VIII INTERNATIONAL BANKING FORUM

Emil Zeynalov, started his career at the Credit Europe Bank in Russia. His career also extended to various positions at local commercial banks in Azerbaijan. Emil Zeynalov has been with Mastercard for more than 6 years, where he played a pivotal role in growing the business and managing relationships in the country.

Eren Ozkan is cluster Lead of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Moldova at Mastercard Advisors & Consulting Services. He has 16 years of management consulting experience across 20+ countries in Europe, Middle East and APAC, and is currently managing a team of 130 people in 4 high growth markets. His primary focus is on financial services; including growth strategy, loyalty, portfolio optimization, digital transformation, customer lifecycle mgmt. & analytics, new product development.

Gozde Sahin works as a Director at Mastercard specializing in business development across Loyalty Solutions. With over a decade of brand building and program management experience in global companies like Procter and Gamble and Mastercard, she has successfully led many local and region-wide initiatives with the focus on driving market share, providing tailored, high-impact solutions for customers and elevating the lives of consumers in return. Passionate about wellness and nutrition, Gozde holds a certificate in holistic nutrition field, accredited by a global institution and is committed to empower others to take a holistic approach of their lifestyle with informed decisions and sustainable practices.

Araz is a seasoned executive and Head of Loyalty Programs at Azerbaijan Airlines. With over 14 years of experience across the insurance, digital solutions, and banking industries, he has developed customer-centric strategies that drive engagement and business growth. At Azerbaijan Airlines, he has transformed loyalty offerings through innovative initiatives focused on personalization, data-driven decision-making, and digital transformation. Araz specializes in designing loyalty programs that align with global aspirations and sustainability goals while enhancing customer experience and delivering measurable results.

With over 12 years of experience in banking and B2B sector, Mahmud Mahmudov is a seasoned professional specializing in managing complex partnerships. As Head of Ecosystem Partnership Network Department at Kapital Bank, he has successfully overseen B2B initiatives , including loyalty programs, installment and POS credit solutions, and mortgage partnerships. Mahmud is a graduate Azerbaijan State University of Economics, holding a degree in International Economic Relations. His expertise lies in fostering innovative collaborations that drive growth and create value for all stakeholders.

The Deputy Director for Strategic Development of Penkių kontinentų bankinės technologijos (BS/2).

Kirill Ovsyannikov leads strategic growth at BS/2, focusing on innovation and partnerships in banking technology. He has played a key role in driving digital transformation across the Caucasus and Central Asia, helping partners adopt advanced solutions to enhance competitiveness.

With a forward-thinking approach and deep market insight, Kirill ensures BS/2 delivers cutting-edge solutions that align with clients' evolving needs.

Head of the Technical Support Department of Business, JSCB "Kapitalbank," Uzbekistan

Denis Kokhaev leads the Technical Support Department of Business at Kapitalbank, managing the maintenance and optimization of payment equipment and banking technologies.

Beginning his banking career in 2018 as a technical support specialist, Denis swiftly advanced to department head within six years. He has been instrumental in modernizing banking services and implementing innovative technologies, driving the transformation of Kapitalbank’s operations.

Denis’s deep expertise in technical solutions and dedication to excellence enable the bank to seamlessly integrate the latest innovations, ensuring its competitive edge in a dynamic market.

Otabek Nasirov is the Chairman at Central Asian Fintech Association, a member of the expert council at Cyber Park, AICA, and the working groups of the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Otabek actively participates in the development of the fintech market and community in Central Asia, regulatory sandboxes and local legislation of the fintech industry, including education on blockchain technology, convergence technologies such as AI, digital assets, cyber security and others. Represents and lobbies for the interests of the fintech community within key government agencies of Uzbekistan, including the Ministry of Digital Technologies, the Central Bank, the Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee, the National Agency for Perspective Projects, and the State Tax Committee.

Otabek member of the UMAY Angels Club, ICLUB by Venture Found TA Ventures and cooperates with the Uzbekistan Venture Capital Association (UzVCA), the National Venture Capital Fund (UzVC), and the AloqaVentures.

His knowledge and experience are the result of working in international and global companies such as Coca-Cola, Carlsberg Group, General Motors, Ernst & Young and SIT Learning within the Swiss International Research Institute Schaffhausen Institute of Technology and others.

Graduate of the Tashkent State Law Institute and the Moscow School of Management "Skolkovo".

Otabek is an ambassador for Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) and Chapter Zero Uzbekistan (Climate Governance Initiative | CGI ).

Kivanc Harputlu is the co-founder and CEO of Onlayer Information Technologies Inc., a distinguished leader in the technology and fintech sector. Under his leadership, Onlayer has become a globally recognized platform, offering advanced merchant management and data analytics solutions. Kivanc has played a pivotal role in driving technological innovation across international markets, fostering successful partnerships, and leading significant expansions for the company. He has spearheaded the adoption of new solutions in financial technology, leveraging big data and artificial intelligence to address risk management and compliance challenges. Kivanc is also a sought-after speaker, having shared insights at various TV shows, international forums, and conferences, where he engages with industry leaders on emerging trends and strategic developments.

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Togay brings over 20 years of experience in banking and fintech, specializing in go-to-market strategies and building strong partnerships.

Since joining Innovance, he has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s international growth, with a particular focus on the EMEA region, including Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe.

She has played a leading role in initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and technology in the public sector. At the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, she has been involved in implementing key projects, particularly in the digitalization of payments, contributing to the expansion of cashless payments and the development of innovative payment solutions. Currently, she continues to support the promotion of innovation in financial technologies and the development of digital solutions.

Oğuzhan Yılmaz is the Chief Commercial Officer at Fimple Information Technologies. With extensive experience in cloud-native banking platforms and financial technology solutions, Oğuzhan has successfully managed sales strategies in many markets such as Turkey, Singapore, Kosovo and Azerbaijan. He and his team at Fimple have established over 300 global business partnerships and created a wide network in the international fintech world. Focusing on digital transformation and digitization of financial institutions, he contributes to institutions with innovative solutions. Throughout his career, Oğuzhan has distinguished himself with his leadership skills and strategic vision in the sales of financial technology products. He continues his work with the aim of transferring his experience gained in the global market to the financial ecosystem of Azerbaijan.

Denis Stepanchenko was born in 1981 in Voroshilovgrad, USSR.

He is a graduate of Kyiv National Economic University. During his student years, he worked as a sales agent in an international FMCG company, later holding positions such as brand manager and director for product line development.

Since 2005, Denis worked as a commercial director for a company manufacturing banking equipment.

In 2013, he became the commercial director of the international group of companies "ART-BANK," which specializes in developing next-generation financial and cross-industry software. The company was founded in 2000 by a team of scientists and experts with experience in banking IT.

Denis has 11 years of experience in IT and numerous successful projects, including significant achievements.

His expertise lies in helping businesses grow through the implementation of advanced and unique in-house IT technologies, such as automatic code generation and microservice orchestration.

Aleksandr Rozovyk is the CEO of Softgile, an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner, where he spearheads the development and implementation of strategic solutions for business optimization. With over a decade of leadership experience, Aleksandr has transformed Softgile into a trusted partner for organizations looking to enhance productivity and streamline operations. His expertise spans Atlassian solutions, including Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket, with a strong focus on delivering tailored products to clients in industries such as IT, finance, and manufacturing. Under his leadership, Softgile has successfully supported major companies in their digital transformation journey, helping them unlock the full potential of their teams. Aleksandr’s commitment to innovation and customer success has made Softgile a recognized leader in the Atlassian ecosystem. 

Mr. Altunbas is a seasoned strategy, business and corporate development professional with over a decade of experience in accelerating the digital transformation across emerging markets. Leveraging his proficiency in creating collaborative partnerships, he has led a wide array of landmark projects in the eCommerce and fintech spaces across EEMEA. Currently at Mastercard, he is dedicated to scaling secure and seamless digital payment solutions, empowering people and powering economies.

Kristina Lapshina, as Business Development Director at Quadrantis Capital, specializes in cultivating strategic, long-term partnerships with a focus on Portuguese Golden Visa investments and portfolio diversification. Her in-depth market knowledge and experience with international partnerships enables her to provide tailored investment solutions that align with client goals. Known for her commitment to building trust-based relationships, Kristina has been instrumental in positioning Quadrantis Capital as a leader in investment opportunities in Portugal.

Edgar Abdullayev is EMBA Graduate of Yeditepe University of Turkey.

He has 15 years of experience in Managing people. His corporate life has been divided in to different periods as 11 years of Telecommunications, 2 years of Transportation and travel, 5 years of Banking and Financial Technologies. During his corporate life periods in Telecommunications and Banking, Edgar has been a part of very important and decision-making teams which affected directly customer experience in financial transactions, financial technologies and banking experience.

Right now, he is Managing Director of United Payment LLC and adding value to the “Digital Payment Strategy” of country.

Mr. Ramil Mahmudov is a Deputy Director of the Payment systems and settlements department at Central Bank of Azerbaijan Republic. He is an experienced professional in payment systems, e-banking, card business, digital payments with more than 20 years at central banking. As co-author of several regulations and recommendations for payment institutions and Fintech, he also familiar with international experience about payments systems ecosystem and payment instruments and also with risk management, fraud management, chargeback rules.

Mr. Mahmudov holds Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from University of Luxembourg and Master’s degree in Finance from Azerbaijan State Economic University. He received Executive education diploma from New York University Stern School of Business and numerous training certificates in the field of payments and management in Europe and Asia.

Murat Kastan is a graduate of Istanbul University’s Faculty of Business Administration and brings over 19 years of experience in the financial institutions sector. He joined UPT in March 2019 as EVP of International Partnerships, later being appointed as Chief Commercial Officer. In October 2023, he was appointed CEO of UPT, Turkey's first licensed payment company.

Since joining UPT, Murat has successfully built a platform and payment network where all UPT’s partners meet,thereby creating a global network. Today, the platform consists of 185 global partners, offering services such as cash payouts, bank account/card/wallet transfers, mass payouts, collection accounts, and virtual TRY IBAN.

Murat has also taken significant steps in the digital world with UPTION Wallet, an all-in-one app that allows customers to meet their daily financial needs. Beyond being a multi-currency wallet, UPTION also offers direct SEPA access, QR code payments, bill payments, UPTION cards, and more.

Çağatay Aksoy is an experienced compliance professional with approximately five years of expertise in the banking sector, specializing in AML (Anti-Money Laundering) and CFT (Combating the Financing of Terrorism). He has worked across all core functions within the compliance unit before assuming responsibility for managing the team’s technological processes.

In this role, He oversaw the creation, analysis, and integration of new processes and technologies, ensured the continuity of existing systems, and implemented RPA in both new and ongoing processes, acting as both an analyst and developer. Additionally, He prepared compliance data analysis dashboards using Power BI, also conducted over 300 training sessions on compliance for employees and branches, and managed all training processes under MASAK legislation.

For the last two years, Çağatay has been serving as an Expert AML Analyst at Fineksus, where He is responsible for creating AML-CFT processes for various institutions, analyzing and monitoring new product features, and providing application training.

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Mahmudova Gunay has been working in the financial sector since 2018, and in the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 2020. She is currently the Head of Legal Support Division for Payment Sector and Financial Technologies in the Financial Markets Legal Support Department of the Central Bank. She participated in the preparation of the Law “On Payment Services and Payment Systems” and the Central Bank’s regulations arising from that Law.

Visal Ahmet Ozten has 20 years banking background before joining the ASEE group in different European and Turkish banks mainly in Payment Systems and Digital Channels. He has completed master’s studies at Okan University Banking Department while he holds BA degree. He was a member of Security Council of BKM while he also was a representative in different work groups. He has led many projects in Payment Systems Operations, Project and Product Management Departments for many different banks.

Visal is leading solution sales in international market especially for Payment, Fraud and Security products. He is responsible for the business development in the markets for ASEE and Payten.

Alexander Mikhailovski has over 20 years of experience in the payments industry. He is the founder and Chief Product Officer of eComCharge, a leading provider of white-label payment solutions for PSPs and acquiring banks.

Has been working with Citrix solutions for over 10 years in an authorized distributor. Total experience with Citrix solutions is over 20 years.

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Hamid is Director at Mastercard Azerbaijan leading Services Business Development. He brings 10 years of experience in management consulting, corporate finance advisory and banking across 5 countries in CIS and Middle East. In his role, his primary focus is helping banks and fintech firms with their growth strategy, digitalization and new product development.

Fatih Coşkun is the visionary founder and CEO of Sanction Scanner, a global leader in anti-money laundering (AML) and compliance technology. With over 15 years of experience in payments, fintech, and banking innovation, Fatih has established himself as a prominent figure in solving the financial industry’s most pressing challenges. In 2019, he founded Sanction Scanner to transform compliance processes with cutting-edge, accessible, and innovative solutions tailored for businesses of all sizes.

Under his strategic leadership, Sanction Scanner has become a trusted partner for over 500 companies in 50+ countries, providing advanced tools for real-time transaction monitoring, customer risk assessment, and regulatory reporting. Fatih’s commitment to innovation and transparency has positioned the company as a global leader in the fight against financial crime.

Recognized as a thought leader in compliance and regtech, Fatih continues to advocate for scalable, cost-effective solutions that empower businesses to confidently navigate complex global regulations. His dedication to building trust and integrity in financial ecosystems has established Sanction Scanner as a trailblazer in the compliance technology industry.

Farrukh Farajullayev has over 10 years of experience in product development, market implementation, system administration, cloud solutions, and business development.

Since 2017, he has been working at “AzInTelecom” LLC, and currently, he serves as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). In this role, he oversees teams responsible for sales, customer services, marketing, product development, and business growth. He also leads the development and execution of the company’s commercial strategy.

Farrukh Farajullayev, with a strong focus on innovation and growth, leverages his expertise in cloud technologies and digital solutions to shape and implement business initiatives.

Jafar is a manager at KPMG Kazakhstan within the Data & AI team. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science with a focus on "Numerical Simulation" from the Bordeaux Institute of Technology in France and has also completed a specialization year in "Data Science" at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in China. His education provides a solid foundation for applying data-driven solutions to business challenges.

Jafar has worked on a range of projects across industries, including developing strategies for risk management, improving customer engagement, and enhancing operational efficiency. His collaborative approach and ability to deliver practical results have made a positive impact on the organizations he has supported.

At KPMG, Jafar is actively involved in integrating AI into business processes. Recent projects include developing AI-driven tools to streamline operations and helping clients leverage advanced analytics for strategic decision-making. His work is helping to shape the role of AI in the region.

Guven Gul is the Data Tribe Tech Lead at ABB, with over 15 years of experience in Data/Analytics and Technology across banking and telecommunications. He leads strategic data and AI initiatives at ABB and is the Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist at otoendeks.com, focusing on end-to-end product development. His previous roles include Director of Advanced Analytics at Fibabanka and Director of Data & AI at Yıldız Holding.

Guven holds a BS in Computer Engineering from Boğaziçi University. He also founded the first BI portal in Turkish and served as a founding board member of the Data Management Chapter in Turkey.

As Head of Payment Division, Rashad Gasimov leads a team responsible for the development of payment systems and formulation of payment policy in Azerbaijan. He has played a key role in the implementation of numerous projects aimed at expanding cashless payments in the country. He has extensive experience in analyzing digital payments, developing of payment strategies and modernizing of the regulatory framework for implementation of innovative payment solutions.

Rashad holds a bachelor's degree in World Economy and a master's degree in International Economic Relations from Baku State University.

Emin Gasimov is an Atlassian Sales Professional with extensive expertise in process automation and IT Service Management (ITSM). Over the years, Emin has built a strong portfolio of clients across key industries, including telecommunications, banking, and government sectors in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. With a deep understanding of Atlassian products, he has successfully advised large-scale organizations on how to optimize team management, streamline workflows, and improve internal processes. Emin’s experience includes leading complex solution implementations, conducting in-depth business analysis, and delivering impactful consulting services for enterprise-level clients. Known for his consultative approach, he plays a key role in helping clients select the best Atlassian solutions for managing development teams, procurement processes, HR systems, and auditing. His comprehensive knowledge of regional business needs and Atlassian’s capabilities has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor in the region. 

Javidan Afandiyev is a dedicated Anti-Fraud professional with up to 10 years of experience in combating financial and non-financial fraud within Azerbaijan's banking and financial ecosystem.

His career includes key roles in banks, processing centers, and the Azerbaijan Banks Association, where he has been instrumental in developing and implementing anti-fraud strategies.

Currently, Javidan works at International Bank of Azerbaijan OJSC, focusing on enhancing fraud prevention and risk management processes.

Key areas of Javidan's expertise includes Fraud Prevention and Detection, Fraud Risk Assessment, Integration of Anti-Fraud Solutions, Fraud Analytics, Training and Awareness, Digital Payment Security, Industry Collaboration and etc.

Mr. Kokcen is a seasoned cybersecurity, cloud computing, and fraud executive with extensive experience in protecting digital assets for Türkiye and Azerbaijan. Specializing in emerging technology products, he has led transformative projects across various sectors, including finance, retail, e-commerce, telecommunications and smart cities. A dedicated advocate for building a trustworthy ecosystem, Mr. Kokcen works to enhance resilience against evolving threats, ensuring a secure digital ecosystem for all stakeholders.

Was born in 1985 in Baku. He finished his secondary education at the foreign languages gymnasium "Xarici Dillər Təmayüllü Gimnaziya".

Emin received his higher education at the Faculty of Business Administration and Management of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics. After finishing his military service, he started his career.

He has been working in financial industry for 16 years.

Emin started his career in "Yapıkredi Bank" in 2008 as an assistant specialist in the Plastic Cards department, later he was acting leading specialist.

Later, he worked in “Bank of Azerbaijan” OJSC as a Chief Specialist in the Department of Documentary Transactions and then Head of the division of Correspondent Relations.

Since 2015, he has continued his career at "Demirbank" OJSC. In the Operational Department of the Bank, he performed the duties of the manager of the Correspondent relations division.

Since 2018, he has been working as a leading specialist in the Card Issuance Division at the Processing Center of "Azer-Turk Bank" OJSC, and later worked in various positions.

Currently, he works as the Head of the Suspicious Operations Monitoring and Customer Complains Division at the Processing Center of "Azer-Turk Bank" OJSC.

He is a member of the Expert Group on Combating Fraud Operations in the Field of Digital Payments of the Azerbaijan Banks Association.

Various articles and interviews have been published on various television channels, newspapers and websites about methods of combating digital fraud, methods of safe use of cards and types of fraud.

Married and has 4 children.

Tolga Ozturk was born in 1982 in Giresun. He is a graduate of Selcuk University. He started to working as penetration tester and Chief of IT Audit in TAF till 2020.  After 2020 he started to work as Cyber Security consultant for "Big Four" companies and currently in KPMG Azerbaijan. He is experienced in architecture, Information Security Control Frameworks, penetration testing and secure code analysis.

Vladimir leads Deloitte's consulting services practice in the field of Information Technologies, IT risks and cyber security in the Caspian and Caucasus regions. With more than 25 years of experience, he provides consulting services to a wide range of commercial and non-profit organizations and specializes in digital transformation, IT architecture, cyber risk management, IT cost optimization and efficiency improvement. He joined Deloitte in 2019 and manages projects in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Before starting the company, Vladimir worked in one of the largest international consulting companies based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Alongside with his role in Deloitte, Vladimir leads activity for ISACA chapter formation in Azerbaijan. His main subject matter expertise includes:

•Technology (IT, Cyber, Business Continuity) risks

•Information and Technology audits

•Enterprise architecture

•Strategical and tactical technology management

•Third party assurance (Webtrust for CA, SOC1/2/3, SWIFT CSF, ISO27001, ISO20000, ISO22301)

•Cybersecurity

With a background in Business Development, Place Branding and FDi and an MBA from Oxford, Filipe Ortigão Guimarães is the Director of Global Expansion at Biometrid, a company specialising in cutting-edge digital identity and KYC solutions that enhance security, streamline processes, and drive innovation in digital transformation. These solutions enhance security and efficiency across sectors such as eGovernment, banking, telecommunications, and insurance. Focused mainly on Africa and Europe, Filipe drives Biometrid’s strategic growth, fostering a more secure and seamless digital ecosystem worldwide.

Farid has over 18 years of experience in Digitalization and Business Transformation. Farid started his career as a Software Developer subsequently held Senior positions in Executive roles in global technology companies (Robertson & Blums, Softline, PwC, SAP) with focus on Business Applications. Farid participated and led more than 30 transformation projects in CIS countries (Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Belarus, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan).

Farid's unique background of implementing various ERP systems such as SAP, Infor, Microsoft and 1C enables him to create efficient Enterprise architecture solutions for customers from various industries. Farid has strong experience in FSI, O&G, Chemical and Mining companies in Caucasus and Central Asia. Farid graduated with honors with B.A and M.A from Baku State University in Economic Cybernetics. He was awarded with the highest student award in AR - President's Award. Farid is certified SAP expert (Central Finance, Signavio, Sourcing & Procurement).

FinTech professional with extensive experience in digital finance and a strong commitment to financial technology innovations. With 5 years of experience in the field of FinTech, have successfully delivered numerous innovative projects for the financial market.

Having been at the forefront of digital transformation in finance, played a pivotal role in driving the adoption of FinTech regulations to enhance financial inclusion and foster the development of the FinTech ecosystem in the country.

Born in Istanbul, Berk Ozturk has received his double degree in Economics and Government from Dartmouth College. He has been working in the fields of financial services consulting and banking since 2011. His first job was with Oliver Wyman, consulting financial services institutions in the US, Caribbean and Turkey in diverse topics. He has also worked at TEB Bank in Turkey, initially as SME Banking Strategic Planning Senior Manager and then as Transformation Office Senior Manager. Since April 2023, he has been Deputy Director of Strategy Office at Bank ABB.

Pavel joined Group-IB in November 2013 and brings over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, including more than 17 years specializing in anti-fraud.

He has led national-level anti-fraud initiatives across the Middle East and Central Asia and is a recognized speaker at leading industry conferences.