Passion or Profession: President

Period: 1961–

Ilham Aliyev is the son of Heydar Aliyev, leader of Azerbaijan under Soviet rule and president of independent Azerbaijan beginning in 1993. The younger Aliyev studied and taught at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and became a successful businessman. As Heydar Aliyev's health began to fail, he appointed Ilham as prime minister in August 2003. Prior to October 2003 presidential elections, Heydar Aliyev resigned and Ilham Aliyev went on to win the elections by a wide margin.