Zoe Jeanroy-Broz – senior vice president in the investment team at Vauban Infrastructure Partners – was a judge favourite for the IJInvestor rising star award in the infrastructure investment arena.  

A member of the independent judging panel said Zoe was a clear winner as it was a “strong entry” as Zoe has worked on a wide selection of transactions and across a number of geographic regions. “This latter element is very valuable in a globalizing market, to take the best of techniques and technology and cross-fertilize into other regions,” one judge said.  

Since 2012, Zoe has honed her expertise in structuring and executing infrastructure projects, both greenfield and brownfield, showcasing her skills in transaction origination, execution, and asset management.   

Prior to joining Vauban, Zoe held a senior position within the Public & Project Finance team at PwC in Paris, where she provided financial advisory services to a diverse client base across Europe and Africa. She also spent 2 formative years with Veolia’s Project Finance team in Hong Kong, where she played a key role in structuring financial aspects of development projects in the waste, water, and energy sectors across Asia. 

At Vauban, Zoe has demonstrated leadership in innovative energy transition investments, such as Wijster biomethane plant in the Netherlands, amongst other landmark deals, such as BYCACE project and Port Adhoc. 

Zoe was a key member of the Vauban team responsible for concluding the acquisition of Wijster plant, also known at the Tulip transaction.  

The Wijster plant is one of the largest biomethane production facilities in Europe, with an existing installed capacity of 237 GWh/year intended for injection into the Dutch grid. The plant, an anaerobic digestion facility, is primarily designed to process poultry manure, with the capability to operate with various inputs such as organic waste. 

Her involvement in the deal led a judge to say that Zoe’s transactions really pave the way for future impact and it is impressive that she managed to bring Biomethane off the ground. 

This investment also strengthened Vauban’s presence in the Dutch market, marking its first direct investment in the Netherlands, a key Western European market with a strong regulatory framework. It is a particularly favorable location for biomethane development, benefiting from unparalleled agricultural production intensity and a national framework supportive of biomethane. 

A member of the independent judging panel said: “Zoe has been involved in infrastructure investments across different regions and has been a key member of the investment team for a landmark transaction - the acquisition of the Wijster plant in the Netherlands. Her willingness to explore opportunities in different regions should be applauded, as well as her acting as a role model for women in a sector often dominated by men. A successful career so far but the submission does not demonstrate key innovation characteristics. 

Zoe is a clear leader in the category, who displayed significant multi-faceted skills in transaction origination, execution, and asset management and professional experience in diverse geographies, including Africa, Western and Eastern Europe, and Asia 

 “Zoe has a career history that is impressively mulitfaceted and having looked at infra from many different angles across different regions she stands out,” a judge said.  

While another member of the judging panel said, “Measurable results and involvement in important transactions in 2024.” 

One judge said: “Zoe is a great model and has presided over huge achievements by Vauban.”