Seasoned infrastructure investors to lead new future-focused direct infrastructure investment unit
Guardian Capital Group Limited has announced that it is launching a new direct private infrastructure investment business.
Guardian Smart Infrastructure Management (GSIM) will invest in opportunities and projects that will integrate technology advancements to make new and current global infrastructure assets more productive. GSIM's investment team will be led by seasoned infrastructure investors Robert Mah and Christopher Lee, Guardian said.
Mah and Lee both have decades of experience in the investing industry, particularly in the infrastructure sector. Their combined records include top positions at global investment banks, a large public investment fund, and serving as General Partners of core infrastructure funds.
Most recently, they were also partners of Smart Infrastructure Managers. Together, the two have managed over US$ 15 billion in direct infrastructure investments around the world, and collaborated on establishing the Smart Infrastructure Managers strategy over the past few years.
“The launch of Guardian Smart Infrastructure Management is an exciting development for Guardian as we bring on board a very talented team whose leaders are steeped in the knowledge and experience of investing in private infrastructure assets,” George Mavroudis, President and Chief Executive Officer at Guardian, said in a statement. “We at Guardian have developed a reputation over 60 years for patient, long-term investing founded on deep-rooted relationships. We plan to leverage this significant experience to build the next frontier of infrastructure investing with our partners.”
Mah added: “Direct infrastructure investment has proven to be an extremely popular asset class among large institutional investors around the globe. Our focus will be to apply proven, value-enhancing technologies to existing infrastructure and greenfield assets, thereby increasing efficiencies and revenues.
“The demand for this type of infrastructure investing is accelerating and we believe our focus will garner the interest of both existing and prospective investors,” he said. “The demand for this type of infrastructure investing is becoming more relevant for investors as the broader asset class matures.”
With Guardian’s resources and relationships, Mah said GSIM will be able to accelerate their Smart Infrastructure strategy alongside strategic partners, as well as pursue direct opportunities globally in digital infrastructure assets and companies.
