For over five years, Natavan has led the Business Development and Strategy Department at “Azercosmos,” where she manages a team of ten highly qualified specialists. Her path to this position and her successes, however, have been challenging.
Entering the space sector, which is still male-dominated, she quickly realized that women’s success in this field is entirely possible. It was here that she met other women who successfully held the role of technical directors. Today, Hasanova is convinced that the gender balance achieved in her department and at “Azercosmos” as a whole has fostered development and diversified approaches to the workflow.
Over the past five years, Natavan has become an integral part of the team and a project leader, witnessing the rapid growth and development of the Azerbaijani space agency. Today, “Azercosmos” provides services to more than 200 clients from 50 countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia through its telecommunications satellites and space solutions. The agency also plays a significant role in the development of Azerbaijan’s ecosystem. Annually, various competitions, hackathons, info sessions, and exhibitions are held both within the country and internationally. Notably, in 2023, Baku hosted one of the largest events in the global space industry—the International Astronautical Congress.
Natavan is a prime example for her colleagues and the youth aspiring to pursue education and build careers in technical fields. To further her knowledge and qualifications, she pursued additional education at the International Space University. Under Natavan’s leadership, many of her proteges have achieved career success, largely due to the example set by a determined, persistent, and innovation-ready mentor.