21 March 2025
BBVA CIB takes the stage at Infrastructure Investor Network’s Global Summit
A select group of BBVA CIB representatives recently traveled to Berlin for the Infrastructure Investor Network Global Summit 2025.
A global gathering of infrastructure leaders
The vibrant city played host to this key event which brought together +3000 infrastructure leaders and investors from around the world.
It was the perfect forum to exchange views on the future of global infrastructure and unlock unique networking opportunities. Moreover, on this occasion, two BBVA representatives took the floor and moderated insightful discussions.
Discussing the future of utilities and partnership models
Under the title “Exploring the utilities market and the future of partnership models”, Carlos Zuloaga, Global Sector Head of Energy at BBVA CIB moderated a timely discussion featuring Equitix’s Simon Davy, Managing Director, Investments; Dominic Helmsley, Head of Core Infrastructure at ABRDN; and Andrew Truscott, CEO at John Laing.
Experts spoke about the role of essential utilities in powering the economy of the future and the type of public-private partnership models that can help deliver essential utility infrastructure moving forward. They also zoomed into how some common challenges can be leveraged in order to transform them into opportunities for both investment and society alike.
Defining infrastructure investment as an asset class
Gonzalo Fernández-Turégano, Global Sector Head of Financial Sponsors at BBVA CIB moderated “Servicing investors under an ever-broadening infrastructure umbrella”. The session featured Graham Matthews, Head of Infrastructure at Patrizia’s; Andrew Honan, Co-Managing Partner, MML Keystone at MML Capital; Robert Dupree, Principal, Co-Head of the Investments group and Co-Head of Infrastructure & Impact from CIM Group; and Karen Donelec, Partner, Ancala.
Panelists delivered an interesting debate on the definition of infrastructure as an asset class versus other assets such as private equity or real estate. They also explored its fundamental components - essential service for society, predictability and stability of cash flows as well as down side protection - and zoomed into how the concept has evolved over the years. “Maintaining a discipline when analyzing this asset class is key to ensuring it meets all the characteristics of infrastructure as well as avoiding wrong investor decisions - and prices - that don’t match the associated risk”, Fernández-Turégano said.