One of the judging panel for the IJGlobal Awards 2023 put it nicely when talking about Marine Meiller saying: “It’s difficult not to be impressed with the pace of her career development in Vauban.”

Another of the judges said: “Marine's high score reflects her outperformance relative to expected seniority and also her navigation of a wide range of sectors both greenfield and brownfield.”

Yet another judge said: “Marine sounds fantastic! I am deeply impressed by her very speedy rise to senior roles and diverse skillset. She appears to throw herself into her roles while also supporting others.”

Marine Meiller is currently senior vice president and partner at Vauban Infrastructure Partners. She is married and mother of 2 children, having spent most of her career at the French fund manager.

Right from the outset of her career, Marine was drawn to the infrastructure sector. She secured internships at organisations like Aéroports de Paris (ADP) and KPMG Corporate Finance, giving her early exposure to the sector and confirming her passion.

She joined Vauban investment team in 2016, swiftly assuming meaningful responsibilities, notably in orchestrating 2 intricate greenfield transactions – a wastewater treatment plant and a tourist train. These required a diverse skillset, both financially and contractually.

Having demonstrated her expertise in greenfield projects, Marine then contributed substantially to multiple transactions across diverse sectors. Notably, she played instrumental roles in the sourcing, structuring, negotiation, and execution of Hermes & Zagreb Airports, Altiservice, and Indigo Group transactions — the latter being recognised as 2019's transport deal of the year.

The submission states: “Her proficient management of assets during the health crisis and especially her ability to navigate challenges, earned her a promotion to vice president, making her the youngest in this role.

“In this position, Marine independently helmed investment cases and managed teams seamlessly. A testament to her prowess was her leadership in Vauban's very first renewable energy project, where her innovative transaction structuring was paramount to its success.”

The submission continues: “Marine’s undeniable contributions to Vauban's growth trajectory has been recognised at the highest level at Vauban. She was soon inducted into Vauban’s partnership. Her promotion to partner, especially as the youngest member – before turning 30 – underscores the deep-rooted trust and recognition she commands among her peers.

“In a subsequent significant achievement, she co-led the transaction for Coriance, one of the largest deals in France in 2023, solidifying Vauban's position in the market.”

The judges were only too happy to agree that Marine's trajectory at Vauban has been remarkable. Within 7 years, she successfully closed and managed 8 projects as a board member, overseeing more than €1.6 billion in equity commitments from Vauban.

Her acceleration in roles and responsibilities, handling a diverse range of infrastructure projects across Europe, underscores her unmatched capabilities and value to the fund, both for capital deployment and for optimising performance from the assets under management.

This expertise across different sectors and her ability to manage highly complex situations also enabled her to create and animate an asset management taskforce within Vauban, fostering the sharing of best practices and innovative ideas to enhance the performance of assets across the team.

The submission states: “Marine is more than just a leader. She is a mentor and source of inspiration for the emerging talent at Vauban. She embodies and imparts Vauban's core values – excellence, performance, fairness, and reliability, ensuring that these principles are deeply ingrained in the team's spirit.”