BlackRock discussing partnerships with Azerbaijan in energy and transport sectors

BAKU. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a BlackRock investment fund, is interested in collaborating with Azerbaijan in the areas of energy transition, transport, and digital infrastructure, Adebayo Ogunlesi, founding partner, chairman, and CEO of GIP, said.

Ogunlesi expressed this opinion on Monday in Baku during a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, according to a statement posted on the Azerbaijani president's website.

"Aliyev praised the partnership established between the State Oil Fund of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOFAZ) and Global Infrastructure Partners, noting that the fund's joint investments in the Italo high-speed railway operator and London's Gatwick Airport serve as examples of successful collaboration," according to the statement.

Ogunlesi said that GIP has experience in optimizing airport operations, logistics, and transport corridors, as well as in energy, including renewable energy. "He expressed interest in collaborating with Azerbaijan in the areas of energy transition, transport, and digital infrastructure," according to the statement.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the company's projects in various infrastructure sectors and new trends emerging amid the global energy transition, and discussed collaboration in international initiatives to implement artificial intelligence technologies.

Global Infrastructure Partners, which was founded in 2006 and acquired in 2024 by BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, currently manages approximately $189 billion in assets. BlackRock, in turn, manages nearly $14 trillion in assets.