Zaur Akhundov is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Silk Way Group, the founder of Azerbaijan's air cargo company that combines two entities operating as scheduled and charter cargo carriers, along with a technical maintenance organization.

Zaur Akhundov oversees the strategic direction of Silk Way Group, which has more than 1,500 employees worldwide across 27 branches and is headquartered in Azerbaijan. Silk Way Group began its activities with the establishment of Silk Way Airlines in 2001, Silk Way Technics in 2007, and Silk Way West Airlines in 2012.

Silk Way West Airlines was recognized in 2016 as the fastest-growing airline in terms of fleet size, network, and cargo volume growth.

Zaur Akhundov has been the President and CEO of Silk Way Group since the founding of Silk Way Airlines in 2001. Thanks to his executive, managerial, and operational experience, he has created a world-class air cargo hub at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, continuously expanding the cargo capacities of Silk Way West Airlines and Silk Way Airlines, while developing a network of regular flights to various destinations.

Zaur Akhundov began his professional career in September 1991 as a leading economist in foreign economic relations at the Azerbaijan State Committee for Economics and Economic Planning. A year later, he started working as a Chief Specialist at the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where he gained extensive experience in contracts, marketing, and investment expertise over nearly two years. From 1994 to 1998, he served as the Director of the joint Azerbaijani-Ukrainian enterprise AZALAVIACARGO. From 1998 to 2000, he worked as the Managing Director at AZAL Cargo Company. Shortly afterward, he was appointed the Director of Baku Airport under AZAL JSC and held this position until 2001.

In 2001, Zaur Akhundov founded Silk Way Airlines. He is the Chairman of the Supervisory Boards of Silk Way Group's two air cargo carriers: Silk Way West Airlines and Silk Way Airlines. Zaur Akhundov holds a Candidate of Economic Sciences degree from Azerbaijan State University of Economics and a bachelor's degree in History from Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Zaur Akhundov was elected the President of the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation on May 2, 2025.