• Partnership strengthens Aquila Capital’s position for real asset investments in Europe
• Aquila Capital to benefit from Daiwa’s Asian market expertise and network
• Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure will acquire minority stake in Aquila Capital; Founders of Aquila Capital will continue to lead the company
Hamburg, 5 December 2019 – Aquila Capital Holding GmbH (jointly with its subsidiaries “Aquila Capital”), a leading manager in real asset investments, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure Co., Ltd. (“DEI”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daiwa Securities Group Inc. (“Daiwa”). The partnership will enable Aquila Capital to further strengthen its position for real asset investments in Europe and capture additional attractive investment opportunities for investors in the Asia-Pacific region.
Roman Rosslenbroich, CEO and co-founder of Aquila Capital, comments: “My partner Dieter Rentsch and I are delighted to welcome Daiwa as a shareholder. We will gain a long-term oriented partner who appreciates what we have achieved and wants to preserve the vibrant culture which defines Aquila Capital and help us to expand the business further.
Since 2001, we believe we have created a remarkable business based on a meritocratic and entrepreneurial culture which has attracted and retained some of the best talents in the industry and built excellent investment capabilities to serve the continuous investor demand for real assets and responsible investments.
Aquila Capital and Daiwa are building on a long-standing relationship having partnered in Japanese solar investments for several years. The industrial logic, shared vision of the importance of real assets and philosophical fit are exceptional. We are excited about the future and will focus on building on our momentum with international investors and markets.
Daiwa is a long-term oriented shareholder that provides strong credentials as one of the leading, comprehensive financial service firms in Japan, while we will continue to operate as an investment-focused, independent business and further strengthen our leading market position.”
Aquila Capital manages approx. EUR 9.5 billion for a broad range of institutional investors in Europe and Asia. To date, its investments include over 4.2 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity and over 1.3 million square metres of real estate in Europe (as at 31 October 2019). The firm has grown its international presence significantly over the past decade. Daiwa has been investing in renewable energies since 2012. In 2018, Daiwa established DEI in order to accelerate Daiwa’s investments in real asset investments and expand its investment targets to a wider area of industry.
Morimasa Matsuda, President of Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure, said: “We are excited to enter into a strategic partnership with Aquila Capital, a competitive and unique real asset investment company. Through the future collaboration, we will aim at accelerating our business in Europe, with a huge market opportunity in the renewable energy field, learning from the sophisticated PPA markets not depending on grants and public support from the respective government. In addition, we are seeing a growing global demand for sustainable real asset investments, particularly in Japan and Asia. With its expertise and strong track record across renewable energy, Aquila Capital is ideally positioned to serve this investor demand. Together, we will build on this momentum and further accelerate Aquila Capital’s growth.”
DEI will support Aquila Capital in identifying and developing first-rate investment solutions for the Japanese and Asian markets under the Aquila Capital brand through its operative experience and extensive market reach.
Aquila Capital will also benefit from Daiwa’s strong network of institutional clients and will be able to leverage Daiwa’s recognized brand and excellent reputation in the Japanese markets in its marketing efforts.
The agreement with DEI will compliment Aquila Capital’s investment franchise for the region with the highest prospective growth, while guaranteeing its independence. As part of the strategic partnership, DEI will acquire a minority stake of 40% in Aquila Capital. The parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential. Both founding partners of Aquila Capital, Roman Rosslenbroich and Dieter Rentsch, will continue to lead Aquila Capital and hold the majority.
Moelis & Company and Berkshire Global Advisors acted as joint financial advisers to Aquila in relation to the transaction. Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek and Clifford Chance acted as legal advisers to Aquila Capital. Daiwa was advised by CMS Hasche Sigle acting as sole legal adviser to Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure.
Press enquiries:
Christian Falkowski
Hering Schuppener Consulting
Phone: +49 69 921 874-64
Email: cfalkowski(at)heringschuppener.com
Jacqueline Niemeyer
Hering Schuppener Consulting
Phone: +49 69 921 874-71
Email: jniemeyer(at)heringschuppener.com
About Aquila Capital:
Aquila Group is an experienced and long-term investor in essential, real asset investments. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Dieter Rentsch and Roman Rosslenbroich, the Group currently oversees EUR 9.5 billion in assets under management and administration for its clients worldwide (as at 31.10.2019).
The business centres on secular and sustainable trends in renewable energy, social housing, green logistics, infrastructure, timber and agriculture. Dedicated specialist investment teams with entrepreneurial mindsets draw on their sector networks and experience to screen, develop, finance, manage and operate investments along the entire value chain.
Local, on-site management teams are central to the company’s operations, with 13 offices in 12 countries. Comprehensive operational capabilities, more than 300 employees at group level, intensive asset management and a passion for detail ensure asset and product performance as well as the timely deployment of capital.
Aquila Group believes in stringent corporate governance. With its two AIFMs in Luxembourg and Germany, it is subject to the highest European regulatory standards.
Embedded in its activities lies a passion for real assets and living ESG, better every day.
About Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure (“DEI”):
DEI was established in 2018 as a whole subsidiary of Daiwa Securities Group Inc., one of the leading, comprehensive financial service firms in Japan. Daiwa is going to provide “New Value” as an “Integrated Securities Group with Hybrid Business Model” by leveraging its traditional security business and expanding its business areas including renewable energy and infrastructure field.
Daiwa is planning not only to develop and operate energy and infrastructure assets through DEI but also to provide its client investors with valuable financial products and solutions backed by energy and infrastructure assets
Daiwa and DEI are aiming to contribute to achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).