Ilker Baburoglu is a board member at the Atlantic Council and a 2022 Millennium fellow. Based between Geneva, Dubai, and Istanbul, Baburoglu has worked extensively to improve energy security and reliability for various communities. He serves as a founder at several multinational energy and commodity trading companies.
Ilker has a diverse background spanning mega-project development, hydrocarbons, renewable energy, mining, power generation, and critical infrastructure, particularly in emerging markets. He previously held senior positions at multinational groups across Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, and served as executive director of an international advisory and investment firm that was a founding member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Growth Companies initiative. Having lived across three continents, he has originated social-impact projects in energy, mining, and infrastructure, and managed investments across the Middle East and Africa, including co-founding an investment company in Africa focused on responsible mining and hydrocarbon projects. He has also led high-level diplomatic and commercial events aimed at strengthening socioeconomic ties between regions and is committed to good corporate governance and capacity-building to support inclusive economic growth in challenging geographies. He’s especially interested in collaborating with leaders and organizations tackling global challenges.
He’s a member of the Harvard Kennedy School Dean’s Council Leadership Circle and the Global Advisory Council at the Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs. He’s also on the global advisory board at Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs) in London and is a faculty member at the Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership and Next Generation. He’s an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Koç University, and Boğaziçi University, and a member of YPO.