Hamburg, 04 September 2024 – Aquila Capital, an asset manager specialised on clean energy, green infrastructure and sustainable real estate and with a focus on sustainability, is pleased to announce its strategic entry into the French market through the appointment of René Kassis as Business Development Partner. This expansion marks a significant step in Aquila Capital’s ongoing growth strategy to strengthen its presence in key European markets, with France being one of the largest institutional investment markets in Europe.
René Kassis brings over 30 years of experience in infrastructure investment and the development of real assets platforms to Aquila Capital, both in the asset management and banking sectors. His extensive background and proven track record make him a pivotal addition to Aquila Capital’s team as the company seeks to leverage the robust investment landscape for real assets in France.
Christian Holste, Head Client Advisory & Business Development at Aquila Capital, comments: ”Entering the French market is a logical step for us, given the country’s sophisticated investment ecosystem in the real assets segment. Therefore, we are delighted to partner with René Kassis; his deep expertise and leadership in infrastructure finance and asset management will be instrumental as we expand our operations to this key market. His appointment aligns perfectly with our strategic vision of reinforcing Aquila Capital’s position as a leader in sustainable real assets investments across Europe and beyond.”
Following a strategic partnership with Commerzbank, Aquila Capital aims to become one of the leading asset managers for sustainable investment strategies in Europe. Against this background, the expansion into France is a key component of Aquila Capital’s growth strategy. As part of its tailor-made fund vehicles and investment solutions for real assets, Aquila Capital offers several equity and debt strategies with different focuses according to the individual needs of investors. Its parent company Aquila Group has transacted over EUR 25bn in investments and manages EUR 15bn in assets, with a track record of 26.2 GW capacity installed or under development in a portfolio comprised of wind energy, solar PV, hydropower assets and battery energy storage systems (BESS). Additionally, Aquila Group has a track record of 1.3 m sqm of Green Logistics projects and several data centres in operation or under development and construction. Clients are also invested in a forestry portfolio of 13,447 ha and in 50 energy efficiency projects across Europe. With more than 700 employees in 19 offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific, Aquila Group is well-positioned to contribute to the global energy transition and strengthen infrastructure backbones worldwide.