Famous Azerbaijani Leaders

Mehriban Aliyeva is an Azerbaijani physician and politician. She is the current Vice President of Azerbaijan. The wife of Ilham Aliyev, Aliyeva is also the current First Lady of Azerbaijan. Mehriban Aliyeva is also the current Deputy Leader of the New Azerbaijan Party.

Heydar Aliyev was an Azerbaijani politician. From 1993 to 2003, Aliyev served as the president of Azerbaijan. His presidency has attracted criticism and Aliyev was accused of establishing a dictatorial, repressive, and authoritarian regime. He was also accused of muzzling the press and rigging elections. He died of ill health on 12 December 2003.

Vagit Alekperov is a Russian-Azerbaijani entrepreneur best known for his service as the president of the PJSC Lukoil Oil Company from 1993 to 2022. Counted among the richest people in the world, Vagit Alekperov is also known for his philanthropic efforts. In 2007, he established a non-profit organization called Our Future, which aims at promoting social entrepreneurship in Russia.

Abulfaz Elchibey was an Azerbaijani political figure who served as the President of Azerbaijan from 17 June 1992 to 24 June 1993. He was stripped of his presidency in a coup d'état in 1993. After the end of his presidency, Abulfaz Elchibey served as the leader of the opposition. 

Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan, also known as Hovhannes Baghramian, was a Marshal of the Soviet Union. Born in Yelizavetpol , present-day Azerbaijan, he grew up to be one of the finest military commanders of the Soviet army during World War II and later joined the Communist Party, too.

Artur Rasizade is an Azerbaijani politician known for his service as the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan. He served as the Prime Minister on two occasions between 1996 and 2018 and also served as an acting Prime Minister on a couple of occasions. Over the course of his career, Rasizade has been honored with prestigious awards, including the USSR State Prize.

Sahiba Gafarova is a Azerbaijani politician and professor. She is currently serving as the Speaker of the National Assembly. Since 2004, Sahiba Gafarova has been an important member of the New Azerbaijan Party.  

Nariman Narimanov was an Azerbaijani Bolshevik revolutionary, writer, publicist, and politician. He headed the government of Soviet Azerbaijan for just over one year in 1920-21 and served as the chairman of the Azerbaijani Revolutionary Committee (Azrevkom). As a literary expert, he translated into Turkic Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector and authored many plays, stories, and novels. 

Azerbaijani revolutionary Mirza Davud Huseynov started his political career as a Hummet Party leader. He later joined the Russian Communist Party and served as the People's Commissar of Finance and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan. He was eventually executed for plotting against the Soviet state.

Maleyka Abbaszadeh is an Azerbaijani political figure. She is best known for her service as the Chair of the SSAC, a newly established organization which oversees the national entrance test for potential post-secondary students in Azerbaijan.

Ganira Pashayeva is an Azerbaijani politician who has been serving as a Member of the National Assembly for Tovuz Rayon since 2005. Pashayeva started her career as a reporter and then worked as the Deputy editor-in-chief for the ANS Group of Companies. Ganira Pashayeva has also worked as a pediatrician in Somalia. 

Adila Mutallibova was an Azerbaijani physician. The wife of Ayaz Mutallibov, Adila is best remembered for her service as the First Lady of Azerbaijan from 1991 to 1992, during which her husband served as the president of the country.

Georgy Shakhnazarov was a Soviet political scientist and politician. He was an important figure in the Gorbachev Foundation, which was founded by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Georgy Shakhnazarov also played a prominent role during the Second World War where he fought against the Nazis alongside the Red Army. 

Elmira Gafarova was an Azerbaijani diplomat and politician. She is best remembered for her service as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 1983 to 1987. From 1990 to 1992, she served as the Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament.   

Nigar Arpadarai is a Azerbaijani politician and a current Member of the Azerbaijan Parliament. From 2015 to 2020, she served as the chief of the marketing and communications department of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Azerbaijani politician Bahar Muradova is a member of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) and has held significant positions within YAP since 1993. She served in the Office of the Azerbaijani President and as deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan; and became the chairperson of the State Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs of Azerbaijan in March 2020.