Bolt Azerbaijan's New General Manager, Ilkin Zeynalli: "International Education and Experience Are Essential Tools for Developing the Local Market"

Interview with the General Manager of Bolt Azerbaijan

– Ilkin, could you start by telling us a little about yourself and your professional background?

I was born and raised in Sumgait. I completed my initial education in Azerbaijan before continuing my studies in Business Administration in Prague. Studying abroad was not only an important academic experience for me, but also an opportunity to represent Azerbaijan internationally.

While in Prague, I was an active member of the Azerbaijani student community, participating in various events aimed at promoting Azerbaijan's culture, history and the realities of Karabakh to international audiences. Representing my country abroad and sharing Azerbaijan's story was a great source of pride for me.

I began my professional career at Procter & Gamble, where I spent nearly nine years in various regional and international roles. After working across the Azerbaijan, Caucasus and Central Asia markets, I moved to the company's regional office in Türkiye as Commercial Operations General Manager. During that period, our team achieved record-breaking results, and our performance was recognised with the company's Global CEO Award on two separate occasions. These achievements are particularly meaningful to me because they were accomplished during a highly competitive and challenging period.

I later led the Sales and Commercial functions at Samsung, where our primary objective was to bring global innovations to Azerbaijani consumers.

Today, my main motivation is to apply international experience and global best practices in Azerbaijan, contribute to the development of the local market, and make people's everyday lives easier and more accessible through technology. I believe Azerbaijan has tremendous potential for innovation and digital solutions, and I am excited to be part of this transformation.

– How have your international education and experience shaped your perspective?

I believe international education and experience are not only valuable for personal growth but also essential tools for contributing to the development of one's home country. Working in different markets allows you to understand global approaches, emerging technologies and evolving consumer behaviour.

The real value lies in adapting this knowledge to local realities. I see significant potential for bringing global innovations and technological advancements to Azerbaijan. The country is developing rapidly, and Azerbaijan is often among the first markets where Bolt introduces many of its global innovations.

– What attracted you most to the ride-hailing industry?

Its pace and dynamism. Ride-hailing is a fast-moving ecosystem that requires quick decision-making and constant adaptation. There are always new opportunities to introduce innovative solutions and improve the customer experience.

Seeing how technology simplifies everyday life in a rapidly developing country like Azerbaijan is an additional source of motivation.

– How important is technology in a city like Baku, where traffic is particularly intense?

Baku is a very dynamic city, and traffic conditions can change rapidly depending on the time of day, weather and many other factors. In such an environment, efficient mobility depends not only on having a large driver network but also on intelligent technological management.

Our platform analyses real-time data to assess demand, driver activity and road conditions, enabling more efficient ride matching and route optimisation.

With thousands of active driver-partners and millions of monthly users in Azerbaijan, the platform processes an enormous volume of data. This allows the system to operate in a smarter and more predictive way.

– What changes have you observed in customer behaviour in recent years?

The biggest change has been the growing trust in digital services. A few years ago, most people preferred cash payments, whereas today digital payments and app-based services have become an integral part of everyday life.

Customer expectations have also evolved. People are no longer looking simply to book a ride—they expect a faster, safer and more convenient experience.

– How have digital platforms changed drivers' daily work?

I believe the change has been significant. In the past, drivers' earnings largely depended on chance and where they happened to be located. Today, the platform provides them with real-time demand insights, transparent earnings information, and the flexibility to choose their own working hours.

Drivers are no longer simply accepting ride requests—they are independent partners managing their own micro-businesses. Bolt provides them with technology, data, and access to a broad customer base, enabling them to work more efficiently and make informed decisions.

– How do you see the future of urban mobility in Azerbaijan?

– I believe Azerbaijan has the potential to become one of the region's smartest and most technologically advanced mobility ecosystems. In recent years, we have seen growing trust in digital services and the increasingly rapid adoption of technology in everyday life.

People's approach to mobility is also changing. More and more people are prioritising convenient, safe and efficient access to transportation over owning a private vehicle.

Looking ahead, I expect ride-hailing, public transport and other mobility solutions to become much more integrated. The ultimate goal of technology is to make everyday travel across Azerbaijan's cities easier, more accessible and more efficient.

– Finally, what message would you like to share with Bolt users?

Our primary goal is to make everyday mobility easier for people. At Bolt, we will continue developing technology that simplifies daily life, improves the efficiency of urban mobility, and delivers an even better experience for our users.

At the same time, we remain committed to introducing new approaches to urban mobility and bringing global innovations to Azerbaijan, helping shape a smarter, more connected, and more sustainable transport ecosystem.