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Ardian intensifies North America focus with new hire

Mark Voccola, a partner at Ares EIF, will become co-head of Ardian Infrastructure US as the French firm raises $550m for its debut Americas fund.

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French fund manager Ardian has tapped Mark Voccola to fill the newly created role of managing director and co-head of Ardian Infrastructure US.

Voccola, who is currently a partner at the energy-focused Ares EIF Group, will assume his new role in August. He will co-lead Ardian’s US infrastructure activities alongside Stefano Mion, who is also managing director and co-head of Ardian Infrastructure US.

Asked whether Voccola’s appointment is related to the inaugural Americas fund Ardian is in the process of raising, the firm’s head of infrastructure Mathias Burghardt, responded that his “appointment is part of a larger Ardian expansion into the North American infrastructure market, and he will play a leading role shaping Ardian’s vision and strategy in the region”.

Voccola’s role will include evaluating investment opportunities and working alongside Ardian’s long-term partners to identify high-quality infrastructure assets in the US mid-market, according to a company statement.

Ardian has been gearing up towards expanding its activities in North America. Since launching its inaugural Americas fund – which as of last month had raised $550 million, surpassing its initial $500 million target – the fund manager has already made its first US investment. Earlier this month, it established Skyline Renewables, a US-based platform aiming to build a 3GW portfolio of operating and greenfield renewables assets within five years, in partnership with Transatlantic Power Holdings.

Last September, Ardian acquired a 35 percent stake in LBC Tank Terminals, a company headquartered in Belgium with the majority of its operations in the US cities of Houston and Baton Rouge.