President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Jenny Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Franklin Templeton, one of the world's leading asset management firms, on January 16.

Jenny Johnson highlighted Azerbaijan's economic achievements and its contributions to international cooperation. She commended the country’s reforms aimed at sustainable economic growth and its growing prominence on the global stage.

The Franklin Templeton CEO noted that preliminary steps had been taken to establish a mutually beneficial long-term partnership with the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and that opportunities to deepen cooperation in strategic areas had been explored. She referred to her participation in SOFAZ-organized events during COP29 in November 2024, where these topics were discussed in detail. Johnson expressed confidence that this collaboration would unlock new strategic opportunities aligned with both parties' regional and global objectives, fostering long-term and effective outcomes.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted SOFAZ’s successful history of collaboration with leading global financial institutions. He emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership with Franklin Templeton and noted the favorable conditions for further expanding these relations.

As of September 2024, Franklin Templeton, founded in 1947 in New York, manages total assets of $1.68 trillion. The firm comprises several business entities specializing in stocks, bonds, alternative investments, and other asset classes.