Schroders has launched a new infrastructure finance capability, signalling a long-term commitment to building a first-class capability in this asset class.
The infrastructure finance capability will be led by the newly appointed Head of Infrastructure Finance, Charles Dupont (pictured), who joined Schroders in August 2015. Dupont will focus on developing the capability and build on his strong existing relationships with institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies.
Dupont joins from AXA Real Estate Investment Management. Prior to that, he was a founding partner at Antin Infrastructure Partners and served on the board of various companies within the transportation, energy and telecom sectors in Europe. He holds a Masters degree in engineering from Ecole Polytechnique and graduated from Ecole Nationale d’Administration in France.
Philippe Lespinard, Co-Head of Fixed Income at Schroders, says: "Charles has established an excellent track record over the years and has well established contacts in the sector. His in-depth experience will be invaluable as we develop our infrastructure finance capability. We consider infrastructure finance to be an attractive asset class and one that is set for future growth. We believe it is currently benefitting from increasing demand from long-term institutional investors due to the increasing supply of projects, partly attributable to macro-economic factors and changing regulations."
Dupont says: "We believe now is the right time for Schroders to grow an infrastructure finance capability when disintermediation of credit is accelerating in Europe, and granularity of transactions justifies a rationalisation of credit analysis related to smaller issuers. Schroders has an outstanding reputation in fund management for its long-term outlook and its understanding of clients’ needs. I look forward to working closely with the institutional sales teams to offer this new capability globally."
Charles is based in Schroders’ Paris office and will work alongside the well-established institutional sales teams globally.
