Andy Thomson
Andy Thomson is a Senior Editor at PEI with responsibility for Private Debt Investor, the leading title focused on the world's private debt markets. Andy works closely with team members in London, New York and Hong Kong. He has been with PEI for many years, having worked previously on Private Equity International and Infrastructure Investor.
Equis Funds Group, which is targeting energy and infrastructure opportunities across Asia, is understood to be in the early stages of raising a debut fund.
The Australian fund manager’s Asian Giants Infrastructure Fund has acquired its first asset in China through the purchase of a stake of just over 19% in Qujing Gas. The fund has also attracted $66m of new commitments and is targeting a final close in Q1 2011.
The emerging markets specialist has appointed fundraising veteran Marc Nahum as a distribution director for Europe and the Middle East within its investor development group.
Impax Asset Management Group, the London-listed fund manager, has announced a third close of its New Energy Investors II renewable energy fund on €275m.
The mystery of who would be the fourth member of the equity syndicate for Gatwick Airport has been solved, with Australia’s Future Fund paying £145m for a 17.2% stake in the Global Infrastructure Partners-owned asset.
Impax Asset Management, the London-listed renewable energy investor, has agreed to acquire the German and French wind development and operating assets of Conergy, the Hamburg-based solar company. No financial details of the transaction were disclosed.
Investors targeting infrastructure funds are increasingly in favour of differentiating fees according to investment strategies, closed-end funds rather than open funds, and creating separate infrastructure allocations. These are among the findings of a new survey from placement agent Probitas Partners.
The portfolio company of emerging markets private equity and infrastructure investor Actis has acquired the shareholdings of EDF Group and ABB Equity Ventures in the Azito gas-fired power plant in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
A total of $5.9bn was raised during July, August and September, bringing the total raised through the first nine months of 2010 to $15.8bn. That figure easily eclipses the $10.7bn raised last year, making 2010 the first year since 2007 that infrastructure fundraising will show an up-tick.
The Paris-based fund manager has exceeded its target for its debut fundraising by €100m.