92 HEADING • CASPIAN Iteca Caspian: BECOMING A REGIONAL EXHIBITION CENTER

Besides organisation of main portfolio of ITE, Iteca accounts for about exhibitions, in 2012 Iteca Caspian as 30%. It is a very recognizable brand in a professional event manager was the exhibition world. Our customers also involved in some very important know this brand very well and trust to projects hosted in Azerbaijan. So, it, which is very important. in April Baku hosted the Oil, Gas As far as the second question is Processing and Petrochemical Complex concerned, we plan to expand the (OGPC) Forum 2012 of the State Oil existing exhibitions. We watch closely Company of Azerbaijan Republic the market, do market researches and (SOCAR) with presentation of the Oil, if we see prospect in this or that field, Gas Processing and Petrochemical we initiate organisation of exhibition Complex project as a key topic. All events. Our main objective this year forum visitors noted the high level is quantitative and high-quality of guests and event organisation. In development of exhibitions and September we organised ‘Tunneling & making each project a main event of Caspian Energy (CE): How would you Underground Infrastructure of Urban the industry of the Caspian region. evaluate the activity of the Company Areas Congress & Exhibition’ BITC 2012 in the exhibition market since the very for the first time in Azerbaijan at the CE: Which awards and certificates has establishment, especially in the last initiative of the Azerbaijani Association the Company received so far? year? of Tunnels and got many positive Farid Mammadov: Looking back to Farid Mammadov, Director, responses. A large-scale ICT event, the travelled path, I can tell that the Iteca Caspian LLC: Iteca Caspian the 7th Internet Governance Forum exhibition business is becoming a part has worked since 2000 through (Forum for Policy Dialogue on Issues of the economic life of the country. even before our partners, the British of Internet Governance), was hosted in Nowadays exhibitions in Azerbaijan company ITE Group, independently November on the same platform with are the main platform of the region organised exhibitions in Azerbaijan, BakuTel with the support of the Ministry bringing industry leaders together. starting from 1995. Those years the of Communications and Information Undoubtedly, we are pleased with ITE company was a newcomer in the Technologies of the Republic of the fact that from the viewpoint of country market and used to organise Azerbaijan. The event brought together professional organization Iteca Caspian only one exhibition. It brought together about 2,000 delegates from all over the is one of the most successful companies several branches of economy and was world. Participation in organisation of and that our exhibitions are worthily called the Azerbaijani International events of such level speaks about the appreciated and get awards. So, Iteca Trade Fair. After studying the situation trust to the work of the Company and Caspian is the owner of UGUR award. in the market, we decided to divide proves the quality of exhibitions and Moreover, for active contribution to the exhibitions into sectors and the time conferences organised by Iteca Caspian. development of Azerbaijan-Russia trade has proved that it was a right approach. and economic relations Iteca Caspian Since that time Azerbaijan has travelled CE: What is the geography of Iteca’s LLC received the Progress Award. We a big path. New branches came into operation? Do you plan to expand are also grateful to our partners for being, thus creating the opportunity exhibitions in the future? their support and high appreciation to organise thematic exhibitions on Farid Mammadov: Iteca is a part of of our activity. In particular, I would those sectors that draw the interest of ITE Group of Companies. In turn, ITE is like to mention the Caspian-European the international business community. among five largest private exhibition Integration Business Club (CEIBC), Nowadays we are organising over 15 organizers worldwide. The brand which is the organiser of the Caspian independent projects. Some of them, of Iteca is a sub brand of ITE Central Energy Integration Award international for example, Caspian Oil&Gas Exhibition Asia. Iteca is involved in activities in prize. Within this awarding ceremony and Conference is celebrating its 20th many countries of Central Asia and our Company has repeatedly won in anniversary, while some other our the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the nomination ‘The Company of Year exhibitions will celebrate its 20th Uzbekistan, Georgia). This brand in Organisation of Exhibitions’. Some anniversary next year. dates back to 1996. In the exhibitions of our exhibitions were recognized the

CASPIAN ENERGY N2 (77)`2013 | www.caspenergy.com HEADING • CASPIAN 93

best exhibition brands of the year. We to develop. So, Baku has become a Gas has become the key branch oil forum highly appreciate our partnership with regional exhibition center. in the region. This year the anniversary the Club and hope it will be mutually Separately I would like to stress that of Caspian Oil & Gas coincides with the fruitful and long-term. almost all exhibitions organised by significant date – the 90th anniversary of Iteca Caspian undergo the international the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who CE: How would you evaluate exhibition audit. We are the only exhibition stood at the origins of the exhibition. competitiveness of company’s company in Azerbaijan that invites on Due to the 20-year anniversary of Caspian exhibitions and in general competition its own initiative auditors and receives Oil & Gas exhibition and conference, we in organisation of exhibitions in the certificate of conformity of data declared will plan and implement a program of Azerbaijan market? by the organisers, and compliances of the additional events. I am pleased to say Farid Mammadov: Healthy and fair exhibition to international standards. that Caspian Energy acts as a general competition always creates favourable information partner of the Caspian Oil & conditions for successful business and CE: What are the plans for the near- Gas jubilee exhibition and I am sure that high-quality service. We are enjoying a term outlook? Which exhibitions will be our cooperation will be fruitful. number of advantages which I would organised in 2013? In the second half of the year of the like to note. The first, as I already Farid Mammadov: This year we are exhibition season starting in September mentioned above, is our strong planning to organise 20 exhibitions and we will host Education and Career brand. Industry-leading international 2 conferences in Azerbaijan. In view exhibition, BIHE healthcare exhibition, companies know it and trust to it. Our of the active registration of exhibitors Beauty Azerbaijan beauty exhibition, second advantage is the wide network for exhibitions in Baku I would like to BakuBuild construction exhibition, Aqua- of our own international agents who note that already now we are looking Therm Baku heating and ventilation work only for our exhibitions. The third forward to a very interesting and fruitful exhibition, CIPS Caspian safety exhibition, is our professional local team. This is exhibition season. In the row of traditional STE ecology exhibition, SportExpo sports some kind of synergy at all the levels exhibitions such as AITF, WorldFood exhibition. This year BakuTel exhibition of strong brands, strong international Azerbaijan, TransCaspian, there is now will be held a little earlier than the usual partners and strong local office. the debut project CATEF 2013, the Aqua term, namely on September 25-28. Our employees pass trainings in Great Technologies Exhibition and Forum, Seizing the opportunity, I would Britain, adopting experience of our organized on the initiative and with the like to express gratitude to the partners. They also take part in trainings support of AZERSU OJSC. The 20-year government agencies for their in the leading exhibition schools of the anniversary of Caspian Oil & Gas, the first support to exhibitions in Azerbaijan. world. It is very important to stress that specialized exhibition and conference I wish prosperity, actual articles, new the leadership of the republic actively in Azerbaijan, is going to become an ideas and more and more new readers supports the exhibition activity and important event this year. For 20 years to Caspian Energy Journal and I am creates all conditions for our exhibitions of successful organisation Caspian Oil & grateful for the interest to our activity.

CASPIAN ENERGY N2 (77)`2013 | www.caspenergy.com