Bakcell announces appointment of new Chief Executive Officer

On June 8, 2026, Bakcell officially announced a new appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With more than 35 years of international experience in the telecommunications industry, Gunnar Pahnke has been appointed as the CEO of the company.

Gunnar Pahnke is an experienced executive with extensive expertise in customer-centric business transformation, strategic development, and sustainable growth within the telecommunications sector. He has held various leadership positions at leading telecommunications companies in Azerbaijan, Germany, France, Romania, and other countries.

Gunnar Pahnke holds a PhD in strategic management of University of Poitiers (France) and an MBA of the French elite university ENSPTT (France). In addition, he accomplished leadership programs at the most prestigious European universities, including INSEAD (Fontainebleau), Oxford, LBS (Great Britain), IE (Spain), ESMT (Germany), and the US (Darden School of Business/University of Virginia).

“My appointment to Bakcell, a company that plays a significant role in the country’s digital development, represents both a great honor and responsibility for me. My goal is to further strengthen Bakcell’s position in the telecommunications sector by providing customer benefits through innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and customer-centric solutions, as well as to expand its strategic role in the country’s digital transformation,” - Gunnar Pahnke emphasized.

The new appointment will further accelerate Bakcell’s long-term strategic priorities in the areas of customer-centric innovation, AI, and digital services. Under Gunnar Pahnke’s leadership, the company will continue its efforts to further enhance customer experience and expand the implementation of AI-driven solutions.

About Bakcell

Bakcell is Azerbaijan’s first and largest private telecommunications company, with more than three million customers with high-quality and high-speed telecommunications services. As one of the largest investors in the non-oil sector of the national economy, Bakcell contributes to Azerbaijan’s sustainable development through innovative digital and AI-based solutions.

Bakcell is part of Azerconnect Group, which operates under NEQSOL Holding, an international group of companies engaged in various sectors and countries.