Levan Davitashvili is the new CEO of Italiana Petroli following its acquisition by SOCAR

Rome – Italiana Petroli (IP) is entering a new phase in its corporate history with the appointment of Levan Davitashvili as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and managing director. The decision comes two days after the Azerbaijani company SOCAR completed the acquisition of 99.92 per cent of the company’s share capital, previously held by API Holding. 

According to a statement released by the group, the Georgian manager will lead IP’s operations in Italy with the aim of “ensuring business continuity, preserving and further strengthening its position in the domestic energy market, and overseeing the company’s integration within the wider SOCAR group.” 

Born in 1978, Davitashvili has 25 years of experience in senior management roles in both the public and private sectors. His most recent post, held between 2021 and 2025, was that of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Georgian Government with responsibility for the Economy and Sustainable Development. In this capacity, he led the Caucasian country in major infrastructure initiatives. Among these, Tbilisi’s participation in the
Green Energy Corridor

stands out, the infrastructure linking the South Caucasus to the member states of the European Union. Since the end of his government term, Davitashvili has been Advisor to the President of SOCAR since November 2025. 

“The appointment,” the statement concludes, “reflects SOCAR’s commitment to Italy through dedicated leadership that is able to combine the group’s international industrial strength and strategic vision with a deep understanding of the local market and institutional landscape.”