Baku: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Adebayo Ogunlesi, Founding Partner, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a leading global infrastructure investment management company. President Aliyev praised the partnership between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and Global Infrastructure Partners, highlighting successful joint investments in the ‘Italo’ high-speed rail operator and London Gatwick Airport as key examples of their cooperation. He reiterated the significance of GIP’s role in Azerbaijan’s long-term development strategy.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Adebayo Ogunlesi acknowledged the effective outcomes of the collaboration with SOFAZ, noting that the capital invested in GIP-managed funds has established a dependable partnership model. He elaborated on the company’s extensive international experience in airport management, logistics and transport corridor optimization, and energy sectors, including renewable energy. Ogunlesi expressed interest in further collaboration with Azerbaijan on energy transition, transport, and digital infrastructure.
The discussion also covered the company’s ongoing infrastructure projects and emerging trends in the global energy transition. This includes potential cooperation on international initiatives involving artificial intelligence technologies. Global Infrastructure Partners, founded in 2006 and acquired by BlackRock in 2024, manages assets worth approximately $189 billion. BlackRock, the world’s largest active asset management company, oversees nearly $14 trillion in assets globally.