Azerbaijan’s sovereign wealth fund, SOFAZ, has announced a new investment of £50 million (around $66 million) in London’s Gatwick Airport, marking one of its largest infrastructure deals in
Europe to date.
Gatwick, the UK’s second-busiest airport, handles over 40 million passengers each year. The investment was made in partnership with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a U.S.-based firm that is now part of BlackRock.
“This landmark transaction is a clear signal of our strategy to partner with world-class institutions on assets that combine resilience, scale, and long-term value,” said Israfil Mammadov, CEO of SOFAZ. "Gatwick Airport is not only a critical gateway for Europe but also a strong, sustainable investment that reflects SOFAZ's global vision", - he added.
VINCI Airports currently holds a 50.1% stake** in Gatwick, after acquiring it from GIP in 2019.
Founded in 1999, SOFAZ (the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan) manages the country’s oil and gas revenues and has been expanding its investments across Europe. In July 2025, the fund purchased a 49% stake in Italian solar plants owned by U.S. renewable energy firm Enfinity Global.
As of June 2025, SOFAZ’s total assets stood at $66.5 billion, according to official figures. Photo by Hunter Desportes, Wikimedia commons.