Mr. Ilkin Garayev has more than 25 years business and consulting background. He graduated from Oriental studies faculty of Azerbaijan State University (today Baku State University) with honors in 1992. He started his career in banking sector in 1991. In 1993 he successfully passed examination provided by Bank Union of Turkey and was awarded with a one-year study on banking in Turkey. Upon completion of this study tour, he was Head of Department in different banks till 1997.

Since 1997, Mr. Ilkin Garayev is President and founder Azecoconsulting Company which is one of Azerbaijan’s leading full-service research companies that specialize in individually tailored custom research projects.

In the public activity field, from 2002 to 2006 he was Deputy Chairman of National NGO Forum. In 2001-2002 he was a working group member of State Program named Preparation Poverty Reduction Strategies Paper. In 2016 he participated to the working group which worked on “Strategic road maps for the national economy and main economic sectors” as a specialist on SME sector.

Mr. Ilkin Garayev has been working for Azerbaijan Bank Training Centre from the first days of ABTC activity in 2000. In 2004-2006 he worked for ABTC as Project Manager of “Development of business services for SME” project sponsored by IFC and BP. Since 2000 Mr. Ilkin Garayev has been delivering training and providing consultancies at the ABTC on finance of international trade, LC, marketing & sales and customer services topics. During his activity Ilkin Garayev was lead or participated in many management, marketing and market research projects.

In the meantime he was expert-trainer of numerous projects financed by EBRD and GIZ and he continue cooperation with mentioned institutes. In 2005-2006 he studied at International Trade Specialist Accreditation (ITS) program by eBSI and got the Certificate with Honor as a International Trade Specialist.

Starting from 2006 he is a Chairman of local NGO named "SME Development Support Center". In 2010 he started working as a Vice President of the group of companies named "Overall Management Group"