Infrastructure
Investor
Investor
Digital Infrastructure Forum Global Summit 2021
21 October 2021,
Hilton, Berlin
Building the inclusive digital economy of the future
Taking place on 21 October, the Digital Infrastructure Forum will hear from the global community on this increasingly important sub-asset class.
The Forum will provide the perfect place to discuss strategies for investing in digital. Join global investors and managers and discover the potential of digital infrastructure.
Advance your fundraising
Connect with a global audience of investors actively allocating to digital, looking to put money in a less frothy part of the market. Benefit from focused networking with the right people.
Gain peer-to-peer insights
Discuss how the pandemic has reinforced the need for digital connectivity and what that means for private investment, where we are seeing significant deal activity taking place in the market, how we can invest towards an inclusive digital economy of the future and much more.
Save time building your network
Create and nurture sustainable relationships with infrastructure’s elite at the event and on our sophisticated networking platform.
2021 speakers include:
One Summit. Seven Forums.
The Digital Infrastructure Forum is part of the industry leading Infrastructure Investor Global Summit. Taking place across four days, the Summit has something to offer everyone involved in infrastructure.
The private infrastructure industry’s annual general meeting
The role of infrastructure in the route to net-zero
Scaling emerging market investment in a post-pandemic world
Investing in assets which provide essential services
The future of energy
From pandemic-resilience towards sustainable growth
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
View agenda page
Agenda
Digital Infrastructure Forum - Thursday 21st
Digital Infrastructure Forum
08:45 - 08:50
Introduction from Infrastructure Investor
08:50 - 09:00
Welcome from the chair
Alessandro Ravagnolo
09:00 - 09:45
Investing towards an inclusive, global digital economy
Matthias Hamel ,
Jussi Ahonen,
Melissa Cohen,
Claudio Ghisu,
James Heath
- How the pandemic has reinforced the need for digital connectivity and what that means for private investment
- How have business models, cultures & attitudes shifted in favour of digital infrastructure?
- Where are we seeing significant deal activity taking place in the market?
- Why digital infrastructure is cementing its own place in LP investment portfolios
Moderator: Matthias Hamel, Partner, Altman Solon
Claudio Ghisu
Co-Head Infrastructure/Managing Director, YIELCO Investments (Switzerland) AG
Read bio
09:45 - 10:30
Convergence and consolidation in digital infrastructure
Conor Plant ,
Canan Anli,
Benn Mikula
- How towers, data centres and fibre are continuing to merge and what that means for investors
- How 5G small cell deployment and other emerging opportunities will play a role in converging portfolios
- The growing role of telcos and big tech in each sub-asset class
- How consolidation on a national and international level is altering the landscape
Moderator: Conor Plant, Managing Consultant, Hardiman Telecoms
10:30 - 11:00
What it takes to invest in fibre amidst overbuild, consolidation and increasing end-user demand
Conor Plant ,
Darren Glatt,
Dr. Bernd Kreuter,
Thomas Lefebvre,
Rohini Pahwa
- Co-operation examples & possibilities between LPs, GPs and telcos
- Which investors are best suited to which types of build-outs and regions?
- Developments in overbuild investments in urban areas
- Does rural connectivity still have a significant role to play in the fibre debate?
Moderator: Conor Plant, Managing Consultant, Hardiman Telecoms
11:00 - 11:30
Coffee & networking
Digital Infrastructure Forum
11:30 - 12:10
Examining the edge data centre explosion - moving closer to the customer
Alessandro Ravagnolo,
Dr. Dmitriy Antropov,
Simon Söder,
Michael Wellesley-Wesley
- How has increased remote working necessitated the need to move closer to end users?
- What kind of upward trend will we see in global data processing happening in edge data centers?
- Are edge centers compatible with hyperscalers?
- Where do investment opportunities lie globally, and what sort of risk returns can investors expect?
Moderator: Alessandro Ravagnolo, Partner, Analysys Mason
Dr. Dmitriy Antropov
Co-Head Private Infrastructure Integrated Investments, Managing Director, Partners Group
Read bio
12:10 - 12:30
Fireside Chat: Dissecting digital’s appeal for debt investors
Matias Sottile,
Blaise van der Zwaal
- Pandemic resilience – why digital infrastructure and debt makes sense right now
- Why banks still offer the stiffest competition in this area and whether this will continue
- Embracing more risk? Junior, mezzanine, greenfield and other attractive debt opportunities
- How investors can straddle a debt-equity allocation to digital infra in their portfolio
Moderator: Mattias Sottile, Founder, Ayres Partners
12:30 - 13:00
Digital infrastructure investment case study
Steven Marshall
Steven Marshall
Chairman and Managing Partner, Cordiant Digital infrastructure, Cordiant Capital
Read bio
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch
Digital Infrastructure Forum
14:00 - 14:40
Fireside Chat: The manifestation of ESG in digital infrastructure assets
Dr. Matthias Lang,
Tom Maher
- Environmental – combating concerns around data centres and other environmental challenges
- Social – how digital infra can support local communities through job creation, increased connectivity and more
- Considerations for fund managers amidst increasing ESG regulation and transparency demands from investors
Moderator: Dr. Matthias Lang, Partner, Bird & Bird
14:40 - 15:20
Assessing the desire & deployment for digital infrastructure assets across a changing world
Richard Morgan,
Oliver Bradley,
Phil Cooper,
Frank Heiss
- Examining the impact of overbuild and consolidation in the European market
- Emerging markets – why LatAm, Asia & Africa offer opportunities that a crowded developed world can’t match
- Will attitudes, models and opportunities mean the US will continue to lead the way when it comes to capital deployment?
- Performance, political and other risk considerations for LPs as they look to embrace a global mandate
Moderator: Richard Morgan, Principal, Analysys Mason
15:20 - 16:00
Beyond the big three – what’s next on the horizon for digital infrastructure?
Phil Cooper,
Matteo Andreoletti,
Matthias Hamel
- What does the future hold for the digital infrastructure definition?
- Blurring the lines of private equity – can tech-cos be brought into the digital infra conversation?
- 5G, edge, small-cell, distributed tunnel systems – will any of these evolve from fibre, towers & data centres to become their own defined sub-asset class?
- Digital ‘real assets?’ What will become of the merging with real estate?
Moderator: Philip Cooper, Director, Digital Infrastructure Accelerator
16:00 - 16:00
Close of conference
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
Canan Anli
Senior Advisor, PMP Strategy
Canan specializes in TMT and Digital Infrastructure investments. Before joining PMP, Canan spent the last 10 year with Mubadala Investment Company where most recently she was heading the new investments in ICT and Digital Infrastructure. Prior to tha… 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
Melissa Cohen
Managing Director - Infrastructure, Eurazeo
Melissa joined Eurazeo as Managing Director of the Eurazeo Infrastructure team. Prior to that, Melissa was in the investment team of Marguerite, a European manager infrastructure fund with 1.5bn€ AuM, where she spent 10 years. During her time at Marg… 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
Claudio Ghisu
Co-Head Infrastructure/Managing Director, YIELCO Investments (Switzerland) AG
Claudio is a partner at YIELCO Investments AG and managing director at YIELCO Investments (Switzerland) AG and in this role member of YIELCO's management and investment committee. Claudio is co-heading YIELCO's infrastructure practice and is YIELCO's… Read full bio
Darren Glatt
Partner and Co-Head of Infrastructure Investing, Searchlight Capital Partners
Mr. Glatt is a Partner and Co-Head of Infrastructure Investing at Searchlight Capital Partners, overseeing the firm’s efforts in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (“TMT”) sectors. Prior to joining Searchlight in 2013, Mr. Glatt worked as a… 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
James Heath
Chief Executive, National Infrastructure Commission (UK)
James Heath is the Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission, a position he has held since 2020. Previously, James was Director, Digital Infrastructure at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), responsible for… Read full bio
Frank Heiss
Managing Director, ICG
Frank Heiss is a Managing Director in Intermediate Capital Group’s European Infrastructure Equity Team. He is responsible for originating mid-market core+ infrastructure deals across the DACH and Nordic regions. Frank joined ICG from Swiss Life Infra… 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
Dr. Matthias Lang
Partner, Bird & Bird
Matthias is a Partner at Bird & Bird LLP based in Düsseldorf. He is head of the firm’s Infrastructure Group and, Co-Head of the Energy Digitalisation Group. He advises clients on infrastructure, energy, regulatory, state aid and environmental law… Read full bio
Thomas Lefebvre
Partner, I Squared Capital
Thomas Lefebvre is a Partner of I Squared Capital, responsible for the Firm’s infrastructure strategy in North America. Since joining ISQ as a founding partner in 2012, Thomas has overseen the acquisition, development, and transformational strategies… Read full bio
Tom Maher
Managing Director, PATRIZIA
Tom is a Managing Director - Infrastructure at PATRIZIA. He is seasoned infrastructure investment professional with over 15 years of global experience. Tom has extensive experience across transaction sourcing and origination, active asset management,… Read full bio
Steven Marshall
Chairman and Managing Partner, Cordiant Digital infrastructure, Cordiant Capital
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
Benn Mikula
Managing Partner and Co-CEO, Cordiant Capital
Benn Mikula is Cordiant’s Joint Managing Partner and co-heads the firm’s Digital Infrastructure practice alongside Steven Marshall. Cordiant’s funds in this area include Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited (CORD on the London Stock Exchange) and… Read full bio
Richard Morgan
Partner, Analysys Mason
Richard is a Partner based in Analysys Mason’s London office, and has been with the company since 2006. He has worked extensively in both strategic and operational roles, and supported numerous large-scale transactions in the TMT sector with a focus… Read full bio
Rohini Pahwa
Managing Director, Arjun Infrastructure Partners
Rohini is a Managing Director at Arjun where she is responsible for originating and executing investments with focus on Digital Infrastructure. She brings 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry. Her focus over the last decade has bee… Read full bio
Conor Plant
Partner, Hardiman Telecoms
Conor Plant is a Partner of Hardiman Telecommunications Ltd., (“HTL”), which he joined in 2003. HTL advises major investment banks, private equity funds and telecommunications carriers on Company Valuations, Flotations, Mergers and Acquisitions, Perf… 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
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
Matias Sottile
Managing Partner, Ayres Partners
Matias Sottile is the founder of Ayres Partners, a boutique financial and strategy advisory firm specializing in funding of energy transition, digital infrastructure and infrastructure funds across investment grade and emerging markets. Ayres Partner… Read full bio
Michael Wellesley-Wesley
Chairman and Founder, Green Edge Cloud
Mike is an experienced executive in the technology sector. He has founded and led private and public companies in the US and UK and has helped to build several start-up companies in his 30-year adventure through the fast-changing technology and media… Read full bio
Blaise van der Zwaal
Director, TMT & Healthcare Sector Coverage Group, ING Bank
Blaise van der Zwaal is a Director in the TMT & Healthcare Sector Coverage Group at ING with over 20 years of financing experience in the telecom sector. In this role Blaise is responsible for the origination and execution of lending and other wh… Read full bio
