Fireside Chat I - Strategic Vision from the Region: Insights for the Next Phase of Caspian Cooperation

Senior leaders from the region discuss their visions for what comes next — from connectivity and energy diversification to critical minerals and digital infrastructure — within a cooperation framework that seeks to maximize joint economic security.

Moderator: Dr. Eric Rudenshiold, Senior Fellow for Caspian Affairs, CPC

• Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan 
• Erzhan Kazykhan, Representative of the President of Kazakhstan for Negotiations with the United States 
• Abdulaziz Kamilov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy
• Senior Representatives from the Caspian region 

10:15 – 10:45 AM

Panel I - The Middle Corridor: Strengthening Strategic Choice and Building Secure Networks

Moderator: Ambassador (ret.) Matthew Klimow, Advisory Board Member, CPC

• John Askonas, Senior Advisor, Office of Policy Planning, U.S. Department of State 
• Nurzhan Marabayev, CEO, Semurg Invest LLP 
• Senior Representatives from the Caspian region

10:45 – 11:15 AM

Panel II - Digital Sovereignty and Industrial AI: Technology as the Next Growth Vector

Moderator: Eric Green, Advisory Board Member, CPC

• Rebecca Hunter, Director of Starlink Global Market Access, SpaceX 
• Representatives of Tech Companies (Invited)

11:15 – 11:30 AM

Policy Speech – Senator Steve Daines, U.S. Senator from Montana

Introduction by Ambassador (ret.) Richard E. Hoagland, Chairman of the Board, CPC

11:30 AM–12:30 PM

Networking Lunch

12:30 – 1:15 PM

Panel III – Critical Minerals: Capitalizing on the Momentum

Moderator: Dr. Marsha McGraw Olive, Advisory Board Member, CPC

• Bethany Aquilina Brez, Vice President of Foreign Policy, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) 
• Senior Representative, Export–Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) 

1:15 – 1:45 PM

Critical Minerals Part II – Private Sector

Moderator: Daniel Runde, Advisory Board Member, CPC

• Ashley Beaty, Head of Global Engagement, Cove Kaz Capital Group 
• Geoffrey Pyatt, Senior Managing Director for Energy and Critical Minerals, McLarty Associates; Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources
• Senior Representatives from the Caspian region

1:45 – 2:15 PM

Panel IV - Energy Security: The Caspian Basin in a Changing Global Market

Moderator: Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CPC

• Mark Menezes, President and CEO of U.S. Energy Association (USEA); Former U.S. Deputy Secretary for Energy
• Yuri Kim, Senior Director for International Government Relations, ExxonMobil 
• Senior Representative, SOCAR 
• Senior Representative, Chevron 
• Senior Representatives from the Caspian region

2:15 – 2:45 PM

Panel V - Powering the Future: Nuclear Energy in the Caspian Region

Moderator: Roger Kangas, Senior Fellow for Security Studies, CPC

• Christopher Klein, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, FIRST Program, U.S. Department of State 
• Marat Tulebayev, Chief Financial Officer, Kazatomprom 
• Senior Representatives from the Caspian region

2:45 – 3:15 PM

Panel VI - Business Investment along the Middle Corridor

Moderator: Tamar Satterwhite, Director for South and Central Asia, United States Trade Representative

• Jamshid Ehsani, Partner and Head of Global Principal Structured Finance, Apollo Global Management 
• Robert Yoon, Head of the Sales and Business Development Division, Samsung E&A
• Senior Representatives from the Caspian region

3:15 – 3:30 PM

Closing Remarks – Ambassador (ret.) Richard E. Hoagland, Chairman of the Advisory Board, CPC