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Aquila strengthens IR team, hires two execs

The Toronto-based asset manager has hired a new director and a new vice president, boosting its investor relations team.

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Aquila Infrastructure Management, a Toronto-based investment firm and asset manager focused exclusively on infrastructure, has hired Linda Houllahan as its new director of investor relations (IR) and Louisa Liu as vice president of IR and finance.

Houllahan joins Aquila from Ella Capital, a company she founded and has run since 2007. She is replacing Anne Marie Stetler, Aquila’s former IR director and one of its co-founders, who left in September.

Houllahan will lead and manage the firm’s fundraising, co-investment, and investor relations activities in Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia.

In the past 20 years, she has worked at Credit Suisse First Boston, Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, and Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette.

Louisa Liu, who has a decade of experience in financial planning, analysis and risk management, joins Aquila as vice president of IR and finance, a newly created position. Most recently, she served as senior manager of finance at Inmet Mining, a Toronto Stock Exchange-listed company.

Prior to Inmet, Liu was finance manager at Macquarie Capital Funds. There she was responsible for all financial requirements for Macquarie Essential Assets Partnership, a C$460 million (€327 million; $447 million) infrastructure fund, including providing information and analysis to management, the board of directors, and investors, according to the statement.

In her new role, Liu will be responsible for coordinating all finance and investor relations activities.

“We are pleased to have both Linda and Louisa join Aquila, as their addition reflects the growth in our firm and asset base and provides additional expertise and track record in fundraising, investor relations, and finance,” Aquila chief executive Alina Osorio said.

Founded in 2009, the Toronto-based firm focuses on mid-market, core infrastructure. Areas of interest include regulated entities, assets under long-term contracts, and public-private partnerships. It invests across geographies and sub-sectors, but stays below the size thresholds of the largest and lowest cost-of-capital players, according to its website.