Infrastructure
Investor
Investor
Digital Infrastructure Forum Global Summit Online 2021
18 - 21 October 2021,
Virtual Event, BST
Informing infrastructure investors on digital investments
On the 12 October 2020, attendees heard from investors in this increasingly important sub-asset class. With the growth in data use globally, the fundamentals underpinning digital infrastructure investments are clear. Infrastructure investors have a crucial role to play and this event provided the perfect place to discuss strategies for investing digital.
Who attends?
Fund Managers
Had the opportunity to hear from industry experts as they cover whether telecoms towers, fibre-optic rollouts and data centres are really an infrastructure play. In addition to this they were able to meet with investors looking to put money to work in a less frothy part of the market.
Investors
The infrastructure to support the storage and transmission of global data will represent a phenomenal investment opportunity, comparable to the ongoing decarbonisation of the energy mix. Investors discovered that the potential of digital infrastructure is much more than a real estate play.
Service Providers
Attended to meet and network with new business partners from every corner of the globe. Service providers were interested in meeting the new funds active in this space. Colony Northstar and Digital Bridge; OPTrust, GIC and Mount Elbert Capital Partners’ and Helios Towers Africa are just three of the players.
Key themes for 2020
- Impacts of increasing 5G connectivity on the fibre investment market.
- Smart cities – transforming a metropolis through digital infrastructure.
- Connectivity and network models of the future and what they will mean for investors.
- Should investors aim higher on the risk curve? Embracing technology risk in a digital world.
- Converging asset classes – examining the synergies between data centres, towers and fibre.
- Impacts of increasing 5G connectivity on the fibre investment market.
- Smart cities – transforming a metropolis through digital infrastructure.
- Connectivity and network models of the future and what they will mean for investors.
- Should investors aim higher on the risk curve? Embracing technology risk in a digital world.
- Converging asset classes – examining the synergies between data centres, towers and fibre.
One Summit: Seven Forums
The Global Investor Forum is the largest global gathering of institutional and private capital devoted to infrastructure and the focal point of the Global Summit.
Explore infrastructure opportunities across frontier and growth markets at the Emerging Markets Forum.
Hear from government on infrastructure policy across key global markets and the broader effect of politics and government on infrastructure.
The ESG & Sustainability Forum provides a place to showcase best practice and understand what good looks like from a sustainability perspective.
The Energy Transition Forum is the event to learn from and network with a truly international delegation focused on investment opportunities in renewables and the energy transition.
Analyse the benefits of differing investment structures, learn about landmark transactions and pinpoint new opportunities for yield.
World-leading infrastructure managers that attended in 2020 include:
Testimonials
Lincoln Webb
Senior Vice President, BCI
If you are serious about infrastructure investing, Infrastructure Investor’s Global Summit should be a fixture in your calendar.
Stephane Wattez-Richard
Executive Director, Conquest AM
The Global Summit is the best event to meet peers, investors and keep up-to-date on the key challenges & opportunities the asset class faces today.
Holger Haaf
Uniper
To meet so many people in such a short time is not possible without the Summit.
2021 Sponsorship Opportunities
The Infrastructure Investor Global Summit offers a unique opportunity for organisations to raise their profile as a part of the premier meeting for infrastructure investment professionals.
For more information on available sponsorship opportunities contact Alexander Jakes, alexander.j@peimedia.com, +44 (0)203 862 7498
2020 Keynote speakers
Dr Ayesha Khanna
Co-Founder and CEO,
ADDO AI
Wiebe Wakker
Dutch Adventurer & Founder,
Plug Me In
2020 Speakers
Jussi Ahonen
Head of Digital Infrastructure and Solutions, Finnfund
Jussi works as a Senior Investment Manager at Finnfund, leading the origination and execution of Telecommunications, Technology, and Fintech -sector investments. Recent transactions include investments into Lebanese Telecom-ESCO company IPT Powertech… Read full bio
Matteo Andreoletti
Head of Infrastructure Equity - Europe & North America, Whitehelm Capital
Matteo leads Whitehelm’s equity investment activities in Europe & North America for economic infrastructure and digital investments. He is a partner of Whitehelm’s European Infrastructure Fund, a mid-market focused core infrastructure strategy, a… Read full bio
Dr. Dmitriy Antropov
Co-Head Private Infrastructure Integrated Investments, Managing Director, Partners Group
Dr. Dmitriy Antropov is Co-Head of the Private Infrastructure Integrated Investments business unit, based in Zug. He is a member of the Private Infrastructure Investment Committee. Dmitriy is leading Partners Group datacenter thematic globally and ha… Read full bio
Oliver Bradley
Managing Director, Macquarie Capital
Oliver Bradley is Managing Director, Digital Infrastructure Investing at Macquarie Capital, the advisroy, capital markets and principal investment arm of Macquarie Group Limited. The Digital Infrastructure team invests directly in and supports the gr… Read full bio
Phil Cooper
Director, Digital Infrastructure Accelerator
Phil Cooper is a Director of the Digital Infrastructure Accelerator. The DIA exists to help accelerate investment in emerging market digital infrastructure. Currently the DIA is working with digital infrastructure investors and owners in Asia, Africa… Read full bio
Manuel Etter
Head - Corporate Development, LOON
Manuel runs Corporate Development at Loon, where he primarily focuses on fundraising and acquisitions. Before joining Loon, he worked at SAP targeting Boards and C-levels of companies controlled by Private Equity funds, as well as projects backed by… Read full bio
Uwe Fleischhauer
Managing Director, YIELCO Investments AG
Uwe Fleischhauer is Founding Partner and member of the Executive Board and Investment Committee of YIELCO Investments AG in Munich, Germany. YIELCO, established in 2011, is an innovative alternative investment service provider with focus on the asset… Read full bio
Stefan Franssen
Geschäftsführer, Investment42
Stefan has been active in financial services since 1999 initially focusing on M&A and from 2002 onwards on private equity, with over fifteen years’ experience in telecoms, media, information technologies and services. Prior to founding investment42 i… Read full bio
Matthias Hamel
Partner, Altman Solon
Matthias Hamel focuses on strategy advice of European and Global telecommunication companies and their shareholders. He works with integrated telcos as well as fiber, mobile / 5G and cable companies. He supports data centers, cloud / SaaS providers a… Read full bio
Chris Hogg
Senior Investment Director, Digital Infrastructure, Amber Infrastructure
Chris is a Senior Investment Director at Amber Infrastructure focused on digital infrastructure across Europe, including fibre, data centres and towers investments. Chris has led many of Amber’s investments here and currently sits on the boards of Co… Read full bio
Alexandra Horn
Head of Support for SME's, German Institute for Standardisation
Alexandra Horn has been head of SME promotion at DIN since August 2019. Ms. Horn is committed to ensuring that SMEs have easier access to standardization and are actively involved in the processes. Ms. Horn was previously head of association cooperat… Read full bio
Ayesha Khanna
Co-Founder and CEO , ADDO AI
Dr. Ayesha Khanna is Co-Founder and CEO of ADDO AI, an artificial intelligence (AI) advisory firm and incubator. She has been a strategic advisor on artificial intelligence, smart cities and fintech to clients such as SMRT, Singapore's largest public… Read full bio
Kristof Kostencki
Director - Infrastructure and Energy, Deutsche Bank
Kristof Kostencki is a Director on Deutsche Bank’s Global Credit Trading Platform in London and has 15 years’ industry experience. In his role, Kristof originates structured credit opportunities with institutional investors in the Infrastructure… Read full bio
Dr. Bernd Kreuter
Managing Partner, Palladio Partners
Bernd Kreuter is managing partner and co-founder of Palladio Partners, Frankfurt, Germany. He advises German institutional investors on their infrastructure and other illiquid asset portfolios, including strategy definition, structuring, investments,… Read full bio
Paul Lam
Strategy Officer – Digital Infrastructure and Technology, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Paul joined AIIB in 2018 and is currently leading the development of the Digital Infrastructure Strategy, which guides AIIB's engagements and investments in the sector. He has over 7 years of investment and corporate venturing experiences in technolo… Read full bio
Philippe Lefebvre
Head of Sector – 5G Deployment Strategy, DG CONNECT
Philippe Lefebvre is responsible for the Commission’s 5G deployment strategy including policy development and economic aspects, in particular regarding the implementation of the "5G Action Plan for Europe". Before his current position, he was respons… Read full bio
Steffen Leiwesmeier
Head of Financing Digital Infrastructure, Hamburg Commercial Bank AG
Steffen Leiwesmeier is heading the Financing Digital Infrastructure franchise of Hamburg Commercial Bank. He has over 20 years' experience in project finance. Coming initially from structuring the wide range of infrastructure such as PFI/PPP, Steffen… Read full bio
Carlo Maddalena
Senior Portfolio Manager Infrastructure, APG Asset Management
Carlo Maddalena is a Senior Portfolio Manager in the APG Global Infrastructure team, focussed on origination and asset management activities across the infrastructure sector. At APG, he is a core member of the Smart City Infrastructure Fund team. Pri… Read full bio
Steven Marshall
Chairman and Managing Partner, Cordiant Digital infrastructure, Cordiant
Steven Marshall is Chairman of Cordiant’s Digital Infrastructure practice. He is Co-Head of both Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited (CORD:LSE) and Cordiant Digital GP/LP fund (in fundraising). Formerly President of American Tower’s core business… Read full bio
Cara Mascini
CEO, EdgeInfra
Cara is a seasoned business executive with over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications and internet industry. Before founding EdgeInfra she had various executive roles in marketing, product management and innovation with Eurofiber Group, Li… Read full bio
Waldemar Maurer
Partner, DTCP
He has more than 10 years of experience in private equity and investment banking. Waldemar is a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of DTCP and serves on the board of Cellnex Netherlands, Keepler Data Tech and maincubes. Previously, he had bo… Read full bio
Maarit Palovirta
Director of Regulatory Affairs, ETNO
Maarit has an extensive expertise in telecoms, broadband and internet matters. She joined ETNO from the Internet Society, where she served as a Senior Manager Europe and where she has acquired strong experience of broadband policies as well as extens… Read full bio
Alessandro Ravagnolo
Partner, Analysys Mason
Alessandro is a Partner based in Analysys Mason's London office. He specialises in advising businesses on organic and inorganic growth strategies. In the last ten years, he has completed over 200 assignments in more than 80 developed and emerging mar… Read full bio
Carlos Sanchez
Infrastructure Asset Manager, Whitehelm Capital
Infrastructure asset manager with extensive experience in the energy sector working in strategy and finance teams in world leading utilities, also worked on industrial environments as production control engineer and is currently working as asset mana… Read full bio
Dominik Schiener
Co-Founder and Chairman, IOTA Foundation
Dominik is a social entrepreneur and Co-Founder of the IOTA Foundation. He is focused on creating digital infrastructure that brings trust, data security and new business models. A global non-profit foundation incorporated and headquartered in German… Read full bio
Simon Söder
Partner, Antin Infrastructure Partners
Simon joined Antin in 2014 and was promoted to Partner in 2016. He holds boards seats for Fund II portfolio company Eurofiber and for Fund III companies FirstLight, Lyntia and Solvtrants. He previously held a board seat for Fund II portfolio company… Read full bio
Steven Sonnenstein
Senior Managing Director, Digital Colony
Steven Sonnenstein is a Senior Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee at Digital Colony. Mr. Sonnenstein is an accomplished telecommunications infrastructure executive with over 24 years of global mergers and acquisitions, asset man… Read full bio
Darragh Stokes
Managing Partner, Hardiman Telecoms
Darragh Stokes is a Managing Partner and Director of Hardiman Telecommunications Ltd., (“HTL”), which he joined in 1998. HTL advises major investment banks, private equity funds and telecommunications carriers on Company Valuations, Flotations, Merge… Read full bio
David Zimmer
Managing Director, inexio Informationstechnologie und Telekommunikation
David Zimmer (born in 1973) has been an entrepreneur since 1990. He is founder of inexio and responsible for the strategic business development, corporate communications and sale of telecoms activities within inexio. David Zimmer was ‘Entrepreneur of… Read full bio
View agenda page
Agenda
Digital Infrastructure Forum 2020 - Thursday 15th
Digital Infrastructure Forum 2020 - Thursday 15 October
08:45 - 08:55
Welcome from Infrastructure Investor
08:55 - 09:05
Chairperson’s welcome address
Darragh Stokes
09:05 - 09:50
Converging sub-asset classes – examining the synergies between data centres, towers & fibre
Alessandro Ravagnolo,
Dr. Dmitriy Antropov,
Dr. Bernd Kreuter,
Steven Marshall,
Steven Sonnenstein,
Chris Hogg
Panel Session
- What are the market developments that are blurring the lines between these three assets?
- How is 5G in particular bringing the three closer together?
- Cost or revenue basis – are there true strategic synergies between these or is this simply a financial play? Do customers genuinely overlap?
- What impact should this convergence have on an investor’s approach to digital infrastructure?
Moderator: Alessandro Ravagnolo, Principal – Consulting, Analysys Mason
Dr. Dmitriy Antropov
Co-Head Private Infrastructure Integrated Investments, Managing Director, Partners Group
Read bio
09:50 - 10:30
Looking to the long-term in your investment approach when it comes to fibre
Oliver Bradley,
Steffen Leiwesmeier,
Waldemar Maurer,
Simon Söder,
David Zimmer
Panel Session
- As the fibre market develops at speed, what can savvy investors do to evaluate regulatory risk in the long term?
- Overbuild risk considerations at a time when Europe looks to embrace increasing fibre rollout
- Assessing long-term market penetration when it comes to fibre and why investors must take this into account
- Various models to evaluate across Europe & beyond – market-based models, concession models, wholesale models, PPP’s and more
Moderator: Fran González Menéndez, Partner, Consulting, Analysys Mason
10:30 - 11:00
Impacts of increasing 5G connectivity on the fibre investment market
Darragh Stokes,
Philippe Lefebvre
Panel Session
- How will developments & rollout of 5G globally in the coming months or years impact investment in fibre? Where does Europe stand compared to other countries & regions?
- Competition, regulation & market cannibalization – what impacts might it have on the network environment?
- Is 5G set to be a friend or foe to fibre when it comes to front-end payment?
- Assessing the knock-on effects of 5G for towers & data centres
Moderator: Darragh Stokes, Senior Managing Partner, Hardiman Telecommunications
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee & networking
Digital Infrastructure Forum 2020
11:30 - 11:50
Case Study Presentation – Digital Infrastructure
This presentation will provide in-depth case study to a recently carried out digital infrastructure transaction
11:50 - 12:30
Smart Cities – Transforming a metropolis through digital infrastructure
Maarit Palovirta,
Matteo Andreoletti,
Carlo Maddalena,
Dominik Schiener
Panel Session
- Defining smart cities – what are they and how do they relate to digital infrastructure?
- How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted and slowed smart city development? Will it have a lasting impact?
- The early adopters – how are Toronto, Barcelona & other examples leading the way and what can others learn from them?
- State of play – how is deal flow maturing when it comes to smart city funds & investment?
- Partnering effectively with all parties to implement your smart city vision
Moderator: Maarit Palovirta, Director of Regulatory Affairs, ETNO
Matteo Andreoletti
Head of Infrastructure Equity - Europe & North America, Whitehelm Capital
Read bio
12:30 - 13:00
Keynote Presentation – Smart Cities 2.0: The Future of Urban Living
Ayesha Khanna
13:00 - 14:00
Networking Lunch
Digital Infrastructure Forum 2020
14:00 - 14:35
Economic Impact & Benefits of Standard
Alexandra Horn
14:35 - 15:10
Data centres: taking centre-stage?
Matthias Hamel ,
Cara Mascini
- Evaluating data centre’s recent performance – is it their turn to be the growth asset in the digital infrastructure market?
- How are edge computing & regional data centre trends pushing the agenda for growth and what opportunities are they presenting to investors?
- How will hyperscale, movement to the cloud and other factors define the future for data centres?
- Is Europe still playing catch-up to the US? And if so, how far behind do they remain?
Moderator: Matthias Hamel, Partner, Solon Management Consulting
15:10 - 15:45
Risk vs reward in emerging markets digital infrastructure
Paul Lam,
Jussi Ahonen,
Phil Cooper
Panel Session
- A skewing of a traditional market model? How & why emerging markets might have gained a step on developed markets in digital infrastructure
- Opportunities in Asia, Africa and elsewhere – can they bring more reward than Europe & the US for investors?
- How should you go about evaluating country risk and increased market volatility in your investment decision-making process? And how do you truly balance risk and reward?
- Ensuring you take a holistic approach and consider the market maturity model as a whole – all the way through from developed to emerging
Moderator: Paul Lam, Strategy Officer, Digital Infrastructure & Technology, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
15:45 - 16:00
Coffee & networking
Digital Infrastructure Forum 2020
16:00 - 16:35
Should investors aim higher on the risk curve? Embracing technology risk in a digital world
Manuel Etter,
Uwe Fleischhauer,
Stefan Franssen ,
Paul Lam
Panel Session
- The case for – why investors should embrace more technology risk in order to reap rewards
- Shaking off a debt-like mindset when it comes to digital infrastructure – what can European investors learn from their Asian counterparts?
- How are social-economic factors skewing investor attitudes and appetites in this environment?
- The case against – should investors indeed be particularly wary of risk in this lightning-paced investment market?
Moderator: Manuel Etter, Head – Corporate Development, Loon
16:35 - 17:00
The importance of not being idle - maintenance considerations in digital infrastructure
Matthias Hamel ,
Kristof Kostencki,
Carlos Sanchez
Fireside Chat
- How does it compare across data centres, fibre and towers?
- How to get ahead through active management & investment in maintenance in order to create value and maximise returns
- Evaluating asset development, maturity & long-term reliability in your investment approach, in order to truly understand maintenance costs & revenue potential
- The increasing role of service providers in maintenance provision for digital infrastructure
- What maintenance challenges has the coronavirus pandemic brought, and how are they being overcome?
Moderator: Matthias Hamel, Partner, Solon Management Consulting
17:00 - 17:00
Close of conference
2021 Sponsorship Opportunities
The Infrastructure Investor Global Summit offers a unique opportunity for organisations to raise their profile as a part of the premier meeting for infrastructure investment professionals.
For more information on available sponsorship opportunities contact Alexander Jakes, alexander.j@peimedia.com, +44 (0)203 862 7498