As public-private partnerships roll across the globe, lawmakers should know that successful PPP rules include one key risk control - a guarantee that the private investor gets paid if the government changes its mind, writes Cezary Podkul.
The firm has sold its substantial portfolio of Portuguese wind energy businesses and is currently in negotiations to sell off similar assets in Germany, France and Greece as it seeks to relieve its debt burden.
Infrastructure is certainly getting to be a crowded field, but GPs don’t feel crowded out by government spending in the sector. Instead, they welcome it with open arms, writes Cezary Podkul.
Its investments in turn-key renewable energy infrastructure projects across the EU will be managed by German renewable energy specialist and asset manager SachsenFonds. Aviva and SachsenFonds previously partnered on a €600m Central European property fund.
The global buyout group has taken another step away from venture capital. It closed its venture-focused Boston office last year.
Infrastructure funds are seeking some $94bn in fresh commitments. Take this with a grain of salt. Massive opportunity notwithstanding, not all of these funds will get raised, writes Cezary Podkul.
The UK-based private equity firm had a total negative return of £182m for the first half of 2008, due in part to £411m in write-downs and an £87m drop in value of its quoted portfolio. Its buyout and infrastructure businesses produced positive returns.
The development-focused fund of funds has received a revised investment remit from its shareholder the UK Government, which will redirect investment from China and Latin America to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Economic turbulence is throwing up opportunities for emerging market-focused private equity funds to make investments at favourable prices, but capital-constrained LPs are urging caution.
Amid $649m in third quarter write-downs for KPE – the largest related to a co-investment in the $45bn TXU buyout – the private equity firm has said the restructuring of the Euronext-listed vehicle will come next year.
The UK and the Netherlands have both reacted to public criticism of the private equity industry by passing new tax legislation
Legislators across Europe are about to declare war on the banking industry, and private equity is in danger of getting caught in the crossfire
What’s the best way to own infrastructure assets? A small, but increasingly vocal, group of open ended fund managers are saying, “Our way”, finds Cezary Podkul.
Market conditions worldwide are darkening, but the infrastructure asset class will likely be among the first to see the sun, writes Cezary Podkul.
In light of Duke Street’s recent run in with the UK Pensions Regulator, buyout firms face the prospect of being forced to make up pension shortfalls, write Richard Garvan and Andrew Patten.