Archil Kobakhidze received his degree in Economics with a specialization in accounting from Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University in Georgia. He also earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the Paata Gugushvili Institute of Economics in Georgia. In 1996-1997, Mr. Kobakhidze studied business administration at San Jose University College of Business (California, USA). He completed the World Trade Organization (WTO) courses in Geneva, Switzerland (1995) and attended courses at the Joint Vienna Institute on International Trade Institutions in Vienna, Austria (1996).

In 1987-88, he was a visiting scholar at the Academy of Sciences in Moscow. From 2003 to 2015, Mr. Kobakhidze held the position of full professor at the American University for Humanities. He also delivered lectures at Tbilisi State University and the business college of the P. Gugushvili Institute of Economics in 1990-1991.

Mr. Kobakhidze worked as a financial manager for PH International Georgia from 2008 to 2019 and as a financial officer for World Vision International Georgia’s LFL program from 2004 to 2008. Prior to that, from 1998 to 2003, he served as the financial manager for the Horizonti Foundation (Permanent donor - USAID). In 1997-1998, he worked as a restructuring consultant for the joint PPDC project of the European Union and the World Bank.

Earlier in his career, from 1979 to 1995, Mr. Kobakhidze worked at the P. Gugushvili Institute of Economics, where he held several positions including senior research associate, member of the institute's board, and vice-rector of the business college.