Latest news with #Ardian
The Guardian
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Heathrow submits ‘shovel-ready' plans for third runway
Heathrow has submitted its 'shovel-ready' plans for a third runway as part of a £50bn investment, as the government said expanding Europe's largest airport could create 100,000 jobs and drive growth. The 2-mile (3.2km) runway expansion would cross a diverted M25 and allow more than 750 additional flights a day over London, helping bring the total annual number of passengers to 150 million. Environmental campaigners called it a 'doomed scheme' that would release millions of tonnes of CO2 while benefiting only a small minority of rich flyers. Heathrow said that with government support it could obtain planning permission by 2029 and have the runway in operation by 2035. Its proposals remain essentially the same as those submitted in 2019 and approved in principle by the government and MPs. That scheme survived a brief block on climate grounds sparked by legal challenges from campaigners, overturned on appeal in 2020. However, the plans were put on hold as passenger numbers dropped during the pandemic. The shareholders in the airport, which include the French private equity firm Ardian and Saudi Arabia and Qatar's sovereign wealth funds, are seeking legislative change, as well as long-term political support, before filing a full planning application. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has strongly endorsed expansion, but Heathrow is seeking firm policy guarantees after previous runway plans were overturned. These include airspace modernisation to ensure extra flight paths and the passing of the planning and infrastructure bill. The airport is also seeking guarantees that the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), would allow Heathrow to levy charges to airlines at a level high enough to recoup its investment. Heathrow said the price of the runway itself would now be £21bn, up from £14bn six years ago, due to inflation in construction costs. An additional extension of Terminal 5 to support the extra passengers would cost £12bn, while another £15bn spend is planned to upgrade the wider airport regardless of the runway development. The chief executive of the airport, Thomas Woldbye, said it had 'never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow'. He said: 'We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity. With a green light from government and the correct policy support underpinned by a fit-for-purpose regulatory model, we are ready to mobilise and start investing this year in our supply chain across the country. We are uniquely placed to do this for the country. It is time to clear the way for takeoff.' A government spokesperson said: 'Expanding Heathrow could drive growth, trade and tourism, whilst unlocking over 100,000 jobs.' The government has promised to review the plans over the summer, with Heathrow pressing for a green light in September. It will also examine a rival proposal from a developer, the Arora Group, which has drawn up plans for a shorter runway further to the east. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion A Heathrow spokesperson said the airport was open to discussing with airlines the potential for a shorter runway, but it did not believe alternative schemes could reduce the cost or deliver the same benefits as the existing plans. The hub's expansion is backed by business groups and unions, as well as the government, despite arguments that unchecked aviation growth is incompatible with Britain's net zero ambitions and tackling the climate emergency. The CBI, British Chambers of Commerce, MakeUK and the Federation of Small Businesses said in a joint statement that the third runway 'opens up vital access to major and emerging markets [and] unlocks billions in private investment, strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, and driving skills across the country'. Heathrow claims expansion would also create more competition. British Airways currently operates half of all flights from Heathrow and airlines jealously guard rights to valuable slots. EasyJet said the runway represented 'a unique opportunity for easyJet to operate from the airport at scale for the first time and bring with it lower fares for consumers'. However, opponents questioned whether the scheme would progress, having failed to move ahead so far despite approval from two previous governments. Paul McGuinness, the chair of the No 3rd Runway coalition, said: 'There's a real danger that we'll end up with a hole in the ground and a debt pile for taxpayers to underwrite, because the government had foolishly encouraged Heathrow's profligate self-interest, as if blind to the lessons of HS2.' The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said a new runway would have 'a hugely detrimental impact on our environment'. Dr Douglas Parr, the policy director for Greenpeace UK, said the announcements meant residents around Heathrow would have 'their lives put on hold for a few more years while more money and time is wasted on a doomed scheme … the economic case for the whole debacle just will not fly'.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ardian rolls out US Access Fund
Ardian, a worldwide private investment firm with $180bn in assets, has introduced Ardian Access, an investment vehicle designed to provide accredited US investors direct access to private equity opportunities that are traditionally reserved for institutions. Ardian Access, incorporated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, provides flexible and diverse access to Ardian's secondary, primary, and direct co-investment strategies. The fund is aimed at investors looking for greater access to private markets and to diversify their portfolios through global exposure. With a minimum investment of $25,000, Ardian Access is intended to appeal to a broader variety of accredited investors than standard private equity offerings. The fund will be evergreen, allowing for ongoing inflows and prompt capital deployment, which is uncommon in private markets. The fund will use Ardian's secondary and co-investment platforms, which collectively manage more than $104bn. Over the last four years, the firm's secondaries team has negotiated more than $40bn in transactions, while its co-investment arm has supported more than 140 portfolio businesses alongside top sponsors. Moreover, the fund is designed to mitigate the common obstacles that private market investors experience, such as the J-curve effect, by investing in a diverse portfolio of global private assets managed by established General Partners across many sectors and locations. Mark Benedetti, Executive President at Ardian stated: 'Ardian's Private Wealth Solutions team has experienced remarkable growth by strategically responding to the evolving needs of private investors and wealth managers and is a vital part of Ardian's positioning in private markets. Ardian Access represents our continued expansion, bringing our proven track record in secondaries and co-investments to sophisticated investors seeking scalable solutions.' Michael Bane, Head of Americas Investors Relations and Senior Managing Director at Ardian added: 'Creating Ardian Access LLC was necessary and logical. We wanted to serve Ardian's core competencies to a broader audience, allowing private wealth investors access to the performance our institutional investors have benefitted from since our inception. We seek to provide clients with broad, global private markets exposure to help fill the gaps in their portfolios – this vehicle delivers a professionally managed solution that brings to bear even more of Ardian's differentiated expertise.' According to the firm, investors will benefit from Ardian's enormous proprietary database, which includes over 650 GP's, 1,600 funds, and 10,000 portfolio firms, as well as insights from over 125 private markets specialists operating in 20 global offices. Furthermore, Ardian has already tested this approach in Europe, having successfully launched Ardian Access FCPR in France. Following the US debut, the business will launch Ardian Access SICAV-RAIF, a Luxembourg-based evergreen fund with a similar investment strategy, to accommodate growing global demand. This move represents a key milestone in Ardian's continued growth into the private wealth market, which was formerly controlled by institutional capital and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. The offering is still subject to regulatory approvals and consultations with relevant employee representative bodies. "Ardian rolls out US Access Fund" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Ardian launches fund exclusively for professional investors
Ardian, a private investment firm with $180 billion in assets under management and supervision across its private equity, real assets and private credit platforms, has announced the launch of an evergreen fund - SICAV RAIF - domiciled in Luxembourg, exclusively available for professional investors globally. The Fund will seek to leverage a highly diversified, global portfolio of private assets managed by GPs across sectors, geographies, and company sizes, aiming to generate long-term value whilst mitigating risk and J-Curve effects. Through Ardian Access, investors now have flexible access to the investment group's secondaries, primaries and direct co-investment platforms, which collectively manage close to $110 billion in assets under management. Ardian Access, is a differentiated solution for investors looking to access private markets and diversify their existing exposure. Ardian launched the fund in partnership with iCapital, the global fintech platform shaping the future of investing. The company will leverage iCapital's full suite of servicing and technology solutions for evergreen funds to provide wealth managers and their clients with efficient access to alternative investment opportunities via Ardian Access. Ardian's secondaries team has executed more than $40 billion in secondary transaction volume in the past four years, while its co-investment team has invested alongside sponsors in more than 140 selected portfolio companies to date. Additionally, both teams have managed consecutive generations of diversified portfolios. Through Ardian Access investors gain exposure to: *Ardian's established secondaries and co-investment strategies, underpinned by a 'buy what we know' investment approach focusing on high-quality sponsors and assets, as well as its comprehensive proprietary database spanning more than 650 GPs, 1,600 funds, and 10,000 portfolio companies, which enables Ardian to identify and assess potential opportunities. *Ardian's global secondaries and co-investment teams comprising more than 125 professionals in 20 offices across the globe, which have built robust and trusted partnerships with a broad network of GPs, LPs, and portfolio company management teams and also *Accessible investment minimums of €100,000 and immediate capital deployment from day one, aiming to maximize compounding and limit cash drag. "Private clients are an important and fast‑growing group of investors that account for more than half of Ardian's LPs by number. Ardian Access represents our continued commitment to providing private investors with scalable investment solutions that allow them to take advantage of Ardian's market leading strategies," remarked Jan Philipp Schmitz - Executive Vice President, Ardian. "Our Private Wealth Solutions team is experiencing significant growth as private investors and wealth managers seek greater exposure to the private markets, and we expect this will continue to grow in the coming years," he added. Marie-Victoire Rozé - Deputy Co-Head of Secondaries & Primaries and Senior Managing Director, Ardian, said: "Secondaries are well suited to private wealth because they provide investors with wide diversification and can generate returns and cash flow quickly given their maturity. We have the world's largest Secondaries & Primaries platform, run alongside a significant co-investment offer, and this means we can execute the largest and most complex transactions with the highest quality GPs and underlying investments." "Over 20% of our latest Secondaries fundraise came through private wealth channels, and we are delighted to be opening up our strategy to even more private investors through Ardian Access," he added. Erwan Paugam - Head of Private Wealth Solutions and Managing Director, said: "We are at an inflection point for private capital, with significant numbers of private investors now able to access private capital to diversify their portfolios and generate attractive, long-term returns." "In line with this megatrend, the Ardian Access platform provides private investors with access to the same deals that Ardian has sourced for institutional investors since its inception almost 30 years ago. This marks a significant step to opening our deal flow to more investors," he added. Copyright 2025 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Bloomberg
24-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Cinven Leads Bidding for French Data Services Firm Artefact
Cinven is nearing an acquisition of Artefact in a deal that could value the French data services company at about €1 billion ($1.2 billion), people familiar with the matter said. The private equity firm is putting the finishing touches on a purchase of the Ardian -backed business after beating out rival buyout shops, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
One of Finland's largest energy storage facilities commissioned in Lappeenranta – Merus Power's EUR 15 million delivery completed
Merus Power's electricity storage facility in Lappeenranta, Finland. TAMPERE, Finland, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The energy storage facility delivered by Merus Power to Lappeenranta, Finland, has been completed and put into market use on 15 May 2025. The energy storage facility is owned by a joint venture between Ardian's Clean Energy Evergreen Fund and the local energy provider Lappeenrannan Energia. It is one of the largest energy storage facilities in use on the Finnish electricity market with an output of approximately 38 megawatts and energy of 43 megawatt hours. The completion of the project is significant for Merus Power, as it is the largest energy storage facility manufactured by the company. 'Merus Power operates as an EPC operator, offering its customers comprehensive solutions on a turnkey basis. In this project, the delivery included an energy storage system with installation and commissioning, as well as the management of network requirements. We manage the entire value chain from development to construction, from testing to market. In addition to technical know-how, energy storage facilities require also an understanding of the market and regulation – and this is where our strengths come at play. We have manufactured and put into market use numerous electricity storage facilities,' says Kari Tuomala, CEO of Merus Power. Power like in a small power plant The output of 38 megawatts corresponds to the production capacity of a small power plant, and the nominal capacity of 43 megawatt hours would be enough to cover the electricity consumption of more than 35,000 households, i.e. households about the size of Lappeenranta, for two hours. One of the most important features of an energy storage facility is its ability to respond to the needs of the grid in fractions of a second. It is precisely this kind of flexibility that is crucial for maintaining the stability of Finland's power grid. The energy storage facility is in the Mertaniemi area of Lappeenranta and operates as part of the regional energy structure. The investment project was developed by Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund's Finnish investment platform eNordic in cooperation with Lappeenrannan Energia. Benjamin Kennedy, Managing Director Infrastructure - Renewables, Ardian, said: 'The completion of Mertaniemi is a major milestone for us, representing the Ardian Clean Energy Fund's first investment in battery energy storage in Finland. As the country's wind power capacity continues to grow, the demand for storage solutions has only increased, making this asset critical to maintaining the stability of the grid and providing greater reliability. We are proud to have brought this solution online within 18 months, and we see significant opportunity to invest in battery storage in the Nordics, where we plan to continue building out our platform.' Towards a smarter and cleaner electricity system Energy storage facilities are a critical part of the green transition energy system. They provide flexibility in situations where renewable energy production fluctuates and enable electricity to be stored when it is available in abundance and at a low cost. 'This is the first energy storage investment for Ardian. It is an important step in the implementation of our strategy in Finland and more broadly in the Nordic countries. We see significant investment opportunities in combining renewable energy generation and battery electricity storage technology to build a more stable and sustainable energy system. Ardian's and eNordic's strong position in the Nordic countries and their experience in the long-term development of renewable energy create excellent conditions to drive the energy transition,' says Eero Auranne, CEO, eNordic Oy. More information:Kari Tuomala, CEO, +358 20 735 4320Jonna Kannosto, Director, Communications & IR, +358 44 357 8320 Merus Power in brief:Merus Power is a technology company driving the sustainable energy transition. We design and produce innovative electrical engineering solutions such as energy storages and power quality solutions, and services for the needs of renewable energy and industry. Through our scalable technology, we facilitate the growth of renewable energy in the electricity grids and improve the energy efficiency of society. We are a domestic specialist in innovative electrical engineering and operate in global and high-growth markets. Our personnel represent internationally renowned engineering expertise. Our net sales in 2024 were EUR 35.8 million and our stock's trading symbol on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland is MERUS. ABOUT ARDIAN Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $177bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,850 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients' differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian's main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility. At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last. ABOUT ENORDICeNordic is the Nordic's sustainable energy platform, formed by a partnership between Ardian, and leading domestic industry executives. Through a local, responsible and agile investment approach, eNordic enables the transformation of the energy sector through long-term partnerships with those that develop or operate sustainable energy projects in the invests in opportunities in wind, biomass, hydro and district heating, in addition to traditional energy assets that have the potential to be transformed or managed in a particularly sustainable way. eNordic is based in Sweden and Finland, with local teams operating throughout the Nordics A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
