Aquila Capital Holding has entered into a strategic partnership with Japan’s Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure to boost project investment, including renewables, in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Under the terms of the agreement, Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure will acquire a 40% minority stake in Aquila Capital for an undisclosed price.
Both founding partners of Aquila Capital, Roman Rosslenbroich and Dieter Rentsch, will continue to lead the organisation.
Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure will support Aquila Capital in identifying and developing investment solutions for the Japanese and Asian markets.
Aquila Capital will also benefit from Daiwa’s network of institutional clients and will be able to leverage the latter’s brand and reputation in the Japanese market, it said.
Rosslenbroich said: “My partner Dieter Rentsch and I are delighted to welcome Daiwa as a shareholder.
“We will gain a long-term oriented partner who appreciates what we have achieved and wants to preserve the vibrant culture which defines Aquila Capital and help us to expand the business further.
“Since 2001, we believe we have created a remarkable business based on a meritocratic and entrepreneurial culture which has attracted and retained some of the best talents in the industry and built excellent investment capabilities to serve the continuous investor demand for real assets and responsible investments.
“Aquila Capital and Daiwa are building on a long-standing relationship having partnered in Japanese solar investments for several years.
“The industrial logic, shared vision of the importance of real assets and philosophical fit are exceptional.
“We are excited about the future and will focus on building on our momentum with international investors and markets.
“Daiwa is a long-term oriented shareholder that provides strong credentials as one of the leading, comprehensive financial service firms in Japan, while we will continue to operate as an investment-focused, independent business and further strengthen our leading market position.”
Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure president Morimasa Matsuda said: “We are excited to enter into a strategic partnership with Aquila Capital, a competitive and unique real asset investment company.
“Through the future collaboration, we will aim at accelerating our business in Europe, with a huge market opportunity in the renewable energy field, learning from the sophisticated PPA markets not depending on grants and public support from the respective government.
“In addition, we are seeing a growing global demand for sustainable real asset investments, particularly in Japan and Asia.
“With its expertise and strong track record across renewable energy, Aquila Capital is ideally positioned to serve this investor demand.
“Together, we will build on this momentum and further accelerate Aquila Capital’s growth.”