Israfil Mammadov, CEO of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), participated in the FII Priority Europe Forum, held in Rome from June 17 to 19 as part of his working visit to Italy. Organized by the FII Institute, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia as its Founding Partner, the forum was held under the theme “Europe Reimagined: Capital, Sovereignty & Strategic Autonomy.”
The forum focused on strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy across the energy, technology, security, and finance sectors. Bringing together leading global investors, policymakers, and innovators, the event explored how capital can support the continent’s long-term competitiveness.
Israfil Mammadov participated in the panel discussion titled “Who Will Finance Europe’s Next Build-Out?”, which examined how long-term capital can help finance large-scale infrastructure projects. In his remarks, 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 about how SOFAZ applies this approach 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 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, 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.
