Israfil Mammadov, CEO of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), took part in the FII Priority Europe Forum, held in Rome on 17–19 June as part of his working visit to Italy. Powered by the FII Institute, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia as Founding Partner, the forum was convened under the theme "Europe Reimagined: Capital, Sovereignty & Strategic Autonomy."
The forum centered on strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy across energy, technology, security and finance. Bringing together leading global investors, policymakers and innovators, the event examined how capital can support the continent's long-term competitiveness.
Israfil Mammadov took part in the panel discussion “Who Will Finance Europe’s Next Build-Out?”, which addressed how long-term capital can help finance large-scale infrastructure. In his remarks, Mr. Mammadov noted that long-term investment capital is available in ample supply globally, and that the real challenge lies in directing it toward high-quality projects that meet institutional standards. Speaking of how the Fund applies this in practice, he said: "We invest across markets on the basis of stability, asset quality and a long horizon. Our investments in Italy are a clear example of that, through long-term ownership of real infrastructure in transport and in energy that we intend to hold for years to come. Today, SOFAZ’s investments in Italy total USD 3 billion, positioning the country as the Fund’s fourth-largest investment destination within its global portfolio."
During the working visit, Mr. Mammadov held a series of meetings with representatives of government institutions, the private sector and sovereign wealth funds, engaging in productive discussions on investment opportunities, areas of mutual interest and prospects for future cooperation.
