Our Team in Azerbaijan

Ms. Alessandra Roccasalvo assumed her duties as UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Azerbaijan in October 2023.

Prior to this, Ms. Roccasalvo was Head of Management of the Spotlight Initiative Fund, on behalf of the Executive Office of the UN Secretary General.

From 2014-2019 she managed the UNDP Office in Kosovo. Previously, she was part of UNDP’s internal management consulting team, facilitating change processes globally. Ms. Roccasalvo joined UNDP in 2005 as a Programme Officer at UNDP Indonesia, focusing on the post-tsunami recovery portfolio. In addition, she served several times as Surge Adviser in Afghanistan and Sudan. Ms. Roccasalvo started her career at McKinsey &Company in Germany and India.

She holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, as well as an MA in Economics and History from the University of Tübingen and the University of St. Andrews.

Mr Heikens assumed the position of UNICEF Representative to the Republic of Azerbaijan in August 2021. A national of the Netherlands, Mr. Heikens served for four years as UNICEF Representative in Mongolia, leading the implementation of the UNICEF Country Programme, covering such areas as child protection, health, nutrition, water/sanitation/hygiene, education, early childhood development, adolescents life skills, social protection, air pollution and climate change. Since 2020 his focus was on supporting the government’s efforts to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, getting access to COVID-19 vaccines and strengthening the cold chain across the country. He joined UNICEF in 2013 as a global adviser on climate change, environment and energy at UNICEF Headquarters, New York. Prior to UNICEF, he worked for UNDP and FAO across Asia Pacific Region on issues of water, environment, climate change, agriculture and sustainable development. Mr. Heikens holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences and an MSc in Biology from Utrecht University. He is joined by his wife and two daughters.

Ms. Bik Lum has been working as the UNHCR Country Representative in Azerbaijan since February 2023. Prior to this assignment, she had been holding senior and leading UNHCR positions such as Head of Sub-Office, Senior Policy Advisor, Senior Protection Coordinator, Senior Project Management Officer in Africa, as well as in Headquarters and in Asia. Ms. Lum has obtained a master’s degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Nottingham (UK), and in Philosophy from the University of Hong Kong (China). She got her bachelor’s studies at the University of Illinois (USA) and at the Hong Kong University. Ms. Bik Lum speaks Cantonese (mother tongue), Chinese, English, and French.

Dr. Farid Babayev serves as Assistant Representative of UNFPA’s Country Office in Azerbaijan since May 2006. On this position, he is responsible for overall coordination and management of the portfolio of UNFPA-funded programmes under supervision of UN Resident Coordinator and UNFPA Representative. Graduated from Azerbaijan Medical University, Dr. Babayev holds Master Degree in Business Administration from Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge University and PhD from Azerbaijan Postgraduate Institute. He is fluent in Azerbaijani, Russian, English and French. Married, father of two children.

Dr Hande Harmanci took office as WHO Representative and Head of Country Office in Azerbaijan in August 2018. Prior to her appointment, Dr Harmanci worked in various positions in WHO Headquarters in the areas of human resources for health, pandemic preparedness, influenza and viral hepatitis. Previously, she was a professor of public health and community medicine in Marmara University, Istanbul. Dr. Harmanci graduated from Hacettepe University Medical School and holds Doctor of Public Health Degree. She is an amateur ceramicist.

Mr. Nasar Hayat took office as representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Head of FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan in July 2023.

Mr. Nasar Hayat has more than 25 years of leadership and management experience. He previously served as the FAO Country Representative in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Active in various fields, Mr. Hayat has held many positions in the public sector, including diplomatic posts as Deputy FAO Representative in Pakistan, Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and Chargé d'affaires in the Maldives.

He has also worked on UN project management, agricultural development, land rights, human rights and gender issues for donors and international organizations. During his tenure, Mr. Hayat worked in important areas such as climate change adaptation, efficient water resources management, and animal disease control.
Nasar Hayat holds a Masters in Law and Development from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Olga V. Koulaeva was appointed Director of the ILO Decent Work Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia on 1 November 2016. Since February 2010, she had served as a Senior Employment Specialist at the ILO DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Ms Koulaeva graduated from the Moscow State University Department of Economics and holds a Ph. D. in Economics. She is fluent in English and Swedish. In 2002-2005, she was Financial Manager and Project Director with the Swedish National Labour Market Board and the Swedish Public Employment Service.

Dr. Shkolnikov is the Senior Human Rights Adviser for the South Caucasus, OHCHR, since July 2011. Prior to this, he held positions with various European civil society organizations. He served as the Head of Democratization Department and the Adviser on Migration and Freedom of Movement at OSCE/ODIHR in Warsaw. Dr Shkolnikov also held the position of Resident Research Consultant at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California. He earned his Ph. D. and Master’s Degree in Public Policy Analysis at the RAND Graduate School of Policy Studies in Santa Monica.