SOFAZ evaluates new investment opportunities

A delegation led by Israfil Mammadov, Executive Director of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), paid a working visit to Saudi Arabia to explore new investment opportunities, analyze global financial trends, and expand cooperation with international partners, Report informs, citing SOFAZ.

During the trip, the delegation held meetings with senior executives from leading international investment and financial institutions, including The Arab Energy Fund, Starwood Capital Group, Gulf Islamic Investments, Investindustrial, Warburg Pincus, Luma Group, CVC Capital Partners, Franklin Templeton, Brookfield Asset Management, BTG Pactual, China Investment Corporation, and Fondo Strategico Italiano (FSI).

Discussions focused on reviewing existing cooperation areas, expanding joint investment initiatives, exploring new market opportunities, managing long-term capital, and enhancing capital flow efficiency in the current global economic environment.

The parties also exchanged views on sustainable and responsible investment models, the role of sovereign wealth funds in institutional capital markets, and the improvement of international partnership frameworks.

In addition to these meetings, Israfil Mammadov participated in a panel discussion themed Sovereign Wealth and Institutional Capital in the New Economic Reality at the Future Investment Initiative 2025 (FII9) conference held in Riyadh. The panel addressed key issues such as the growing role of sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors in the global economy, managing capital flows amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, and shaping responsible and sustainable financing models.

Mammadov emphasized the strategic role of sovereign wealth funds in global capital markets and highlighted SOFAZ's commitment to responsible investment practices based on sustainable governance, effective risk management, and long-term value creation. He also noted that supporting technological innovation and the energy transition are priority areas in the fund"s investment strategy.

Other panel speakers included Katie Koch, President and CEO of The TCW Group, Inc.; Steven T. Mnuchin, Founder and Managing Partner of Liberty Strategic Capital and former US Secretary of the Treasury; Zhang Shaoqing, Executive Vice President of China Investment Corporation; and Manus Cranny, Geo-Economics Editor at The National.