Natixis Investment Managers has announced the launch of its new affiliate, Vauban Infrastructure Partners, which will be expected to strengthen its alternative and real asset capabilities.
Under the terms of the deal, which was seen as a further expansion of Natixis’ alternative and real asset range, the current infrastructure team of Mirova would be transferred to a standalone affiliate which would be led by its two founding partners.
Gwenola Chambon would become the chief executive of the new entity while Mounir Corm would be named deputy chief executive. In addition to that, the team would include 35 experienced professionals who over the last 10 years managed five infrastructure funds and invested in more than 50 assets across Europe.
They would continue to specialise in managing equity funds dedicated to global greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets across the transportation, utilities, digital infrastructure and social infrastructure sectors.
Vauban would aim to reach out to the institutional investors which would include pension funds, insurance companies, financial institutions and family offices across Europe and Asia, with the objective to double its assets under management (AUM) over the next years.
“The creation of Vauban Infrastructure Partners is a natural step in our development and will help us to pursue further growth in a market where size matters. We have an ambition to continue our European-focused mid-market strategies but also to further explore international expansion,” Chambon said.
The launch of Vauban followed the launch of Flexstone Partners, a global private equity manager, in December 2018; the acquisition of MV Credit, a private debt specialist, in June 2018; and the launch of a co-investment offering – for real estate, infrastructure and aviation private debt – between Ostrum Asset Management and Natixis’ Corporate & Investment Banking arm in May 2018.
