Allens has advised Aware Super on its investment in bandwidth infrastructure provider euNetworks, the first UK infrastructure investment from Aware Super’s recently opened London office.
The investment, alongside other institutional investors, is part of a €2.1 billion equity recapitalisation, and broadens Aware’s digital infrastructure investments across its portfolio. euNetworks is a leading provider of fibre networks and data centre connectivity in Europe, directly connecting more than 542 data centres in 17 countries.
‘This investment is reflective of the digital infrastructure opportunities sought by Australia’s superannuation sector, benefiting from tailwinds arising from the acceleration in AI innovation and connectivity to data centre infrastructure,’ said lead Partner Sean Cole.
‘We are pleased to have advised Aware Super as a lead investor and worked with its Australian and UK teams on this innovative transaction. The recapitalisation is another example of the evolution in continuation fund technology being deployed beyond the private equity sector to other alternative asset classes such as infrastructure.’
Allens’ involvement in the transaction follows its role advising the Aware Super infrastructure team on the sale of its 62.5% interest in the Sydney Light Rail Project to KKR-owned infrastructure investor John Laing, and its acquisition of a further stake in Australian Registry Investments, operator of NSW Land Registry Services, earlier this year.