Hafiz Mammadov

Hafiz Mammadov (Azerbaijani: Hafiz Məmmədov) (2 December 1964 in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan), is a businessman who founded and owns the Baghlan Group. Mammadov also currently owns two football clubs across Europe: FC Baku in Azerbaijan, RC Lens in France.

Hafiz Mammadov
Born
Hafiz Majid oglu Mammadov

(1964-12-02) 2 December 1964
Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan
OccupationFounder and President of Baghlan Group, Chairman of FC Baku, RC Lens

Biography

Hafiz Mammadov founded the Baghlan Group in 1998 in Azerbaijan. The Baghlan Group is a company that specialises in oil, gas, construction and transportation, mainly in Azerbaijan. Though not related, Hafiz's very strong links to the family of the controversial former transport minister, Ziya Mammadov, has been cited as one of Baghlan's major commercial advantages[1] allowing the group to grow enormously and for Hafiz Mammadov to become a multi-millionaire.[2]

Football

Mammadov used his millions to invest in his passion for football. In 2004, he became owner of local football club FC Baku, a team in the Azerbaijan Premier League. In 2013, he expanded bought RC Lens in France.[3] Lens. Wearing the Land of Fire logo, Lens gained promotion that season under Mammadov's ownership from Ligue 2 to Ligue 1.

Hafiz also owned shares in La Liga club Atlético Madrid and during the 2012–13 and 2013-14 the club enjoyed very successful seasons wearing the same Land of Fire logo.

On 10 June 2014, Mammadov agreed to take ownership of another European football club - this time it was the English Championship side Sheffield Wednesday . Mammadov looked to take over from the current Chairman Milan Mandarić. The bid for SWFC was rumoured to have been around €50 million[4][5] however, at the beginning of September, due to Mammadov's failure to meet financial obligations and complete the takeover, Milan Mandarić called the deal off.

This was due to financial difficulties in Azerbaijan which forced a number of players and personnel from Baku FC to seek new clubs, leaving the club's future uncertain.[6][7]

Later that year, Mammadov's failure to provide promised investment of around £4 million to fund transfers for Lens resulted in Lens fans calling for a boycott of the club's main shirt sponsor[8] and saw the club threatened with relegation to League 2, but while some press reports suggested Mammadov was in serious trouble,[9] others suggested a complex web of oligarch connections might allow the situation to be salvaged.[10]

References
  1. OCCCR report 2013
  2. "Chairman's message". Baghlan Group. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  3. "Hafiz Mammadov, the new majority shareholder of RC Lens, made his first public appearance in France". Nord Pas-de-Calais. 27 September 2013.
  4. http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/punters-embrace-new-boss-at-sheffield-wednesday-1-6666845
  5. "Sheffield Wednesday announce takeover confirmation". www.swfc.co.uk. 10 June 2014.
  6. "Archived copy" СМИ: Клуб Хафиза Мамедова покупает форму на бакинской "толкучке". sportbox.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Клуб азербайджанского олигарха Хафиза Мамедова не выплачивает зарплаты футболистам. novosti.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  8. http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/nord-pas-de-calais/2014/08/26/rc-lens-lasses-par-mammadov-des-supporters-appellent-au-boycott-du-sponsor-maillot-azerbaidjanais-538314.html
  9. The Star reports rumours about Mammadov's financial problems
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