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Bruno Alves

Bruno Alves is the Senior Editor of award-winning publication Infrastructure Investor. Bruno has been a journalist for nearly 20 years and first joined Infrastructure Investor in December 2009, where he quickly rose to become Associate Editor and a leading writer covering the infrastructure asset class. He’s been Senior Editor since 2015 and is also responsible for Agri Investor, PEI Group’s agriculture-focused publication.
Aviva, the world’s fifth-largest insurer, has joined the likes of AXA and Allianz in backing an infrastructure fund, through its partnership with Hadrian’s Wall Capital. The team plans to launch an infrastructure debt fund that could reach one billion, split equally between pounds and euros.
Hochtief’s board of directors has approved the Hochtief Pension Trust’s decision to sell its three percent stake in the German company, worth just over €100m at yesterday’s share price.
The fund and its toll road vehicle, Itinere, are analysing several opportunities in the US, Australia and other OECD countries with a view to making a toll road investment this year.
The UK government is said to be planning the creation of a state-backed investment bank targeting infrastructure projects with cheaper capital and small businesses. Germany’s KfW could serve as the model for the bank, which could be announced in this year’s budget.
French rail agency RFF and a VINCI/AXA Private Equity-led consortium have finally reached financial close on the €1bn GSM-R rail communications PPP, after several months of delays. The deal is France’s first rail PPP but is unlikely to serve as a template for the other high-speed rail deals being managed by RFF.
The long-running sale of ACS’ ports division – which had revenues of €114m in 2008 – appears to be nearing its conclusion.
The toll road operator says it has placed an expression of interest for Sydney’s A$1.6bn Lane Cove Tunnel, which was placed in receivership last month after its sponsor failed to pay interest on A$1.16 billion of outstanding debt.
The property group has mandated HSBC Mexico to act as fiduciary and help raise a $256m industrial fund focusing on investments in logistics platforms across Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. The new vehicle will target returns of between 13% and 16% and is expected to be fully invested in four years’ time.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is waiting for final approval to lend €100m to the sponsors of Pulkovo airport – Russia’s first airport PPP, in St. Petersburg. Russian bank VTB is seeking commercial banks to participate in the project alongside other multilaterals.
Belgian transmission operator Elia is in talks with Australia’s Industry Funds Management regarding a joint bid for Vattenfall’s German grid. The consortium is reportedly considering bidding around €800m for the asset. Vattenfall reopened the auction for its grid in November after exclusive talks with a Goldman Sachs/Allianz/RREEF consortium broke down over price.
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