London Archives - Page 2 of 3 - DIF Capital Partners

6 May 2022 | London

Keynote Interview Caine Bouwmeester in II Energy Transition Report 2022

Infra managers need to take an agile approach to seize the best opportunities in the renewables as well as broader energy transition market.

In the 2022 edition of Infrastructure Investor’s Energy Transition Report, DIF’s Head of Renewable Energy Caine Bouwmeester explains why the renewable energy and energy transition market will continue to show strong growth and what DIF’s approach is to this highly attractive market, offering a wide variety of investment opportunities.

To read the complete article open II Key Note Interview with Caine Bouwmeester

25 April 2022 | London

DIF Capital Partners to divest its stakes in three Irish roads

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that DIF Infrastructure III (“DIF III”) has signed an agreement to sell its stakes in three Irish roads to Semperian PPP Investment Partners (“Semperian”).

The Irish roads portfolio consists of shareholdings in three projects that DIF invested into between 2013 and 2016: M3 Motorway, M4 Motorway and M50 Motorway. The M3 and M4 Motorway projects are demand-based toll roads and the M50 Motorway is an availability-based public private partnership. DIF has optimised these projects throughout its ownership and worked closely with the local management teams to successfully steer the roads through the Covid-19 pandemic. Traffic on the M3 and M4 Motorway projects has materially recovered in the last few months as lockdown restrictions have been lifted in Ireland. The sale of these assets means DIF III is almost fully divested as the end of the fund life approaches.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits at DIF: “We are very pleased with the sale of this high quality roads portfolio which delivers a strong exit outcome for our DIF III investors. We are confident that Semperian will be an excellent counterparty to the projects going forward given their extensive experience in managing these type of assets.”

DIF was advised on the transaction by Cantor Fitzgerald (financial), HSF (legal), Arthur Cox (Irish counsel), Jacobs (technical) and KPMG (tax & accounting).

Closing of the transaction is expected to take place in Q3 2022 subject to the receipt of customary approvals and consents.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with ca. EUR 10 billion in assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australia through two complementary strategies:

DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF II is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized core-plus infrastructure companies in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.
Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure VI is the latest vintage, target core infrastructure equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and energy transition projects (incl. renewable energy).

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 190 professionals, based in eleven offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, t.verburg@dif.eu.

23 December 2021 | London

DIF Capital Partners reaches financial close on Goldsmiths, UK student accommodation PPP

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that it has closed the acquisition of a 90% stake in the Goldsmiths, University of London, student accommodation PPP. This project was acquired from a fund advised by Arlington Advisors, a UK based investment manager and student housing specialist. The investment will be made by DIF Infrastructure V. The remaining 10% stake is owned by Campus Living Villages, one of the world’s leading on-campus student accommodation owner operators which will continue operating and maintaining the asset.

The project is a volume-based PPP that has been operational in its current form since 2017. It comprises 469 beds across three buildings, communal spaces and an orangery. The project is operated under a 50 year concession signed in 2015. The buildings are all located within ca. 1 mile of the Goldsmiths’ campus in south-east London.

Gijs Voskuyl, Partner and Head of Investments for the DIF V and VI strategy, says: “Further to the recent financial close on LSE student accommodation PPP, DIF is excited to add another student accommodation asset to its portfolio. We look forward to partnering with a high profile higher education institution and working alongside a global leader in on-campus student accommodation”.

DIF was advised by Addleshaw Goddard (legal), AECOM (technical) and JLL (commercial), Grant Thornton (tax & accounting) and EY (financial).

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with more than €9.0 billion in assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

Traditional DIF funds target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 170 professionals, based in ten offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

More information:

Jorda Zuurendonk, Marketing & Communication Manager

j.zuurendonk@dif.eu

17 December 2021 | London

DIF Capital Partners reaches financial close on UK student accommodation PPP

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that it has reached financial close on the London School of Economics & Political Science student accommodation PPP located in London. The deal will be transacted through DIF Infrastructure V. DIF has a 80.1% stake in the project, with the university retaining the remaining 19.9% stake.

The project is a greenfield PPP that includes the design, build, financing, operations and maintenance of new student accommodation facilities that comprise 676 beds, communal spaces, a gym, three roof terraces, a cinema room and two courtyard gardens.

Design, build, operations and maintenance will be completed by Engie Regeneration, which is a subsidiary of Equans, a global contractor in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors. Long-dated funding has been provided by Pension Insurance Corporation, which is a UK-based specialist insurer of defined benefit pension funds.

Gijs Voskuyl, Partner and Head of Investments for the DIF V and VI strategy, says: “DIF is excited to be growing its portfolio in the student accommodation sector. We look forward to partnering with a world-class university and to support it with its student accommodation delivery”.

Ian Spencer, LSE Director of Residential Services: “One of the priorities in LSE’s 2030 strategy is to Develop the LSE for Everyone. For Residential Services this means guaranteeing an offer of accommodation to all first-year students. The Glengall Rd development takes us a significant step towards that goal by providing 676 affordable rooms for our graduate students”.

QMPF provided the School with financial and commercial advice throughout the process, the School’s legal advisers, Pinsent Masons, provided legal advice and Student First Group advised on the design, build and operation of the new halls.

DIF was advised by DWPF (financial), Centrus (debt arranger), Mills & Reeve (legal), Grant Thornton (tax & accounting), Gleeds (technical) and JLL (commercial).

About DIF Capital Partners
DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with more than €9.0 billion in assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

Traditional DIF funds target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 170 professionals, based in ten offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

More information

Thijs Verburg, IR & BD

t.verburg@dif.eu

19 April 2021 | London

DIF Capital Partners agrees to sell a portfolio of European PPP assets to Equitix

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that DIF Infrastructure III (“DIF III”) and DIF Infrastructure IV (“DIF IV”) have agreed to the sale of their stakes in a portfolio of six European PPP assets to Equitix, a leading UK and European infrastructure fund manager.

The portfolio consists of shareholdings in a number of critical infrastructure projects that DIF invested into as primary transactions: A1/A6 Road, IJmond Sea Lock and N18 Road in the Netherlands; A7 Nord Road and Netz West Rolling Stock in Germany; as well as the KAV Vienna Hospital in Austria. With the exception of IJmond Sea Lock which is currently in the final stages of construction, all of the projects are operational under availability-based contractual structures that are backed by strong public counterparties.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits at DIF, said: “We are very pleased with the sale of this well diversified and optimised portfolio of North-Western European PPP assets which represents an attractive exit for our DIF III and DIF IV investors. We believe Equitix is an excellent counterparty and is perfectly positioned to manage the assets until maturity.”

Hugh Crossley, Chief Investment Officer for Equitix, said: “As we continue to diversify and grow our European portfolio, we are always looking out for attractive opportunities to acquire high-quality assets that meet our responsible investment criteria. The DIF portfolio does just this and will allow us to leverage our continental expertise for the benefit of investors in our European Infrastructure Fund.”

DIF was advised on the transaction by Cantor Fitzgerald and PwC (financial), Allen & Overy (legal), PwC (tax & accounting), as well as Atkins and Arup (technical).

Equitix was advised by CMS (legal), Deloitte (tax and accounting) and Arcadis (technical).

Closing of the transaction is subject to the receipt of customary approvals and consents.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent fund manager, with €8.5 billion of assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF Capital Partners invests in greenfield and operational infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure Fund VI is the latest vintage, target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy and transportation sectors.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 160 professionals, based in nine offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. For further information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Allard Ruijs, Partner; a.ruijs@dif.eu.

13 January 2021 | London

DIF Capital Partners acquires additional stake in Dublin Waste to Energy PPP project

Following its initial investment in May 2019, DIF Capital Partners, through DIF Infrastructure V (“DIF”), is pleased to announce it has closed the acquisition of an additional 10% stake in the Dublin Waste to Energy PPP project (the “Project”). Together with its partner MEAG, DIF acquired the stake from the Green Investment Group (“GIG”). Following this transaction, DIF and MEAG together now hold 50% of the Project, with DIF holding the majority thereof. The Project is an operational waste to energy facility supported by a 45 year contract with Dublin City Council.

Located in Poolbeg, Dublin Port, the Project processes 600,000 tonnes of residual waste annually and generates electricity which is exported to Ireland’s national grid – sufficient to power 80,000 homes. The facility has been designed to provide highly efficient incineration and is classified as energy recovery in line with EU policy on waste. The Project is part of a wider Dublin regional waste management plan, which is aimed at reducing waste, maximizing recycling and generating energy from waste. The Project benefits from the Irish renewable energy feed-in tariff. The facility was constructed by Covanta who are also its long term operator.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent fund manager, with €8.5 billion of assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF Capital Partners invests in greenfield and operational infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

DIF Infrastructure funds target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy and transportation sectors.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 150 professionals, based in nine offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

Contact: Allard Ruijs, Partner; a.ruijs@dif.eu.

19 August 2020 | London

DIF Capital Partners acquires majority stake in UK fibre broadband operator

DIF Capital Partners, through its DIF Core Infrastructure Fund II (“DIF CIF II”), is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of a majority stake (54%) in 4th Utility, a fibre-to-the-premise (“FTTP”) infrastructure developer and internet service provider based in Hale, Manchester (UK).

4th Utility partners with residential and commercial landlords, property developers and house builders to design, install and upgrade their properties with state-of-the-art FTTP infrastructure.

4th Utility currently operates FTTP networks within a number of residential property developments in the North of England. DIF CIF II will provide significant capital to fund a large pipeline of opportunities generated by 4th Utility with their development partners throughout the UK.

“We are excited to partner with DIF Capital Partners who share our desire to invest in high-quality fibre infrastructure providing ultrafast internet access to properties across the UK. This long-term investment allows us to expand our current platform and provide ‘full fibre’ connectivity to a significant number of new customers” comments Tony Hughes, CEO of 4th Utility.

The transaction is the first investment for DIF CIF II in the UK and its third investment in the digital infrastructure sector following recent acquisitions in Canada and France. “We are pleased to bring our experience in digital infrastructure to support 4th Utility and their management team in delivering FTTP infrastructure investment to underserved properties in the UK” comments Willem Jansonius, Head of DIF CIF.

Please visit www.the4thutility.co.uk for further information.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent infrastructure fund manager, with €7.5 billion of assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF Capital Partners invests in greenfield and operational infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy and transportation sectors.
DIF Infrastructure funds target equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, utilities and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams.

DIF has a team of over 145 professionals, based in nine offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, IR & BD; t.verburg@dif.eu.

6 February 2020 | London

DIF Capital Partners sells portfolio of UK PPP assets

DIF Infrastructure III (“DIF III”) and DIF Infrastructure IV (“DIF IV”) are pleased to announce the sale of their stakes in a portfolio of eight UK PPP assets to Equitix, a UK-based infrastructure fund manager.

The portfolio includes significant stakes in the following operational PPP projects: North Kent Police Headquarters, Worcester Library & History Centre, Yorkshire Housing, Grove Village Housing, Stanhope Housing, Leeds Streetlighting, Newcastle & North Tyneside Streetlighting and Stoke Streetlighting.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits, said: “This transaction represents a good result from an efficient process for both DIF III and DIF IV. The sale of these assets continues our strategy of selling optimised assets from our more mature funds.”

DIF was advised by Herbert Smith Freehills (legal).

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF is an independent infrastructure fund manager, with €6.0 billion of assets under management across eight closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

DIF Infrastructure funds target equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, utilities and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams.
DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors with mid-term contracted income streams.

DIF has a team of over 135 professionals, based in nine offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

Contact:
Allard Ruijs, Partner
Email: a.ruijs@dif.eu

1 November 2019 | London

In-depth commentary on ESG by Angela Roshier, Partner and Head of Asset Management at DIF Capital Partners, in Infrastructure Investor

DIF’s Head of Asset Management, Angela Roshier, shares thoughts and insights on how to develop an effective environmental, social and governance (ESG) action plan for infrastructure assets in Infrastructure Investor’s Sustainable Investment Report 2019.

For the full article please see: Angela Roshier on ESG in II November 2019

4 June 2019 | London

DIF acquires stake in Dublin Waste to Energy PPP project

DIF, through its most recent fund DIF Infrastructure V, is pleased to announce that it has closed the acquisition of a stake in the Dublin Waste to Energy PPP project (the “Project”). The Project is an operational waste to energy facility supported by a 45 year contract with Dublin City Council. DIF Infrastructure V acquired the stake from Macquarie’s Green Investment Group Limited (“GIG”), who remain a shareholder in the Project.

Located in Poolbeg, Dublin Port, the Project processes 600,000 tonnes of residual waste annually and generates electricity which is exported to Ireland’s national grid – sufficient to power 80,000 homes. The facility has been designed to provide highly efficient incineration and is classified as energy recovery in line with EU policy on waste. The Project is part of a wider Dublin regional waste management plan, which is aimed at reducing waste, maximizing recycling and generating energy from waste. The Project benefits from the Irish renewable energy feed-in tariff. The facility was constructed by Covanta who are also its long term operators.

Gijs Voskuyl, Partner at DIF, said “DIF is pleased to invest in the Dublin Waste to Energy Project, a well-managed and high-quality asset, which is expected to provide a stable return to our investors. As result of the investment, DIF further expands its footprint in the waste to energy sector, following the investment in Avertas Energy, an Australian waste to energy facility, alongside Macquarie in 2018. DIF is delighted to invest again in Ireland, partnering with GIG and Covanta, who are both very active and reputable investors in the waste sector”.

DIF was advised by Ashurst (Legal), PwC (Financial), Arup (Technical), SLR (Market) and Grant Thornton (Tax).

About DIF

DIF is an independent infrastructure fund manager, with €5.6 billion of assets under management across seven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, North America and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

DIF Infrastructure V targets equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, regulated assets and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.
DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I targets equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors with mid-term contracted income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.

DIF has a team of over 120 professionals, based in eight offices located in Schiphol (the Netherlands), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

Contact: Allard Ruijs, Partner; a.ruijs@dif.eu.

2 August 2018 | London

DIF Infrastructure III sells Islip and Springhill solar plants

DIF Infrastructure III is pleased to announce that it has signed and closed the sale of a 100% stake in the Islip and Springhill solar plants to Greencoat Solar Assets II Limited.

Islip and Springhill are two 5MW solar plants located in UK. Both plants have been operational since 2011 and were acquired by DIF in 2013. The projects were refinanced in June 2017.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits, said: “This is an attractive exit for DIF III and continues DIF’s successful strategy of proactively targeting to sell assets from its more mature funds taking advantage of strong demand for high quality core infrastructure projects.

DIF were advised by Elgar Middleton (Finance) and Pinsent Masons (Legal).

Greencoat was advised by PWC (Tax), Eversheds Sutherland (Legal) and Evergy (Technical).

About DIF

DIF is an independent infrastructure fund manager, with €5.6 billion of assets under management across seven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, North America and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

DIF Infrastructure V targets equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, regulated assets and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.
DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I targets equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors with mid-term contracted income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.

DIF has over 100 professionals in eight offices, located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Sydney and Toronto. Please see www.dif.eu for further information.

For more information please contact:

Andrew Freeman
Managing Director, Head of Exits
Email: a.freeman@dif.eu

Barend Bloemarts
Director, Investor Relations and Business Development
Email: b.bloemarts@dif.eu

11 June 2018 | London

DIF sells a stake in the A63 toll road project in France

DIF Infrastructure III and DIF Infrastructure IV are pleased to announce that they have jointly signed an agreement with HICL Infrastructure Company Limited, the listed infrastructure investment company advised by InfraRed Capital Partners Limited, to sell a 7.2% indirect stake in Atlandes, the project company which holds the A63 road concession project. The acquisition is not subject to any further conditions and will complete later this month.

The project is a 40-year toll concession to design, build, finance, operate and maintain an upgraded 104km section of the A63 highway between Salles and Saint-Geours-de-Maremne in southwest France. The project was fully commissioned in November 2013, seven months ahead of plan. In June 2015 the project’s senior debt was successfully refinanced with long term debt.

DIF Infrastructure IV will continue to hold a 9.22% stake in the A63 project.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits, said: “This is an attractive exit for DIF III and DIF IV, following the successful exit of the whole portfolio of DIF II and a number of DIF III assets which completed last September. In the next 12 months DIF is proactively targeting to sell further assets from its more mature funds taking advantage of strong demand for high quality core infrastructure projects in mature markets.”

DIF were advised by De Pardieu Brocas Maffei (Legal).

About DIF

DIF is an independent and specialist infrastructure investor and fund manager, with €5.6 billion assets under management across seven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in the global infrastructure market through two differentiated and complementary strategies:

DIF Infrastructure V targets equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, regulated assets and renewable energy projects which have long-term contracted or regulated income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows. The fund targets both greenfield and brownfield projects in primarily Europe, North America and Australasia.
DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I targets equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in amongst others the energy, transportation and telecom sectors which generate stable and predictable cash flows that are protected through mid-term contracted income streams. The fund targets greenfield and brownfield investments in Europe, North America and Australasia.

DIF has a team of over 95 professionals in eight offices, located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Sydney and Toronto, through which it covers its target markets with dedicated local teams. Please see www.dif.eu for further information.

For more information by press and investors, please contact:

Allard Ruijs
Partner, Head of Investor Relations and Business Development
Email: a.ruijs@dif.eu

For more information about further exits, please contact:

Andrew Freeman
Managing Director, Head of Exits
Email: a.freeman@dif.eu