Ilker Baburoglu is a 2022 Millennium fellow and a 2024 Executive Leadership Intensive participant. He is currently serving as a co-founder and senior executive at various multinational energy and commodity trading companies. Baburoglu has a diverse background in consulting, mega-project development, investments in natural resources, power generation, and critical infrastructure projects, especially in emerging markets. He previously held senior-level positions at multinational groups based in Europe, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Zambia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. He previously served as the executive director of an international advisory and investment firm that was one of the founding members of the World Economic Forum Global Growth Companies initiative.

Baburoglu originated social-impact projects in the energy, mining, and infrastructure sectors, and managed investments in the Middle East and Africa. He co-founded an investment company in Africa to contribute to responsible mining and hydrocarbon projects. He further coordinated and led high-level diplomatic and commercial events to achieve closer socioeconomic relations between various regions. He is dedicated to good corporate governance and capacity-building efforts to encourage inclusive economic growth and social development in challenging geographies. Baburoglu holds degrees from Harvard Business School, Koc University, and Bogazici University. He is a member of Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs) and YPO.