(bright music)
-: Rovshan, good morning.
It's so nice to be here with you today.
You have a pretty ambitious vision,
and you're at the start of a journey.
What were your immediate goals for the,
let's say, the next three years in terms
of what you'd like to see SOCAR accomplish?
-: What should SOCAR achieve is already envisaged
in the strategy and the vision
of our shareholder of government of Azerbaijan.
The aim is to transform SOCAR
to the leading state-owned enterprise,
to exemplary state-owned enterprise in energy sector
which is capable and which will deliver
to the energy security of Azerbaijan, of its partners.
We'll do it in a sustainable manner,
so we do understand that oil and gas will be there
for decades to come and they will be the
important part of energy mix,
but we have to do it in a sustainable manner.
We have to do it looking at
what our carbon footprint is, how we can decarbonize
in line with all the strictest environmental regulations
and standards because we have one planet to share.
We live there and the well-being
of all humankind, of population, is very important for us,
and it has become one of the key parameters
of our decision-making process.
In that sense, SOCAR is on the journey
to become a sustainable energy producer,
and I use the word "energy"
because it's not all about oil and gas.
We are implementing projects in renewables
like wind and solar with esteemed partners.
In that sense, the aim is, again, to be the important part
of energy security of country and of its partners.
-: This transformation you've undertaken,
it's one of the most challenging
and breathtaking transformations that covers everything
from exploration, production, midstream, downstream.
How are you addressing those challenges
and then how have you prepared your leadership team
to address those challenges?
-: I think, in any initiative or any project you start,
there are several components that ensure
the success of that engagement.
First of all is clear vision, and we do have clear vision
of what we would like to achieve.
Second is a clear timeline and roadmap
where you have teams who are accountable for each milestone
and you know what, when, and who should do.
But most important is human capital.
It's the people who we are working with,
who are actually doing daily operations,
who are working on the achievement of these tasks.
In that sense, we are now building a unique blending
of experience that SOCAR has
because SOCAR has been in the front
of oil and gas industry for decades or for centuries.
Azerbaijan, I think you know, we were first to produce oil.
We were first to produce offshore industrial oil
in Azerbaijan, so we had done a lot
of firsts in oil and gas industry.
In that sense, we had very good heritage.
We had very skillful labor force
and colleagues who are working with us,
but we also do understand that there is new trends.
There is new possibilities. There is new technologies.
There is disruptive technologies sometimes.
And in that sense, we are bringing on new students.
fresh graduates or professionals from different fields.
Like what? Like in green energy.
We are also counting on the specialists
we are engaging from other fields or other companies,
and we are having the idea of one SOCAR family
which is comprised of the people
who bring the heritage, knowledge, and experience,
and the new people who bring the new ideas,
new vision, maybe sometimes very different or radical views
on how we should do some part of the businesses.
But we sit together, we discuss. And another component
of the success is the ability to hear,
listen, share, and to agree on decisions.
-: The speed and the size of the change needed
is actually pretty tremendous.
How are you thinking about it for SOCAR,
but also for Azerbaijan?
-: Energy transition is happening.
I think different views are on the speed
of this transition and the path
or trajectory it should take.
We, in SOCAR, do believe that it should be done based
on realistic assumptions that take into account all issues,
even the CapEx pricing, the investments needed,
the monetary side, the demand side, energy security side,
because we cannot afford to be in a situation
where the energy security of the country
or our partners is compromised.
And in that sense, we are looking how
to have this energy transition be implemented
in a manner that gives us security
and also allows us to do what we would like
to do according to our strategy.
We are also working with several partners
in making our path very clear for internal, first of all,
internal SOCAR stuff because if your team or family,
we call it, don't understand fully why we should do it,
you will not be able to achieve the result.
Second, to convey or communicate our vision
to our external partners that we see that oil
and gas will be there for decades to come.
Again, we are going to produce oil and gas,
but in a sustainable manner, but we are also embarking
on a journey for energy transition.
We are doing renewable projects. In that sense,
we are currently preparing the green agenda
or green strategy of SOCAR.
-: That's great. Exceptional.
Thank you so much.
-: Thank you.
-: I really appreciate it.