NIZAMI NASIB OGLU PIRIYEV

Chairman of the PNN Group

A famous businessman Nizami Piriyev is one of the key persons of Azerbaijani oil and gas industry and an expert in petroleum products trading and oil refinery construction and operations. Mr. Piriyev advocates an open and competitive business practice and, being an ardent supporter of environmental protection, is the co-author of the book "Ecological Problems of the Earth and Alternative Sources of Energy".

Born on January 11, 1958, in Ganja town, Mr. Piriyev graduated from the Azerbaijan Architecture and Construction University (1980) and at the age of 22 started his career at the Glavbakstroy’s Construction Administration as the Deputy Head of its Economic Department. Thereafter Mr. Piriyev received a number of significant appointments, both local and international, having a service record that includes such positions as the Director-General of the Stroytransgaz-Oil (Gazprom, Russia), the Director-General of the PNN Petroleum Ltd (USA), and others.

In 2006 Mr. Piriyev returned from Russia to his homeland and based in Baku city with an idea to establish Azerbaijan Methanol Company (AzMeCo), the first methanol production plant in Azerbaijan. This was a very brave decision, taking into account that the petrochemical industry was declining at that time. Today AzMeCo is the largest project of the PNN Group of Companies led by Nizami Piriyev. And in recent years PNN Group has realized a number of successful oil and gas projects with more than a $500 million portfolio.

As of today, PNN Group of Companies successfully completed a range of petrochemical projects, operating in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Azerbaijan. At the same time PNN Group continues construction of a terminal for ready methanol’s storage in the Poti Sea Port, Georgia, with the purpose of its further delivery by sea to European markets. 

In 2008 Mr. Piriyev was appointed to the position of the President of the European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry (EEIG) for Azerbaijan. And since June 15, 2012, Mr. Piriyev has also been the President of EEIG for Uzbekistan. The main objectives of EEIG consist in supporting of the leadership and partnership consolidation and the world competition development; fighting with inefficiency and contributing to the improvement of product and service quality, as well as in creating new working places and providing prosperity of both people and economics of the countries with the assistance of authorized persons and experts.

Being the Chairman of the Board of AzMeCo and the President of EEIG, Mr. Piriyev constantly applies his knowledge and experience to consolidation of Azerbaijan’s impact on global markets and to attraction of foreign investments to the region. Namely Mr. Piriyev’s decisiveness and leadership skills secured AzMeCo’s expansion and consolidation, while other enterprises collapsed. Mr. Piriyev managed to use market possibilities for the benefit of the company, bringing AzMeCo an international acclaim of the most powerful petrochemical complex in the region.

NASIB NIZAMI OGLU PIRIYEV

CEO of the PNN Group

A famous Azerbaijani businessman and media producer Nasib Piriyev graduated from the American International University in London with a degree in Business Management and Media Production (2001). After internships at both the BBC and Discovery Channel, Nasib returned to CIS and embarked on his career as a journalist for CaspioNet, a newly launched cable TV channel that aimed to promote Kazakhstan globally. Within a year, Nasib became its Chief Director and was extensively involved in producing documentaries and TV programs for the state-owned Khabar Media Holding that comprises a publishing house, radio stations and seven large-scale TV channels, including CaspioNet, which has become the most successful media project in Kazakhstan.

As Piriyev family’s business, PNN Group, expanded, Nasib was appointed to head the Central Asian business of the family with investments in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Over the next few years Nasib coordinated and directed the oil and gas refinery and hydrocarbon trading company in Kazakhstan, as well as the Uzbekistan shoe manufacturing business. Today the Piriyev family owns and operates oil and gas refineries in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Russia and Azerbaijan.

In 2006 Nasib took charge of the finance and strategic development of the newly established methanol company AzMeCo as its Vice-President for finance and development. Within three years AzMeCo became Azerbaijan’s largest private sector company with a solid corporate structure and firm financing from international financial institutions. And in 2009 Nasib’s finance team reached a national scale milestone by closing the largest project finance transaction in the history of the Caucasus region with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Nasib also developed AzMeCo’s business relationships with other IFIs and commercial banks, including IFC, DEG, FMO, IBA, BNP Paribas, Société Générale, WestLB, Deutsche Bank, LBB, Nomura, HSBC and many others, as well as many transnational companies including Vitol, Mitsubishi Corporation, Samsung, Tekfen, and SOCAR. Since September 2009, Nasib has been AzMeCo’s Chief Executive Officer. 

With the aim to continue his media production activities, in 2004 Nasib established the Buta Arts Centre, a not-for-profit organization, with the mission to support and promote Azerbaijani culture worldwide. Buta has always had a wide cultural remit, from festivals and exhibitions to artist management and publishing. Thanks to the Arts Centre’s work, an increasing number of people around the world are aware of Azerbaijan’s rich arts offering. In 2009, the Art Centre marked its fifth anniversary with a 100-day Festival of Azerbaijani Arts in London. The festival attracted major international attention and has become Azerbaijan’s cultural calling card. In his speech at Azerbaijan’s University of Languages, David Lidington, the UK’s Minister of State for Europe, said: “Last year’s Buta Festival of Azerbaijani Culture in London had a tremendous impact, further raising knowledge of and interest in your country’s culture”.

DORIAN R. PIRIYEV

Head of Oil and Gas Projects
Middle East and Africa 

An Azerbaijani-Iranian businessman working in the petroleum industry from a young age. Starting small scale trading at the age of 16 in the Middle East, trading refined products and petrochemicals, within two years the export operation had expanded to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. After attending Medical School in UK, Dorian changed direction back into the petroleum industry, getting involved in trading of Crude Oil and Gas Condensate from various sources in Middle East and Africa. Within a year Dorian had raised up to the position of Vice President of the a commodity trading company. Dorian then joined the family business at PNN Group to expand the operation along with Nasib Piriyev.

NIZAMI  PIRIYEV JR.

Business Development Manager

After Nizami Jr. turned 18 years old he joined family business and has been exploring various opportunities and projects continuing the Piriyev family’s entreprenueral traditions.