March 2011 Issue

The key moments in the takeover of one European construction giant by another.

…For a fund seeking to take advantage of the need for greater energy efficiency. Andy Thomson reports on Swiss-Asia’s debut offering, which aims to address the needs of the country’s booming industrial parks.

The UK government’s attempts to claw back money from PFI contracts recall the lack of commitment that scared the private sector and forced governments to finance infrastructure from their balance sheets for most of the 20th century.

Evolving infrastructure allocation policies at two heavy-hitting US pensions show why this gargantuan source of capital is a land of (slow) opportunity for infrastructure.

PPPs are now an opportunistic rather than core strategy for many GPs in the US market. This is an indication of how much times have changed.

Will many big-ticket fund managers be forced to slash their fundraising targets?

Strenuous efforts have been made to devise tailored infrastructure fund models. These efforts are not necessarily being rewarded. Here’s why.

Despite a push for budget cuts, new legislation in the US still envisions the establishment of a national infrastructure bank – albeit with fewer powers and guarantees.

The country where infrastructure investment is considered of interest to everyone.

Fund managers will need to keep their opinions about public sector unions to themselves.

The chairman of the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee supports rail. Just don’t call it ‘high-speed’ to his face.

Antin chief executive Alain Rauscher tells Bruno Alves why fund managers are essential in providing access to Europe’s complex deal pipeline and explains why the latter is ill-suited to direct LP investment

The Mexican government and international development institutions have thrown their weight behind a programme to facilitate growth in the country’s infrastructure. Alexandra Atiya explains how it works

With five soccer World Cup wins to its name, Brazil is a worthy host of the 2014 tournament. Now an infrastructure plan is being honed to also make the country a major player on the economic stage. Maria Gallucci reports

Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners’ Sadek Wahba may not have the rosiest outlook on the various scenarios that flow from investment analysis. But judging by the performance of his portfolio, it may be the best way to play the infrastructure game when you’re a global fund. By Cezary Podkul

Projects procured under the UK’s Private Finance Initiative have come under enormous political scrutiny. Shapna Roy, who has worked on some of the leading PFI deals such as the £2.7bn Birmingham Highways project, argues that much of the criticism is unjustified – and that PFIs are here to stay

Private sector participants in UK infrastructure projects want the government to provide greater clarity on the future of PFI – and what, if anything, might replace it. By Andy Thomson

The biggest threat to PFI is not a dearth of projects or even value for money, but the industry’s inability to defend itself against an ongoing political onslaught, writes Bruno Alves