1 9 9 4 - 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁vice - pres ident , ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁first ▁vice - pres ident ▁of ▁SO C AR , ▁the ▁state - owned ▁A zer ba ij ani ▁oil ▁and ▁gas ▁company . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁key ▁figures ▁during ▁the ▁negoti ations ▁between ▁the ▁A zer ba ij ani ▁government ▁and ▁Western ▁oil ▁companies ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁several ▁advantage ous ▁production ▁sharing ▁agre ements , ▁and ▁act ively ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁implementation ▁of ▁He yd ar ▁Ali ye v ' s ▁oil ▁strategy . ▁He ▁is ▁an ▁author ▁of ▁numerous ▁research ▁works ▁on ▁ge opol it ical ▁aspects ▁of ▁oil ▁strategy ▁of ▁so ver eign ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁He ▁holds ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁degree ▁in ▁political ▁sciences . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Ali ye v ▁is ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Olympic ▁Committee ▁of ▁A zer ba ij an . ▁For ▁his ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁sports ▁and ▁Olympic ▁movement , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁highest ▁order ▁of ▁International ▁Olympic ▁Committee ▁and ▁Grand ▁C ordon ▁Order ▁of ▁Mer it ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Military ▁Sports ▁Council . ▁ ▁Party ▁affili ation ▁and ▁elect oral ▁history ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Il ham ▁Ali ye v ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁deput y ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁r uling ▁party ▁New ▁A zer ba ij an ▁Party ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁post ▁of