VUGAR AHMADOV
Aga Neymetulla, Bld. 70 C, Apt. 16
Baku, Azerbaijan
050 355 8770  vugarah@yahoo.com
Qualifications:
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Outstanding quantitative and analytical skills in conducting statistical research,
modeling, data analysis and econometric applications
Competence in theoretical and applied Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, and
Financial Economics and Econometrics
Knowledge in impact assessment of different fiscal and monetary instruments on
economic growth and policies on international trade through Competitive General
Equilibrium and Partial Equilibrium Modeling, evaluation of Domestic Resource
Cost and Social Cost Benefit Analysis for sector and subsector competitiveness
Competence and experience in Firm Level Strategic Development, Consumer
Behavior Modeling, and Marketing Survey Design and Conducting
Competence in Theoretical and Applied Industrial Organization, Vertical and
Horizontal Product Differentiation Modeling, Qualitative and Discrete Choice
Modeling
Knowledge of Statistical Packages: LIMDEP, NLOGIT, SAS, STATA and SPSS
and software widely used in linear, non-linear, mixed-integer, programming,
mixed complementarity and constrained nonlinear systems optimization: GAMS,
MATHEMATICA and MATLAB
Professional Experience:
Azerbaijan University
Part-time, Associate Professor
September 2008 - present
Central Bank,
Chief Economist
Head of Economic Research and Forecasting
Baku, Azerbaijan
August 2008 – September 2008
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Design and implement social accounting matrix using input output tables;
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Develop Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Model;
Conduct macro-econometric and economic modeling;
Analysis of monetary policy on macroeconomic and financial stability;
USAID Trade Project,
Baku
Project Economist
August 2008 – September 2008
 Design and implement economic models to assess the effects of trade liberalization
on the non-oil sector of the Azerbaijan economy
 Train Government officials of Azerbaijan in the use of those economic models
 Assist in revenue impact analysis of proposed amendments to the Azerbaijan Tax
Code
 Assist program efforts in agricultural policy as needed e.g., the analysis of
agricultural subsidies and proposed market-based alternatives, analysis of national
food security policies
IMPACT Center, Washington State University
USA
Doctoral Student/Research Assistant
August 2005 - May 2008
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Provided research assistance to the professors in assessing impact of various trade
and macro-policies through conducting economic and econometric modeling
 Designed and conducted behavioral experiments to study the consumers’
preferences for food and non-food product attributes
 Conducted the study on economic and marketing benefits of traceability for US
fisheries
USAID Rural Enterprise Competitive Program,
The Pragma Corporation
Deputy Director of Client Services
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Azerbaijan
November 2003 - August 2005
Facilitated $2.5 Million investment in chicken processing and production facility in
Azerbaijan
Advised local juice producer on Russian market entry resulting in $1.5 Million
annual exports for the products
Founding member and Council Secretary for the Azerbaijan Agribusiness
Marketing Council
Advised on project resulting in $150,000 in annual lamb exports to Russia and
$75,000 invested in feed supplements production facility
Developing a strategic and business plan for business to expand through $2 Million
in investment
USAID Impact Assessment for Business
Development Services, Weidemann Associates
Principal Investigator
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Azerbaijan
August 2003 - November 2003
Conducted 360 in-depth interviews and 20 focus group discussions in a
comprehensive study for impact of business development services on small and
medium development services in rural communities
USAID Participatory Agriculture Project,
Land O’Lakes Inc.
Agribusiness Coordinator
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Azerbaijan
May 2000 – October 2002
Conducted impact assessment of different lending scenarios on agricultural
farming
Provided technical assistance to credit unions in developing business plans and
financial projections
Worked closely with USAID and TACIS funded projects on rural small and
medium enterprise
development
TACIS Regional Agribusiness Support Union,
European Union
Project Coordinator
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October 2002 - July 2003
Managed team in establishing Small Dairy Processing Facilities in four regions of
Azerbaijan valued at $140,000
Developed a marketing program generating $150,000 in annual sales for a Baku
dairy processing company
Expanded the fruit producing capacity of the company to generate $70,000 of local
investment in fruit production and doubling production capacity
Completed two programs that generated $30,000 in revolving funds to support
further activities of regional livestock farming communities
Ministry of Agriculture, The Republic of
Azerbaijan
Senior Expert
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Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
October 1997 - May 2000
Established and managed 4 regional pilot Business Development Units which
provided $100,000 in services to Azerbaijan agribusinesses
Developed and managed a $250,000 Small and Medium Enterprise program
Managed $70,000 investment program which generated two small fruit processing
units
Established 3 Credit Unions with a combined lending portfolio of $150,000
Developed marketing program for 6 local companies to jointly export their
products to Russia
Short-Term Assignments
Michigan State University
Baku
Dec 2004 – February 2005
Senior National Advisor for Integrated Study of
Grades and Standards in Azerbaijan
 Designed and implemented the study of impact of grades and standards on
Azerbaijan products
Land O’Lakes
Proposal Development Specialist
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Conducted a field study and developed proposal for competitiveness project in the
Uzbekistan
International Fertilizer Centre Inc.
Proposal Development Specialist
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Uzbekistan
June 2002- July 2002
Georgia
May 2001- June 2001
Conducted a field study and developed proposal for small and medium enterprise
development in Azerbaijan
Education:
Washington State University
August 2005 – May 2008
Pullman, USA
Ph.D, Doctoral Program (Areas: Economics with Quantitative Modelling and Industrial
Organisation Concentration, and Marketing)
Dissertation title: “Consumer preferences for differentiated products”
Washington State University
Pullman, USA
MA, Applied Economics
Areas: Econometrics and Economics (completed)
August 2005 – December 2006
Azerbaijan International University
September 2001 – May 2003
Baku, Azerbaijan
MS, International Economics, Department of International Economics
Azerbaijan Institute of Foreign Languages
Baku, Azerbaijan
BS, Translation Department, English and French Languages
Training sessions:
September 1995 – May 1999
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Firm Behaviour and Organisational Development, WSU, USA (August 2006)
Financial Economics, Wisconsin University, USA (February, 2002)
Sector Competitiveness Assessment, The Texas A&M. University, USA (September –
November 2001)
Agricultural Strategy Development, USDA, Washington D.C., USA (September 2001)
Lending for Agriculture, Azerbaijan Banking Training Centre, Azerbaijan (October
2000)
Business Skills Training, Academy for Educational Development, USA (February
2000)
Credit Analysis, U.S. Agency for International Development, Azerbaijan (May 1999)
Crediting and Private Farm Business Development, France (July 1998)
Rural Lending and Cooperative Development, Belgium (June 1998)
Languages:
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Azeri (native)
English (Fluent)
Russian (Fluent)
Turkish (Fluent)
French (learning)
Publications and working papers:rking papers
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Ahmadov, V., 2008. “Effects of Political Dutch Disease on Azerbaijan Economy” Working
Paper
Ahmadov, V., and Aharonovitz, G., 2008. “Migration of Firms, Home Bias and the
Geographical Distribution of Growth” Working Paper
Ahmadov, V., and Aharonovitz, G., 2008. “Effects of Values on Economic Growth in PostSocialist Countries ” Working Paper
Ahmadov, V., and Sprott, D., 2008. “Cognitive Capacity Utilization in Discrete Choice
Models,” Working Paper
Ahmadov, V., and Sprott, D., 2008. “Are Completeness and Transitivity satisfied under
Risky Decision Making,” Working Paper
Ahmadov, V., Sprott, D., McCluskey, J., 2007. “Asymmetric Quality Perception arising
from Exogenous Technology Preferences in Vertically Differentiated Markets,” Submitted
(Dissertation)
Ahmadov, V., Barbara, R., and Sprott, D., 2007. “Cue utilisation in evaluating safety and
quality of food products,” Submitted (Dissertation).
Ahmadov , V., Wahl, T., and McCluskey, J., 2007. “Consumers’ Preferences for Smoked
Salmon: Conjoint Based Empirical Evidence,” Submitted (Dissertation).
Ahmadov, V., Rasco, B., and McCluskey J., 2007. “Choice of Traceability Strategy for US
Seafood Market Enhancement: Traceability as signal of quality,” Working Paper
(Dissertation).
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Bledsoe, G., Rasco, B., Ahmadov, V., Mirzayev, M., and Korstanje, R., 2004. “Grades
and Standards for Agricultural Products in Azerbaijan,” Project Report.
Strong, P., and Ahmadov, V., 2000. “Credit Union Foundation and Development,” Project
Publication.