Public Relations (PR) and Communications Working Group

On July 15, 2025, the PR and Communications Working Group of the AHK Azerbaijan organized an event titled “150 Years of Azerbaijani Media: Building a Bridge Between Business and Media.” As a key platform for economic dialogue, AHK Azerbaijan is committed to fostering closer cooperation with the media through targeted initiatives, recognizing their important role as multipliers of economic dialogue and their effectiveness in communicating economic issues to a broad audience. In this spirit, the event brought together representatives from the private and public sectors, media, and academia to encourage meaningful discussion and strengthen ties among these essential stakeholders.

The event was hosted by Turab Teymurov, Deputy Chair of AHK Azerbaijan’s PR and Communications Working Group. Opening speeches were delivered by Nargis Wieck, Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan, and Aytaj Mukhtarzade, Chair of the Working Group and Head of Communications at PASHA Holding. As part of the program, three panel sessions were held with the participation of various government bodies, media organizations, and business representatives. These included a discussion on the development of local media infrastructure moderated by Deputy Chair Sanuber Nazarova, a panel on the challenges and opportunities in media relations for public and private sectors moderated by Deputy Chair Gunel Aliyeva, and a session on the adaptation of Azerbaijani media to digital communication moderated by Deputy Chair Turab Teymurov.

Speakers included Vusala Mahirqizi, CEO of APA Media Group; Shafag Mehraliyeva, Head of the Communication and Digital Media Program at ADA University; Parvin Baghirova, Head of the PR Department at the Karabakh Revival Fund; Hokuma Karimova, Director of Corporate Communications and PR at NAR; Elvin Abbasov, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan ICT Industry Association; and influencer Farid Pardashunas. The discussions explored the historical development of the media, the press's role in raising public awareness, and current trends in the field.

Notably, the PR and Communications Working Group of AHK Azerbaijan has been active for the past four months, aiming to meet the communication needs of member companies and support their ongoing development within the Chamber's network.

On June 20, 2025, AHK Azerbaijan held the next session of the PR and Communications Working Group, bringing together communication professionals and experts from different sectors. The meeting was moderated by Aytaj Mukhtarzada who briefly outlined the direction of the session and emphasized the growing importance of structured communication strategies within and beyond organizations.

The meeting featured a presentation by Sona Abbasova, Director of Corporate Communication at Azercell Telecom LLC, titled “Corporate Communication: Yesterday and Today.” 

Key topics covered during her talk included:

• The transformative impact of Web 2.0 on the communication landscape
• Key components that have shaped communication over the past decade
• The evolution of PR in the last 15 years
• Leadership communication and crisis communication
• Actionable strategies to be implemented before, during, and after a crisis.

Following the presentation, participants engaged in a dynamic discussion and Q&A session, exchanging insights on current trends and challenges in communication. Strategic plans for the PR and Communication Committee were outlined, including stronger media engagement ahead of the national press's 150th anniversary. The importance of building relations with public institutions was emphasized, and educational gaps were addressed with proposals such as double-degree programs and PR curricula for journalism faculties. Additionally, the idea of organizing an Open Media Day to enhance transparency and collaboration was suggested. 

On April 17, 2025, AHK Azerbaijan launched the activities of the PR and Communications Working Group with its inaugural meeting. Representatives from over 20 companies across various sectors participated in the meeting.

During the session, the chair of the Working Group, Aytaj Mukhtarzada, who is the Head of PR and Communications at PASHA Holding, introduced herself to the AHK Azerbaijan members. In her speech, she emphasized the importance of strengthening effective, transparent, and value-driven communication among member companies and highlighted the significance of promoting institutional knowledge and experience sharing.

The primary aim of the first meeting was both to introduce participants to one another and to define the focus areas of the working group. Through collaborative discussion, the group aimed to identify gaps and priority areas in public relations and communications that are currently on the agenda and to collectively find solutions within those directions.

The meeting continued with active exchanges of ideas and the collection of suggestions, moderated by Ms. Mukhtarzada. It was decided that the following topics would be discussed in detail in future meetings:

• Internal strategic communication
• Media relations
• Public relations
• International communication
• Marketing communications
• Brand and reputation management
• Sustainability
• Crisis communication
• Corporate social responsibility, etc.

The committee will work on identifying existing gaps in these areas within corporate companies, government institutions, and the country as a whole, and will focus on generating solutions. During the first meeting, productive discussions were held and suggestions were made on establishing professional relationships between companies and the media, supporting the training of professional journalists specialized in crisis communication, and contributing to the development of this field.

To further explore and resolve these topics, the committee plans to organize future meetings, events, experience-sharing sessions, and expert talks. Additionally, position papers will be prepared to support the improvement of marketing strategies, brand recognition, and international visibility, as well as to contribute to integrating sustainability into companies’ strategic communication agendas and overall sustainability strategies. These efforts will also help shape frameworks for cooperation with government institutions.

The Working Group is committed to the principle of “focusing on real results rather than doing too much,” and adheres to the values of “usefulness, practical result orientation, efficiency, and humility.” It aims to contribute to enhancing the skills and knowledge of member companies in public relations, media, and communications, and to strengthen effective, transparent, and value-creating communication opportunities.