Ardian, a global private investment firm, has raised €6.1 billion ($6.9 billion) for its latest infrastructure fund, Ardian Infrastructure Fund V, in less than six months. The Ardian Infrastructure team now has $15 billion assets under management in Europe and the Americas.
In line with its established investment strategy, the latest fund will upgrade and digitize infrastructure assets that are essential for populations across Europe. Areas of focus include transport (rail, road and airports), energy (gas, electricity and renewable energy) and other public infrastructure assets (health and environmental). Ardian Infrastructure will continue to work closely with local public and private stakeholders.
The fund attracted 125 investors from Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, comprising major pension funds, insurance companies, financial institutions, high-net-worth investors and sovereign wealth funds, illustrating the attraction of the European infrastructure market.
There was particular growth among U.S. investors as well as investors from Asia and the Middle East, which is reflective of Ardian’s diversified and international client base and its strong global relationships. Former investors massively re-upped their commitments, while 30 percent are new to Ardian.
Since the fundraising of Ardian Infrastructure Fund IV, the number of investment professionals has doubled, strengthening Ardian’s ability to grow its portfolio companies with a long-term view. To help guide its industrial investment approach, Ardian has developed a new framework called “Augmented Infrastructure,” focusing on cutting-edge technology, a client-centric approach, improving maintenance, and pushing for higher health, safety and environmental measures.
Mathias Burghardt, member of the Executive Committee and head of Ardian Infrastructure said, “This fundraise is a proxy for interest from institutional investors to an attractive asset class and a marker of the strong performance of previous generations of Ardian Infrastructure funds. The fund will invest in infrastructure assets that are essential for communities, particularly in the transport and energy sectors, delivering long-term value through our disciplined industrial approach.”
