off recruitment trips.
Where members see opportunities
- Joint and dual-degree programmes with universities in Baku
- Short courses and summer schools for students and young professionals
- Professional training in areas like engineering, finance and hospitality
- Research partnerships, especially in energy and agriculture
“The colleges that do well are the ones that keep turning up,” says Tural Abbasov, who chairs the group. “One visit is a start. Coming back every year is what builds trust.”
If you work in education and would like to join the conversation, the working group meets again in the autumn. Get in touch and we’ll add you to the list.