Global investment funds rush to meet Aliyev Blackstone, Neuberger Berman, and Brookfield Bet on Baku

As previously reported, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has arrived in New York for a working visit to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The session, which officially begins today, September 23, is one of the largest international diplomatic events, bringing together leaders from UN member states to present their priorities and discuss key global issues. This year’s assembly is held under the theme: “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.”

On the sidelines of his visit, President Aliyev held meetings with the leaders of some of the world’s top investment firms—Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management; George Walker, Chairman and CEO of Neuberger Berman; and Jonathan Gray, President and COO of Blackstone. The very fact that these discussions took place underscores Azerbaijan’s strategic importance on the global financial stage. Notably, the initiative for these meetings came from the hosts themselves, highlighting the growing interest of the international investment community in the country.

Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939 in New York, is an investment firm currently managing approximately $538 billion in assets (as of June 30, 2025). Cooperation between the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and Neuberger Berman began in 2016. Since then, the firm has served as a managing partner for specific mandates and investment accounts of the fund, including in the private equity sector. This collaboration has enabled Azerbaijan to diversify its international investments, strengthen its financial system, and create new opportunities for entering global markets. During his meeting with President Aliyev, George Walker praised the high level of partnership, expressed satisfaction with the results achieved, and confirmed his readiness to expand cooperation through new projects.

Equally significant was the meeting between President Aliyev and Jonathan Gray, President and COO of Blackstone, a firm currently managing over $1.1 trillion in assets (as of 2025). Blackstone is a global leader in alternative investments, operating across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, lending, data centres, renewable energy, and hedge funds. During the meeting, Jonathan Gray highlighted that the reforms underway in Azerbaijan are creating a favourable and predictable investment climate, making the country highly attractive to global investors. He also emphasised Blackstone’s interest in expanding its partnership with Azerbaijan, particularly in projects linked to SOFAZ. President Aliyev, in turn, stressed that the country’s economy is built on principles of stability, transparency, and sustainable growth, providing a solid foundation for long-term investment.

Particular attention deserves the interest of Brookfield Asset Management—a company founded in 1899 in Canada, currently managing over $1 trillion in assets (2025 data). Brookfield is one of the world’s largest operators in alternative investments, active in 30 countries. During the meeting, Bruce Flatt emphasised that his visit to Azerbaijan in 2023 left a deep impression, noting the country’s development dynamics and strategic transformations. Brookfield is already cooperating with SOFAZ on several international investment projects. Notably, one example is the fund’s participation in 2024 investments in the educational holding GEMS Education in Dubai, together with a consortium led by Brookfield. Such projects demonstrate that the collaboration goes beyond capital management, opening opportunities for Azerbaijan to participate in high-level international deals.

All three meetings clearly demonstrate that Azerbaijan is perceived by global financial institutions as a stable and promising partner. Moreover, these international giants view the country not only as a market but also as a strategic location connecting Europe and Asia, with a developed energy and transport infrastructure and a track record of sustained growth. For Azerbaijan, this presents an opportunity to diversify its economy, expand the non-oil sector, and attract new technologies and management practices.

Thus, President Ilham Aliyev’s meetings with the leaders of Blackstone, Neuberger Berman, and Brookfield Asset Management can be seen as a step toward establishing a new level of Azerbaijan’s integration into the global financial system. The country consistently demonstrates predictability, security, and readiness for long-term partnership, making the interest of the world’s largest investment funds not accidental, but entirely natural. In the context of global competition for capital, it is Azerbaijan’s ability to offer stability and clear growth prospects that positions the country as an attractive hub for international investment.