GUNEL NABİYEVA
BakU,AZERBAİJAN
Summary
With a proven track record, I excel in corporate governance and law, enhancing legal frameworks and safeguarding corporate interests.
Known for ability to develop comprehensive case strategies and for persuasive communication skills, leading to successful outcomes in complex cases. Strong analytical thinker with aptitude for identifying key legal issues quickly and effectively communicating them to clients and colleagues.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Legal Officer
Azerbaijan Investment Holding
Baku, Azerbaijan
03.2024 - Current
- Ensure that all activities are conducted in accordance with local laws and regulations.
- Monitor changes in relevant legislation and analyze their potential impact on the company's operations.
- Assist in developing corporate governance practices throughout the Holding.
- Analyse complex legal documents in order to identify risks and liabilities for the company.
- Supervise a team of lawyers in providing legal counsel on various matters including labor law compliance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, litigation.
- Advise senior management on strategic business decisions from a legal perspective.
- Advise senior management on contractual terms and conditions before entering into agreements with partners.
- Develop and implement comprehensive legal strategies to protect the Holding's interests.
- Identify potential areas of liability exposure within current operations or proposed transactions, and develop strategies to mitigate those exposures.
- Prepare contracts, governance documents, and legal documentation related to business operations, finances, and non-disclosure policies.
- Coordinate the implementation of new legislation that affects the company's operations.
- Represent the organization at meetings with government officials or other external bodies as required.
- Review, negotiate, draft, and interpret contracts and agreements related to corporate activities.
Head of Legal Department
Azerbaijan Investment Holding
Baku, Azerbaijan
02.2021 - 03.2024
- Provide proactive legal advice and support to all departments within the Holding regarding their respective areas of responsibility.
- Monitor changes in relevant legislation and advised management proactively about necessary actions.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
- Draft various types of documents including contracts, memoranda of understanding, settlement agreements.
- Direct the legal department in providing advice and guidance on a wide range of corporate matters.
- Ensure accuracy in preparing financial statements by reviewing disclosures relating to legal matters.
- Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Collaborate with other departmental leaders to establish organizational goals, strategic plans, and objectives.
- Analyze internal processes and recommended and implemented procedural or policy changes to improve operations.
- Create and revise systems and procedures by analyzing operating practices, recordkeeping systems and forms control.
Head of Legal Assurance and Methodology Division
Azerbaijan Investment Holding
Baku, Azerbaijan
10.2020 - 02.2021
- Collaborate with external stakeholders such as government agencies or regulatory bodies.
- Develop and implement legal strategies to protect the company's interests in a variety of legal matters.
- Provide guidance on corporate governance issues, including board resolutions and shareholder agreements.
- Identify potential legal risks associated with proposed business transactions or decisions.
- Monitor changes in relevant legislation and advised the company accordingly.
- Maintain accurate records of all legal documents pertaining to the organization.
- Advise senior management on compliance with applicable regulations and laws.
Head of Legal Department
Unibank
Baku, Azerbaijan
02.2018 - 10.2020
- Supervised a team of lawyers responsible for providing legal advice for the bank.
- Review existing contracts regularly to ensure that they comply with current laws and regulations.
- Provide proactive legal advice and support to all departments within the organization regarding their respective areas of responsibility.
- Monitor changes in relevant legislation and advised management proactively about necessary actions.
- Assist in the development of strategies to reduce potential liabilities associated with business transactions.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
- Draft various types of documents, including contracts, etc.
- Coordinate the implementation of new legislation that affects the company's operations.
- Analyze complex situations quickly while maintaining composure under pressure.
- Advise senior management on contractual terms and conditions before entering into agreements with vendors or clients.
- Negotiate settlements when appropriate to resolve disputes between parties outside of court proceedings.
- Ensure accuracy in preparing financial statements by reviewing disclosures relating to legal matters.
- Develop, implemented, and maintained policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Create and implemented administrative processes and procedures to prioritize job tasks and establish personnel responsibilities.
- Create and revised systems and procedures by analyzing operating practices, recordkeeping systems and forms control.
Director of Consumer & Investor Rights Protection
Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (currently, the Central Bank)
Baku, Azerbaijan
05.2016 - 02.2018
- Lead the operations of the Consumer and Investor Rights Protection.
- Oversee administrative proceedings conducted by the Authority.
- Investigate complaints received from investors, and if a violation of their rights is determined, issue mandatory instructions to joint-stock companies for enforcement.
- Oversee administrative proceedings conducted by the Authority.
- Organize the reception, investigation, and response to all complaints, applications, and proposals (over 20k per year) related to the activities of the supervised entities (banks and insurance companies).
- Ensure the implementation of administrative sanctions against supervised entities (banks, insurance companies, and their officials) within the scope of authority.
- Conduct analytics on applications and complaints, and present reports on the current situation to the management.
- Organize and oversee administrative proceedings carried out by the Authority within its jurisdiction.
- Impose administrative sanctions on entities violating foreign exchange regime rules, and prepare administrative protocols on legal entities for submission to the relevant courts.
- Develop standard templates for documents used in the Authority's activities.
- Provide proposals within the scope of authority to ensure the legal framework of the Authority's operations.
- Analyze the legislative framework regulating financial markets, identify gaps, and propose necessary amendments.
Head of General Affairs Department
Unibank
Baku, Azerbaijan
11.2013 - 05.2016
- Take measures and make proposals within its authority in the direction of implementing and supporting the mission and strategy of the Bank.
- Regulate and coordinate relations with supervisory authorities (Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, tax authority, etc.).
- Monitor the implementation of the requirements set by the Central Bank regarding the Bank's activities, including ensuring the implementation of measures to eliminate deficiencies identified as a result of the inspection.
- Monitor compliance with corporate governance standards in the Bank. • Monitor the preparation and legal expertise of regulations, instructions, and procedures in various areas of the Bank's activities.
- Take appropriate measures in the event of a violation of the requirements of the legislation and regulatory acts of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Bank, and report this to the Management.
- Lead the organization of meetings of the General Meeting of Shareholders, the Supervisory Board, and the Board of Directors of the Bank.
- Conduct legal expertise and monitor the implementation of the decisions of the General Meeting of Shareholders, Supervisory Board, and Board of Directors of the Bank, and report this information to the relevant management.
- Manage the work of the Protocol, Secretariat, Organizational Affairs, and Document Registration departments.
Leading Lawyer, Chief Lawyer, Compliance Officer
Unibank
Baku, Azerbaijan
01.2006 - 11.2013
- Provide guidance on compliance with applicable laws to ensure that businesses are operating within the bounds of the law.
- Develop strategies to resolve complicated legal issues for clients.
- Analyze complex legal issues and provide advice to clients.
- Review and draft legal documents, such as contracts, etc.
- Ensure timely completion of periodic reports required by regulators.
- Review contracts, agreements, documents, and other materials for legal accuracy and completeness.
- Developed and implemented compliance policies and procedures.
- Provide guidance on the legal requirements related to the organization's operations.
- Report any identified discrepancies or irregularities to senior management.
- Develop systems to track and monitor compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies.
- Establish working relationships with regulatory agencies.
Education
Master of Laws - Law
Baku State University
Baku06-2008
LLB - Law
Baku State University
Baku06-2005
Skills
- Corporate governance
- International law
- Board relations
- Dispute resolution
- Data privacy
- Securities law
- Employment law
- Bankruptcy law
Accomplishments
Unibank:
-Preparation of constituent documents when establishing “Millikart” LLC;
- Creation of an electronic database of internal corporate acts (book of instructions);
- Organization of “due diligence” work when attracting foreign investments
- Preparation of contract templates and other documentation for retail banking projects implemented by the Bank and legal support of these projects (For organizing this work, I was awarded an Honorary Decree by Unibank in 2012);
- Taking 2nd place in the “Talent management” project established by the decision of the Supervisory Board of the Bank, I was included in the list of “Reserve Top Managers of the Bank”;
Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (currently the Central Bank):
- For the first time, I organized the application of administrative penalties against entrepreneurs who did not comply with the currency regime
- I established a system for timely and effective (by taking necessary measures to restore their rights) response to complaints and appeals received from more than 20 thousand consumers during the year
- In 2018, I received an official letter of gratitude from the management for "Establishing effective management"
On the AIH:
- I participated in the establishment of corporate governance in AIH's portfolio companies
- I participated in the OECD project to assess the corporate governance of AIH and its portfolio companies
- I represented AIH as a member of the Supervisory Board in 3 portfolio companies
- I conducted a legal examination of joint investment agreements (in the amounts of 300 million USD, 1 billion USD, etc.) concluded by AIH
Affiliations
- Member of the Supervisory Board, Azer-Turk Bank, 2022-till now
- Member of the Supervisory Board, Baki Metropoliteni, 2022-2025
- Member of the Supervisory Board, BakuBus, 2022-2025
Timeline
Chief Legal Officer
Azerbaijan Investment Holding
03.2024 - Current
Head of Legal Department
Azerbaijan Investment Holding
02.2021 - 03.2024
Head of Legal Assurance and Methodology Division
Azerbaijan Investment Holding
10.2020 - 02.2021
Head of Legal Department
Unibank
02.2018 - 10.2020
Director of Consumer & Investor Rights Protection
Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (currently, the Central Bank)
05.2016 - 02.2018
Head of General Affairs Department
Unibank
11.2013 - 05.2016
Leading Lawyer, Chief Lawyer, Compliance Officer
Unibank
01.2006 - 11.2013
Master of Laws - Law
Baku State University
LLB - Law
Baku State University