Emil Gasimli from Azerbaijan
How one connection at a SEALA Academy turned into a cross-border success story


Emil Gasimli, (CELA’12, Azerbaijan) has been part of the network’s heartbeat for years, serving as CELA Director of the Azerbaijan Chapter and facilitating three Academies across CELA, MELA, and SEALA. By day, he leads the Sales, Trade, and Business Management Department at SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s state oil company. But it was during one of his facilitator journeys that a small discovery led to something entirely new.


"When there is finance, when there are partnerships involved, the ties become even stronger. Otherwise the network becomes only fun and enjoyment. When there are values, assets, and resources — that’s when we create something real."

Emil gasimli
In January 2020 while facilitating the SEALA’7 Academy in Sri Lanka, Emil stayed at the Shangri-La Hambantota Hotel. The calming scents of the room’s Spa Ceylon products caught his attention. He soon learned from Sri Lankan fellows that it was a local brand rooted in ayurveda, an ancient philosophy of health and longevity. Intrigued, he reached out to fellow SEALA members, who introduced him to the brand’s founders. Those conversations sparked an idea: to bring Spa Ceylon to Azerbaijan.

With encouragement and introductions from the network, Emil turned that idea into reality. In 2023, he opened the first Spa Ceylon boutique in Baku’s White City, followed by two more in the city’s busiest malls. Each store recreates the serene atmosphere he first experienced in Sri Lanka, blending Sri Lankan wellness traditions with Azerbaijani hospitality. His company is now developing yoga, aroma, and wellness partnerships, bringing together people who share an interest in health and mindful living.

CELA in Action:
Emil’s journey shows how one encounter in a leadership academy can grow into a lasting bridge between regions — proof that within the CELA family, ideas travel as far as the friendships that carry them.