Bobby Saadati

Bobby Saadati founded AAEL Investment Partners in 2026. Prior to founding AAEL, he served as Chief Executive Officer of IKAV Energy Inc. beginning in May 2020, the North American platform of the global asset management firm, IKAV. Bobby has more than 20 years of senior leadership experience across the energy sector, with deep expertise in operations, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate strategy. Over the course of his career, he has directly managed and executed more than $40 billion in energy transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and strategic partnerships.

Under Bobby's leadership, IKAV's U.S. platform completed approximately $10 billion of acquisitions and divestitures over five years, delivering top tier returns through disciplined capital deployment, operational optimization, and strategic exits. In 2025, Bobby led the platform's San Juan Basin exit through an approximately $780 million sale to Mach Natural Resources L.P., crystallizing value following a rapid build-out and successful operational scale-up.

In 2023, Bobby led the acquisition of Aera Energy from ExxonMobil and Shell in a transaction valued at more than $4 billion, one of the largest upstream acquisitions in California history. Following the acquisition, Bobby served as Chairman of the Board and helped guide the company's enterprise transformation and post-acquisition restructuring, including cost rationalization and operating model redesign. These initiatives created a leaner, higher-margin business focused on free cash flow generation and disciplined capital allocation. He subsequently helped lead the divestiture of Aera Energy to California Resources Corporation in 2024, generating a multiple-on-equity return in less than 18 months.

In 2024, Bobby led the sale of the Brea 265 development to Lennar Homes of California for over 425mm+. At buildout, the project will provide 1,100 residential housing units in Brea, California.

Before joining IKAV, Bobby led Business Development at Devon Energy, where he was responsible for acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, portfolio rationalization and other strategic initiatives. Earlier in his career, he worked in investment banking at Jefferies and began his professional career at BP, where he held roles across downstream, upstream, and M&A functions.

Bobby holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego, a Juris Doctor from Trinity Law School, and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

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