Howard Chase - Chairman of the Board

Howard Chase is Director of European Government Affairs for BP Europe based in Brussels and is responsible for relationships between the company and the European Union.

Through a career of more that thirty years with BP, Howard has worked on many major oil and gas development projects worldwide, including in the North Sea, Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Algeria, Vietnam and Angola.

Prior to taking up his role in Brussels, he held senior government affairs posts for BP in both Washington DC and in Moscow.  

He is a graduate in engineering from the University of Cambridge and later completed management studies programmes in the UK and at Harvard Business School.

In addition to his role as Chairman of the Industry Advisory Panel of the Energy Charter Treaty, he is Chairman of the Foreign Economic Relations Work Group of the European Round Table of Industrialists and was a ‘sherpa’ to the recent European Commission High Level Group on Competitiveness, Energy and the Environment.

Howard Chase's complete biography is attached.

Badri Japaridze - Vice Chairman of the Board

Born on 10 July 1960 in Kutaisi (Georgia). In 1977 Mr.Badri Japaridze graduated from Kutaisi Secondary school N 29 and was enrolled to Tbilisi State University, the Faculty of  Psychology, which graduated with honor in 1982. The same year Mr.Badri Japaridze entered Moscow State University. Faculty of Psychology and in 1985 finished the post-graduate course.
In October, 1990 Mr.Badri Japaridze was elected as majority deputy of Oni District in Supreme Council of Georgia and participated in signing the Georgian Declaration of Independence.
From January 1991 to September 1997 Mr.Badri Japaridze was employed as a lecturer in Tbilisi State University, Faculty of Psychology. He has edited 10 scientific works.
From  1992 till July 1993  he was employed by JSC "TBC (Tbilisi Business Center) Group" as the Head of  Foreign Relations Department . From 1992 Mr.Badri Japaridze is the founder partner and member of Supervisory Board of JSC "TBC Bank". From July, 1993 he held the position of Vice-President of  "TBC-Group".
Since May 1995 up to now Mr.Badri Japaridze is the Vice-President and founder partner of "Georgian Glass and Mineral Water & Co N. V.".
From September 1996  up to present he is the Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of  JSC "TBC Bank".
In 2004 Mr.Badri Japaridze was elected as the Member of the Board of Directors of American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia .

Badri Japaridze's complete biography is attached.

 Geir Westgaard – Director

Geir Westgaard is Vice President, EU Affairs at Statoil ASA in Brussels, Belgium.

He has previously worked at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with diplomatic postings to Washington and Moscow. From 1995-97, he served as foreign policy adviser in the prime minister's office.

In 1985 Mr. Westgaard graduated from the University of Oslo with B.A. in Political Science. In 1987 he graduated from Columbia University with Master of International Affairs.

He is fluent in Norwegian, English, Russian and German.

Mr. Geir Westgaard’s complete biography is attached.

 George Chirakadze - Director

Born on 14 July 1974 (Georgia). Mr. George Chirakadze graduated Tbilisi State University, Physics BD (1991-1995) & CERMA Business School, Executive MBA (2003-2006).  George also studied in University of Oxford, University College while attending Astronomy & Physics Training (1989-1992).

From 1992-1995 he was a Vice President of Young Scientists Club of Georgia (YSC). In 1992-1997 he was a President of Young Scientists International Association (YSIA).

In 1997-2001 he has established United Global Technologies (UGT) - now leading IT Company in Georgia and Caucasus Region. From 2001 up to present he is President & CEO of United Global Technologies (UGT). Mr. George Chirakadze has over 10 years experience of running different commercial and non profit organizations as an Executive Manager. More then 5 years experience as a Chairman of the Board of Directors.

George Chirakadze's complete biography is attached.

 Natia Turnava - Director

Natia Turnava is born on October 19^th, 1968 in Moscow, Russia. In 1990 graduated from Tbilisi State University, faculty of Economy, with BA and MA degrees. In 1994 completed post-graduate course at Tbilisi State University. 1994 obtained degree as Candidate of Economic Science. In 1999 completed a course in Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy at Joint Vienna Institute of IMF. In 2000 completed a course on Promoting Financial Stability at Bank of International Settlements. From 2002 she is working on doctoral thesis on shadow economy legalisation issues.

Since November 2006 to present Ms. Turnava is Director of Georgian Industrial Group Ltd. As well as General Director of Georgian International Energy Corporation Ltd. She is also Professor at the International Business Chair of Tbilisi State University. From August 2005 to November 2006 she served as the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Georgia. From February to August 2005 Natia hold the position of Deputy Secretary of Security Council of Georgia. During 2000 – 2004 she served as the First Deputy Minister of Economy of Georgia. In 1999 – 2000 she was Deputy to Parliamentary Secretary of  the President of Georgia. During 1998-2000 Ms. Turnava was Member of Tbilisi City Council, Deputy Head of financial-budgetary commission. In 1996-1998, she served as Deputy Head of the Economic Policy’s Office at the State Chancellery of Georgia. In 1994-1996, she was senior scientist-researcher at the Institute of Democratic Construction and Political Science of the Parliament of Georgia.

Natia is fluent in Georgian, Russian and English.

Natia Turnava's complete biography is attached.

 David Loladze - Director 

In 2004 David graduated from Williams College, London CA General English Language – Advanced. During 1991-1997 he studied at the Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi BSc Finance – Finance & Credit Management. In 1991-1992 he completed Economic Institute of Gori, Gori Faculty – Accounting, Control & Audit.

At present David is Treasury Manager of VTel Georgia. From 2007 to 2008 he was Finance Manager at BMI (British Midland International) in Georgia. During 2003 –2007 worked as Finance Manager at British Mediterranean Airways in Georgia. From 1998 to 2003 he was Finance & Administration Officer at British Airways Georgia. During 1997–1998 worked as Ground Operations Supervisor at VDIS Georgia.

David is fluent in Georgian, Russian and English.

David Loladze's complete biography is attached.

  Giorgi Maglakelidze - director

Giorgi Maglakelidze is born on April 2^nd, 1965 in Tbilisi, Georgia. In 1986 he graduated from the Georgian University of Agriculture, with specialization in Economy and Organization of Agriculture. Qualification: Economist-Organizer of Agricultural Products.

Currently Giorgi is General Director of wine Company Alexandreuli Ltd. Prior to this up to 2005 he served as marketing manager at Geovine International. During 1995-2005 he was project Director at the World Bank and IFAD Agriculture Development Project. In 1994, Mr. Maglakelidze was Program Coordinator at American International Agricultural Agency VOCA. During 1993-1994 he served as advisor of Prime Minister in Foreign Economical Relations at the Prime Ministers Cabinet of Republic of Georgia. From 1992 to 1993 Giorgi was State Advisor in Economic Issues. In 1991-1992 he held the position of Chief Specialist of Foreign Economic Affairs Department at the Ministry of Agriculture of Republic and Georgia. From 1989 to 1991 worked as Chief Specialist of Foreign Affairs Department at the State Agro Industry Committee of Georgia. During 1987-1989 served as scientist of Labor Organization and Salaries Management Sector at the Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture, Economy and Organization.

Giorgi is fluent in Georgian, English and Russian.

 Giorgi Maglakelidze's complete biography is attached.

 Nick Gvinadze - Director

Nick Gvinadze is the Managing Partner of Gvinadze & Partners LLC, a leading Georgian business law firm. With over a decade in senior management positions in private law practice, Mr. Gvinadze has accumulated abundant experience in the whole spectrum of both Georgian and cross-border commercial law, with particular focus on energy, tax and dispute resolution. Mr. Gvinadze has advised on a number of key foreign investment projects in Georgia, including major oil and gas transportation projects in the Caspian region, and has acted in a number of higher profile proceedings in the Georgian Courts as well as in international arbitration.

Before launching Gvinadze & Partners LLC in 2010, Mr. Gvinadze was a partner at DLA Piper Gvinadze & Partners LP, headed Ernst & Young's legal practice in Georgia, was a partner at GCG Law Office (a leading Georgian law firm in the 1990’s), served as an attorney to the Financial Department of the Georgian Parliament, and acted as local counsel to an international law firm in the UK. He is also the former Chairman of the Arbitration Court of the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where he authored the Court's Arbitration Rules, and has also sat on the Grants Commission at the Open Society Georgia Foundation, as well as on the Investment Support Council at the Georgian Parliament. Over the years, Mr. Gvinadze has lectured extensively on various aspects of Georgian and International Business Law at various leading educational institutions in Georgia.

Mr. Gvinadze is also a Member of the International Court of Arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) based in Paris, Co-Chairman of the British-Georgian Law Association (BGLA), and sits on the Boards of the EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and Transparency International Georgia, an international NGO. Mr. Gvinadze is a founding member of the Georgian Bar Association (GBA) as well as Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), and is also a member of the International Bar Association (IBA).

Nick has received a Diploma in Jurisprudence with High Honors from Tbilisi State University, a Diploma from the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at the University of London, as well as an LL.M in International Business Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Nick is fluent in his native Georgian, as well as in English and Russian.

Nick Gvinadze's complete biography is attached.