Azerbaijan, United States
Nargiz Nasrullayeva, the Baku oil expert helping the West

Central Asia, United States
Caspian Policy Center quietly backs Central Asian governments, in particular Azerbaijan

A self-described independent think tank, the CPC serves as an unofficial lobbying organisation for the region's rulers. The group's staff and board members include former senior US officials involved in national security and foreign policy.

The Corporate Intelligence Gazette
Victoria Intelligence, Beth Sizeland goes private, CohnReznick shops at Exiger

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: each week, we report on events big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community. This week, we head to Essex, London and New York.

EssexRachael Spanton, from safety at BP to private consulting

LondonBoris Johnson's ex-deputy national security adviser heads to private sector

New YorkCohnReznick lands Exiger's construction monitoring practice

Spymaster | Azerbaijan
Spymaster Beyler Eyyubov, the Aliyev clan's steadfast protector

Azerbaijan's presidential family has been putting its trust in the intelligence chief for years. He first handled the personal security of Heydar Aliyev, and has continued to do the same for the late head of state's son and successor, Ilham Aliyev.

Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, United States
US lobbyist and businessman Watson connects Caspian Sea gas companies with Washington

New energy supply routes through the Caspian Sea have yet to be mapped out but, behind the scenes, conversations are already taking place with companies that want to export gas without Russia's involvement.

Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's oil and gas sectors in turmoil amid tensions with Moscow over Caspian

The futures of Kazakh Timur Kulibayev and Indian Arvind Tiku, two energy tycoons, are going their separate ways. Meanwhile, in Nur-Sultan, there is growing concern about the immediate future of the sector in the country.

Italy, Qatar
Friction between Rome and ENI in European race for non-Russian gas

Though he is still backing the national oil champion's bid for gas in Qatar, Italian prime minister Mario Draghi has taken steps to gain more independence from Russia, and from the oil and gas giant itself.

Azerbaijan, France
TotalEnergies reminds Baku of its interest in the Caspian Sea

The new gas swap agreement struck between Caspian Sea neighbours Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan did not escape the attention of Arnaud Breuillac, special adviser to TotalEnergies boss Patrick Pouyanné. He travelled recently to Baku to revive talks with the authorities there about the group's gas interests in Azerbaijan.

Russia, Turkmenistan
Lukoil relaunches Caspian ambitions after president's son appointed to head oil sector

Russia's Lukoil, headed by Vagit Alekperov, has been beating a path to Ashgabat where it hopes to exploit reserves in the Caspian Sea, on the maritime border between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.