Ardian steps up European efforts appointing new head of infra in Germany

Paris-based manager Ardian has hired Daniel Graf von der Schulenburg as its new managing director and head of infrastructure in Germany.

The newly created role will see Schulenburg responsible for Ardian’s infrastructure investments in the German-speaking region, and he will join the supervisory board of EWE, the German utility in which Ardian acquired a 26 percent stake. The transaction, announced in December, reached financial close at the end of February.

A spokeswoman for Ardian told Infrastructure Investor there was no shift in European strategy which precipitated the creation of the role, but that the firm can be more effective in the region with Schulenburg’s presence.

“He will play a leading role helping Ardian grow its footprint in the region – we prioritise the deep knowledge and relationships that can only come from an on-the-ground perspective so we can better understand the needs of our investors and portfolio companies on a granular level,” the spokeswoman said.

She added that Ardian is not planning to add further new members to the Germany base in the near future.

The deal for the stake in EWE was agreed via Ardian’s €6.1 billion fifth infrastructure fund, which closed in March last year. A presentation to investors seen by Infrastructure Investor a few months prior to the close showed an advanced deal pipeline of 10 potential transactions, three of which were based in Germany. Ardian’s fourth fund had no exposure to assets in German-speaking countries.

Schulenburg has joined the French firm after nearly four years as partner at 3i Group in London where he was responsible for infrastructure investments in the energy, telecommunications and transport sectors, Ardian said. He had spent the preceding eight years as principal at Hudson Clean Energy in New York and London.