Swiss SFP holds €110m close on first fund

Swiss firm SFP Infrastructure Partners has held a close on its first infrastructure fund at €110 million, with final close expected by the end of the year

Citi, Apollo form direct lending program

Citigroup has partnered with Apollo to form a $25 billion private credit direct lending program initially in North America, but expandable to other geographies

IFC-led consortia backs Pak telecom deal

The International Finance Corp and 2 other investors are providing up to $400 million to support a telecommunications deal in Pakistan

Valokuitunen acquires Telia fibre network, Finland

Valokuitunen, a portfolio company of CapMan, has acquired Telia’s residential fibre network in Finland – the Nordic country’s largest fibre network deal

Manulife third infra fund at $1.25bn, Canada

Manulife Investment Management has raised around $1.25 billion for its third infrastructure fund, according to SEC filings

Blackstone plans Europe’s largest AI data centre

US alternative investment manager Blackstone will develop a £10 billion AI data centre in Blyth, north-east England

European Commission clears e&’s telco acquisition

The European Commission has conditionally cleared e&’s €2.15 billion acquisition of a 50% plus 1 share interest in PPF Telecom Group’s assets across Bulgaria, Hungary, Servia and Slovakia

Vero Networks secures $80m for growth, US

Vero Networks, a Colorado-based fibre infrastructure and broadband internet provider, has raised $80 million in preferred equity financing

Equitix in market with infra debt fund, UK

UK-based Equitix is in the market with its first infrastructure debt strategy, IJGlobal understands

SCOR launches high-yield debt fund, France

SCOR Investment Partners has launched a second vintage of its high-yield infrastructure debt fund, targeting €500 million in commitments

Sixth Street acquires interest in EdgeConnex, US

Sixth Street has acquired a minority interest in US-based data centre capacity provider EdgeConnex from EQT Infrastructure

Scala secures $500m financing, Brazil

Brazil’s Scala Danta Centers has secured a $500 million structured financing to facilitate the firm’s expansion across Latin America

Adler to head L&G asset management business

Legal & General Group has appointed Eric Adler as chief executive of its combined public & private asset management businesses based in London and subject to regulatory approval

Illinois SURS commits $100m to Pantheon fund

Illinois State Universities Retirement System has committed $100 million to Pantheon’s fifth infrastructure fund

EQT closes active core fund below target

EQT has reached final close on its active core infrastructure fund at €2.9 billion –short of its €5 billion target