Former GE exec joins GIP

GE veteran Alex Urquhart has joined Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), the New York-based fund manager which closed its second infrastructure fund on $8.25 billion in October 2012.

Urquhart becomes a senior adviser, having spent three decades at GE, where he led the $20 billion global energy investment business, GE Energy Financial Services, between 2003 and 2013.

GIP chairman and managing partner Bayo Ogunlesi described Urquhart as “an accomplished leader whose investing experience, business relationships, energy sector focus and strategic insights will play an important role in originating new investments and in helping GIP further develop and implement our business strategy going forward”.

GIP, which has $16 billion under management, has offices in New York and London and an affiliate office in Sydney as well as a portfolio company operations headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

The firm’s existing senior advisers include former GE Spain chairman Mario Armero, as well as former UK Prime Minister Sir John Major, former BAA International managing director Andrew Jurenko and ex Conoco chief financial officer Robert Goldman.

GIP’s deals last year included the sale of its near-27 percent interest in Australia’s Port of Brisbane to Canada’s La Caisse, and the purchase of a 35 percent stake in container terminals business Terminal Investment Limited for just over $1.9 billion.