Leadership & Governance

Ownership Journey

The Alkagesta ownership model was founded on trust, discipline, and shared purpose — principles that continue to guide the company’s evolution from a regional startup to a global multi-commodity trading enterprise.

In 2018, a group of 11 professionals led by Orkhan Rustamov, united by deep expertise in commodity trading, logistics, and risk management, set out to build a company driven not by short-term profit but by a long-term vision. Their mission was to establish an independent trading house anchored in unity, entrepreneurial spirit, continuous learning, and accountability.

With an initial seed investment from Kamran Aghayev, the founding team secured the resources to turn their vision into reality. From day one, Alkagesta operated under a transparent governance model and a clearly defined shareholding structure — ensuring that control and decision-making rested entirely with the management team.

This approach allowed the company to grow responsibly while maintaining independence from external influences and alignment between ownership and leadership.

Over time, Alkagesta’s senior leadership has steadily increased its equity participation, while the seed investor’s stake has been gradually reduced — a deliberate transition reflecting the company’s founding philosophy of management-driven ownership.

This model mirrors the structure of leading global trading houses, where equity is largely held by active senior executives and key team members who contribute directly to business performance and strategic direction.

Such alignment of equity and accountability fosters a strong sense of ownership, resilience, and long-term value creation, enabling Alkagesta to remain agile and sustainable through changing market cycles.

Today, Alkagesta is a global organization of more than 150 professionals, guided by an experienced executive board and supported by tested operating principles.
Its governance system ensures that operations and decision-making are institutionalized, not dependent on any individual, and that every function — from trading to compliance — operates within a structured and transparent framework.

This structure embodies the company’s belief that ownership is a responsibility, not merely a financial stake — one that requires discipline, shared vision, and continuous improvement.

Meet Our Board

Pierre Gay

Board Member

Pierre Gay brings over 30 years of leadership in commodity finance, structured trade, and corporate governance. Since Alkagesta’s founding in 2018, he has provided strategic guidance that helped shape the company’s direction, culminating in his formal appointment to the Board in May 2022 to support Alkagesta’s continued global growth and financial oversight.

Prior to joining Alkagesta, Pierre served as Managing Director of Euronova Energies SA, leading initiatives in governance, structured finance, and strategic development.

Earlier, he spent nearly two decades at BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA (1995–2014), where he was Group Head of Commodity Finance and Member of Management. He directed major structured financing programs for international commodity clients, reinforcing BNP Paribas’s global leadership in trade and commodity finance.

Before BNP Paribas, Pierre held senior banking positions at United European Bank and Banque Bruxelles Lambert (Suisse) SA, specializing in corporate banking and client relationship management.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Lausanne (UNIL). His governance expertise, financial acumen, and strategic insight continue to be instrumental to Alkagesta’s evolution as a trusted international trading house.

Orkhan Rustamov

Board Member, CEO and Founder

Orkhan Rustamov is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alkagesta, a global commodity trading company headquartered in Malta. He leads the firm’s strategic vision, international expansion, and corporate governance, overseeing operations across 17 offices and representations worldwide.

From Alkagesta’s inception, Orkhan directed Trading and Business Development, building the company’s market presence and diversified portfolio. Starting with a core team of 11 professionals, he guided Alkagesta through its formative growth and structural evolution. In late 2021, he formally assumed the CEO role, steering the organization into its next phase of global positioning, disciplined governance, and sustainable growth—while preserving its entrepreneurial culture and founding values.

Before founding Alkagesta, Orkhan served as Head of Derivatives Trading at Coral PTE (2016–2017), where he managed complex trading and risk-management strategies across multiple energy markets.

His earlier career was with BP (2011–2016), where he held successive financial and commercial roles supporting major upstream and midstream projects such as the Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli (ACG) development and the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. These experiences provided deep expertise in energy economics, valuation, and strategic planning.

Orkhan holds a First-Class Honours B.Sc. in Economics and Finance from the University of York (UK), is CFA Level I certified, and completed an Executive Program in Organizational Leadership at Harvard Business School. He is also a recipient of the Azerbaijani Government Scholarship for Education Abroad, awarded for academic excellence and leadership potential.

Mark Seccombe

Board Member

Mark Seccombe joined Alkagesta’s Board of Directors in November 2023, bringing over 30 years of global experience in commodities trading, derivatives, and risk management. His market insight and strategic oversight support Alkagesta’s continued international expansion and financial resilience.Since 2019, Mark has advised clients in the oil and commodity sectors on derivative strategies, market positioning, and risk mitigation.Previously, he spent over eight years as Director at Société Générale Newedge UK Ltd, where he managed trading operations, client relations, and structured risk solutions across global commodity markets. His leadership helped define the firm’s approach to futures trading and derivative strategy execution.Earlier in his career, Mark held senior roles at Dean Witter, Shearson Lehman Brothers, EF Hutton, and ACLI Commodities, gaining extensive experience in energy markets, structured hedging, and client advisory.He has successfully completed the Series 3 (National Commodities Futures Examination), underscoring his professional competence in commodities and derivatives trading. His expertise in risk management, financial governance, and market dynamics continues to add significant value to Alkagesta’s leadership team.