Infrastructure
Investor
Network
Global Investor Forum
John Apostolides
Investment Partner, Palistar Capital
Unleashing infrastructure’s potential in an era of transition
The Global Investor Forum is the core of the Infrastructure Investor Global Summit and each year sees the largest gathering of institutional capital devoted to infrastructure.
Attendees met and heard from the world’s institutional and private investors, industry leaders and inspirational keynote speakers.
Gain even deeper insights with our brand new streams.
Offshoots of the Global Investor Forum, our brand new streams will allowed attendees to hone in on infrastructure’s most important topics.
Key themes included:
- Back to the future – embracing infrastructure’s key strengths in a challenging environment
- Infrastructure secondaries taking centre stage?
- Addressing climate change, mitigation and adaptation
- Achieving systematic value creation as an active infrastructure asset manager
Six specialist forums. One Global Summit.
The Global Investor Forum is part of the industry’s leading event, the Infrastructure Investor Global Summit, taking place across four days in Berlin. From Digital Infrastructure to the Energy Transition, the Summit delves deep into each of the sub-asset classes to provide actionable insights to individuals with varying areas of interest.
Are you a private or institutional investor?
Then you may be eligible for a complimentary pass. A limited number of passes are available for eligible allocators and institutional and private investors to join the event. To qualify for a complimentary pass, you must meet the eligibility criteria in representing a pension fund, insurance company, sovereign wealth fund, private wealth manager, foundation, endowment, family office or corporate investment division.
Apply for a pass and a member of our team will be in touch to confirm your eligibility.
Position your brand at the centre of the infrastructure community
Strengthen your market credibility, put your brand in front of your key target markets and meet your investment and business goals. Sponsorship gives you:
- VIP access
- Thought-leadership opportunities
- High-profile branding
- And much more …
For more information on available sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alexander Jakes at alexander.j@peigroup or call +44(0)20 3862 7498
For more information or if you are interested in speaking at the Global Investor Forum, please contact James Hatwell.
View agenda page
Agenda
Global Investor Forum 2024 - Day 1 - Tuesday 19th
Networking
07:00 - 08:30
Charity Networking Walk and Running Club sponsored by Arclight Capital Partners
07:30 - 08:30
Registration opens
Plenary
08:30 - 08:35
Welcome from Infrastructure Investor
Nicholas Lockley
08:35 - 08:45
Welcome from the chair
Jemima Atkins
08:45 - 09:25
Opening keynote panel: Back to the future – embracing infrastructure’s key strengths in a challenging environment
Wilhelm Schmundt,
Gwenola Chambon,
Julio Garcia,
Roopa Murthy,
Kevin Smithen,
Kirsten Whitehead
- Why will infrastructure prove a safe and enticing haven for investors in a challenging investment environment?
- How are managers faring when it comes to bouncing back from a difficult fundraising period?
- Digitalisation, climate mitigation, decarbonisation & more: reasons for investors to be excited about infrastructure in 2024 and beyond
Moderator: Wilhelm Schmundt, Managing Director and Senior Partner, Global Head of Infrastructure Investors , Boston Consulting Group
Wilhelm Schmundt
Managing Director and Senior Partner - Global Leader, Infrastructure Investors, Boston Consulting Group
Read bio
09:25 - 10:05
Panel: Optimising your approach as long-term infrastructure investors
Thomas Fisher,
Pilar Banegas,
Michael Hill,
Karin Kaiser,
Melissa Richards,
Gijs Voskuyl
- How is the asset class reacting to short and long-term market tailwinds?
- Utilising expertise and resource to invest in sustainable and effective infrastructure in a rapidly changing technological environment
- How to manage through short-term volatility to achieve your long-term goals
Moderator: Thomas Fisher, Partner, Infrastructure M&A, Clifford Chance
10:05 - 10:45
Panel: Achieving a just and effective global energy transition
Patricia Rodrigues Jenner,
Dr. Mathias Bimberg,
Neil Brown,
Shami Nissan,
Marco van Daele,
Jan Vesely
- Energy transition funds – proving immune to challenging market dynamics and fundraising challenges?
- Investors’ role and responsibility in a just transition
- How the world is shaping up for net zero as we edge closer to 2030 and key transition goals
Moderator: Patricia Rodrigues Jenner, Member of Infrastructure Investment Committees, UK GLIL and Africa’s AIIM
Patricia Rodrigues Jenner
Member of Infrastructure Investment Committees, UK GLIL & Africa’s AIIM
Read bio
10:45 - 11:10
Coffee and networking
Plenary
11:10 - 11:50
Panel: A transitioning world beyond energy – how infrastructure investing is influencing global developments
Federico Fruhbeck,
Anthony Borreca,
Victoria Hall,
Niall Mills,
Deborah Zurkow
- What responsibility do private investors have in society when it comes to safeguarding stable, sustainable decision-making in infrastructure investment?
- What must investors and fund managers do to make a positive difference in a world of rapidly evolving social dynamics?
- How infrastructure players are finding a balance amidst price shocks, geopolitical instability and climate change
Moderator: Federico Fruhbeck, Partner, Gibson Dunn
11:50 - 12:30
Panel: The road ahead - examining a bright future for a young asset class
Katherine Kucherenko,
Damian Darragh,
Jean-Francis Dusch,
Jake Erhard,
Mike Hoverman,
Alina Osorio
- Why is there an abundance of optimism for growth in infrastructure currently?
- Technological development at the organisation & asset level – how are funds driving innovation in an increasingly digitised world?
- Why the capital raising outlook is looking brighter for 2024 and beyond after a stumble in 2023
Moderator: Katherine Kucherenko, Senior Relationship Manager, Asset Owner Partnerships, APG Asset Management
12:30 - 13:10
Panel: Finding relative value across the infrastructure spectrum
Jessamy Gallagher,
Bruno Candès,
Simon Jardine,
Graham Matthews,
Benn Mikula,
Esther Peiner
- How to appeal to increasingly selective investors in a dislocated market
- Pricing power, risk-adjusted returns, liquidity pressures and other considerations
- The importance of portfolio diversification in the quest for relative value
Moderator: Jessamy Gallagher, Partner & Global Co-Chair of the Paul Hastings Corporate Department, Paul Hastings
13:10 - 13:30
Fireside Chat: Infrastructure investing in a deglobalized world
Kalliope Gourntis,
Sikander Rashid
- Rerouting global supply chains
- Opportunities emerging in digital infrastructure
- Building a new value chain for AI
Moderator: Kalliope Gourntis, Deputy Editor, Infrastructure Investor
13:30 - 14:30
Networking lunch
Stream A: Global Investor Forum
14:30 - 15:10
Debate: The attractiveness of infrastructure debt against equity: assessing viability and finding value
Monika Bednarz,
John Carey,
Tom Murray,
Joshua Parrish,
Mike Roth,
Don Dimitrievich
- The long-term equity play vs debt advantages in a high-rate environment
- How are investors getting creative with project financing?
- What strategies are proving most appealing across both debt and equity?
Moderator: Monika Bednarz, Managing Director, Lagrange Financial Advisory
Don Dimitrievich
Portfolio Manager, Senior Managing Director, Energy Infrastructure Credit, Nuveen
Read bio
15:10 - 15:50
Panel: Infrastructure secondaries taking centre stage in 2024 & beyond?
Claire Prospert,
Jean-Pascal Asseman,
Diego Jimenez,
Marc Meier,
Dominik von Scheven,
Henry Willans
- Valuations, high-rates, denominator effect – assessing the market dynamics driving secondaries activity
- What role will infrastructure secondaries have in investor portfolios in the future?
- How will secondaries continue to stay relevant and appealing in an ever-changing market environment?
Moderator: Claire Prospert, Partner, Linklaters
Stream B: Assets in focus
14:30 - 15:10
Panel: Future-proofing traditional transportation assets
Isabel O'Brien,
Juan Angoitia,
Dr. Stefan Hasenböhler,
Dominic Helmsley ,
Hamish Mackenzie,
Danilo Quattromani
- Gearing transportation infrastructure towards a decarbonised future
- Anticipating shifting behaviours towards travel to take advantage of opportunities in transport
- Where in the world are investors looking to invest in this sector?
Moderator: Isabel O’Brien, Reporter, Americas, Infrastructure Investor
Danilo Quattromani
Managing Director, Analytical Head of EMEA for Global Infrastructure & Project Finance, Fitch Ratings
Read bio
15:10 - 15:50
Panel: Finding the opportunity gap in essential utilities & social infrastructure
Francois Bouillon,
Rebecca Collins,
Béatrice de Taisne,
Karim Nassif,
James Nicholls
- Assessing the shortcomings of short-term thinking and struggles of water infrastructure and other essential assets
- Considering responsibility and ethics when it comes to private investment in social & specialist infrastructure
- The opportunity gap: where can private investors step in?
- The intersection of public and private: how can PPPs and other investment structures purposefully service essential & social infrastructure across the globe?
Moderator: Francois Bouillon, Partner, Ely Place Partners
15:50 - 16:20
Coffee & networking
Stream A: Global Investor Forum
16:20 - 17:00
Panel: The rise of impact & transition strategies across global private infrastructure
Laurence Monnier,
Subahoo Chordia,
Scott Jacobs,
Minesh Mashru,
Dr. Alexandra von Bernstorff,
Johan Tiselius
- Analysing the rise of impact & transition funds across private markets and how they manifest themselves in infrastructure
- How are these funds playing their part in investor portfolios alongside existing sustainably-minded investments?
- Ensuring these investments are economically sustainable and inflation-linked as well as delivering true environmental impact
Moderator: Laurence Monnier, Director, 1PlanetInfra
Subahoo Chordia
President and Head of Real Assets Business, Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors Limited
Read bio
17:00 - 17:40
Panel: Investor perspectives on the infrastructure market
Surinder Toor,
Michela Bariletti ,
Lea Dubourg-Hrachovec,
Mark Hector,
Steve Muenzen,
Christian Wiehenkamp
- Valuations, cost of debt and more -how have the past 12 months played out in comparison to investor expectations?
- How are investors viewing an ever-changing GP market amidst significant consolidations, acquisitions and the emergence of new managers?
- The denominator effect, liquidity pressures and other factors at the fore of current investor portfolio decision-making
Moderator: Surinder Toor, Managing Partner, Arjun Infrastructure
Lea Dubourg-Hrachovec
Managing Director and Head of Europe, BCI - Infrastructure & Renewable Resources
Read bio
Stream B: Assets in focus
16:20 - 17:00
Panel: Zeroing in on renewable assets
Kirsty Hamilton OBE,
Michael Bonte-Friedheim,
Rutuja Jagtap,
Scott Mackin,
Martin Vogt,
Carter Ward
- Examining deal activity across the globe – what’s happening in renewables, and where?
- Looking at how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) and other domestic or international policies have influenced investment
- What does the future hold for offshore wind, solar, geothermal power, and other renewable assets now that we sit at the top of the cycle?
Moderator: Kirsty Hamilton OBE, Associate Fellow, Chatham House
17:00 - 17:40
Panel: Re-thinking energy asset exposure in a complex transition era
Daniel Kemp,
Alex Brierley,
Carolyn Hansard,
Simon Hayden,
Tim Marahrens,
Yngve Slyngstad
- How are investors re-thinking their exposure to gas and fossil fuels alongside renewables?
- Is green energy investment truly less risky at present?
- Supply chain issues and more: how investors can navigate the hurdles currently impacting certain green energy assets
Moderator: Daniel Kemp, APAC Editor, Infrastructure Investor
17:40 - 18:15
Keynote: What’s Next? Making Sense of a Global Economy
Nicholas Lockley,
Zanny Minton Beddoes
In this big picture presentation, Zanny Minton Beddoes—The Economist’s Editor-in-Chief and former Washington Editor, Economics Editor and Business Affairs Editor—reveals the interplay of democracy, demography, technology, energy and government policies as the ultimate drivers of economic change.
As it relates to global economy: 1) How is Europe displaying attributes typical of Japan, where economies are no longer shrinking, but stagnant? 2) Emerging market economies are being tested: A candid look at which have promise and those that could collapse under the pressure.
Minton Beddoes delivers unmatched insights and global perspective on the various economic elements at work in presentations that are constantly evolving along with global economic conditions and circumstances.
Moderator: Nicholas Lockley, Director, PEI Group
18:20 - 19:20
Close of day 1 & Official drinks reception & e-sport charity tournament, sponsored by Paul Hastings
Agenda
Global Investor Forum 2024 - Day 2 - Wednesday 20th
07:30 - 09:00
Registration opens
07:45 - 08:45
Infrastructure Investor Women’s Circle breakfast
Plenary
09:00 - 09:10
Welcome back from the chair
Jemima Atkins
09:10 - 09:50
Global keynote panel: Addressing climate change and embracing mitigation and adaptation
Annika Zawadzki,
Joost Bergsma,
Laurent Chatelin,
Christoph Manser,
Olivia Wassenaar
- Action plans, funds and specialist vehicles: what is being done on climate beyond energy transition in the private infrastructure market?
- Reality checks – where do we truly stand on climate change and what infrastructure investors can do to develop resilience as well as invest in transition
- Integrating climate risk and adapting existing investment processes for funds and investors
Moderator: Annika Zawadzki, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group
09:50 - 10:30
Keynote speech: The World in a Time of Change: Lessons for the future, from the past
Peter Frankopan
10:30 - 10:50
Coffee and networking
Plenary
10:50 - 11:30
Panel: Expectations vs reality: how are private infrastructure valuations playing out?
Anish Butani,
Renaud de Matharel,
Ingrid Edmund,
David Field,
Karishma Merchant
- With valuations still relatively high, is this artificial and can we expect a softening?
- Assessing the impact of a disconnect between public and private market infrastructure valuations
- How are managers keeping increasingly sophisticated investors well informed on performance and valuations?
Moderator: Anish Butani, Senior Director, Infrastructure, bfinance
Ingrid Edmund
Head of Financing, Infrastructure Investments, Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Read bio
11:30 - 11:50
Fireside Chat: Bringing an infrastructure mindset to climate investing
Bruno Alves,
Charlie Gailliot
11:50 - 12:30
Panel: Overcoming risk assessment challenges to be a successful green investor
Jane Bowes,
Marc-Philippe Botte,
David Giordano,
Daniel Lau,
So Yeun Lim
- Amidst issues in floating wind and other green asset investments, how are investors adapting their risk measurement and mitigation?
- Renewables 2.0 – how can investors be comfortable in embracing green hydrogen, long-term storage, geothermal energy and other emerging green assets?
- Greenwashing and other risk factors associated with sustainable investments
Moderator: Jane Bowes, Managing Director, Threadmark
David Giordano
Managing Director, Global Head - BlackRock Climate Infrastructure, BlackRock
Read bio
12:30 - 13:10
Panel: Geopolitical risk on the rise – considerations for investors
Jon Phillips,
Daniel Benjamin,
Karen Dolenec,
Nataliya Katser–Buchkovska,
Erik Nyheim,
Anand Rajagopal
- Elections, conflicts and instability: assessing the geopolitical arena and how it is impacting private infrastructure investing
- Diversifying supply chains and more – what the West and infrastructure investors can do to mitigate these risks
- Deglobalisation: a trend that is shaping current and future infrastructure investment decisions?
Moderator: Jon Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA)
13:10 - 14:10
Networking lunch
Stream A: Global Investor Forum
14:10 - 14:50
Panel: Achieving systematic value creation as an active infrastructure asset manager
Charlotte Madden,
Spence Clunie,
Andrew Cogan,
Recep C. Kendircioglu,
Ulrich Köllensperger,
Ross Posner
- How to effectively allocate resource and expertise to achieve successful active asset management
- Reaping the rewards of efficient value creation in uncertain times
- Digging into the details: procurement, ESG efficiencies, digitalization and more
Moderator: Charlotte Madden, Partner, Global Co-Head of Infrastructure, Clifford Chance
Andrew Cogan
Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Fengate Infrastructure Yield Fund, Fengate Asset Management
Read bio
14:50 - 15:15
Fireside chat: Opportunities and challenges for greenfield renewable energy infrastructure
Anne-Louise Stranne Petersen,
Christian T. Skakkebaek
Stream B: Future of Infrastructure
14:10 - 14:50
Panel: How infrastructure must improve its’ DE&I efforts to build a better future
Kavita Davis,
Kemi-Christina Abdul,
Egan Archer,
Noi Spyratos,
Yokasta Segura-Baez
- How does private infrastructure shape up against other asset classes when it comes to DE&I in 2024?
- Case studies – what organisations are actively doing to improve their DE&I beyond box-ticking
Moderator: Kavita Davis, Partner, Gibson Dunn
14:50 - 15:15
Fireside chat: AI & technological development – defining a new era of infrastructure?
Candice Lambeth,
Ksenia Nekrasova,
Alexandre Villela
- Moving with the times – how are players in the market using AI and machine learning to develop their infrastructure investment capabilities?
- AI data demand – digital infrastructure’s role in meeting these needs
- How are portfolio companies and infrastructure assets embracing AI and technological development?
Moderator: Candice Lambeth, Partner, Paul Hastings
15:15 - 15:40
Coffee & networking
Stream A: Global Investor Forum
15:40 - 16:20
Panel: Strategy considerations – what’s the flavour of the month for investors?
Ali Miraj,
Juan Caceres,
Allison Kingsley,
Sharand Maharaj,
Josie McVitty,
Ravi Parekh
- What strategies are proving most appealing to private and institutional investors at a time where the denominator effect is still having an impact?
- Core funds – in a challenging environment, how are managers making the numbers stack up?
- High-growth strategies – is there room for these in investor portfolios at present? What other new strategies are available?
Moderator: Ali Miraj, Global Lead, Infrastructure Sponsor Coverage, ING
16:20 - 17:00
Debate: The changing face of the global infrastructure fund market
Eugene Zhuchenko ,
Anna Barath,
Anna Baumbach,
Agnes Mazurek,
Edward Talmor-Gera
- Analysing the impact of recent consolidations, emerging managers and other GP activity in an ever-dynamic market
- ELTIFs, increasing democratisation and other dynamics that are slowly transforming the fund market
- How are increasingly-sophisticated investors reacting to these changes?
Moderator: Eugene Zhuchenko, Director & Founder, ETORE Advisory
Stream B: Future of Infrastructure
15:40 - 16:20
Panel: New living: how infrastructure must support an evolving way of life
Filippo Gaddo,
Brandon Freiman,
Chantale Pelletier,
Phoebe Smith,
Jared Waldron
- Connectivity, smart cities and more: how populations are determining investment opportunities in infrastructure
- Finding the balance between embracing risk and achieving returns and profitability
- Broadening horizons – what new infrastructure assets are emerging that will require private investment?
Moderator: Filippo Gaddo, Managing Director, Macro Advisory Partners
Chantale Pelletier
Global Head of Infrastructure Equity Investments, Fidelity International
Read bio
16:20 - 17:00
Panel: Embracing the ever-expanding digital infrastructure spectrum
Angenika Kunne,
John Apostolides,
Matt Barker,
Adam Emmert,
Andrew Morris,
Adam Pickard
- Assessing where the boundaries will be pushed to next in the digital infrastructure space
- PPP projects, co-investments and more – how are investors getting creative when it comes to investing in a more connected and digitalised future?
- Stranded data-centres, out-dated technology… how can investors and managers mitigate these risks and turn them into opportunities?
Moderator: Angenika Kunne, Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure Equity, Aviva Investors
17:00 - 17:35
Closing Investor Keynote: Norges Bank Investment Management’s renewable infrastructure portfolio
Kalliope Gourntis,
Mie Holstad
- What types of assets and investments are NBIM targeting as it continues to embrace unlisted infrastructure as part of their portfolio?
- Utilising real estate expertise to build out a successful infrastructure strategy
- ESG & climate considerations across the real asset spectrum
Moderator: Kalliope Gourntis, Deputy Editor, Infrastructure Investor
17:35 - 17:35
Close of conference
18:00 - 19:00
Infrastructure Investor Women’s Circle drinks reception, sponsored by Finance in Motion
Pre-Event Resources
Intro on stream
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Stream speakers
Stream sponsors
John Apostolides
Investment Partner, Palistar Capital
John Apostolides is an Investment Partner at Palistar Capital. Mr. Apostolides has over 20 years of experience as an investor and investment / merchant banker in the TMT sector.
Mr. Apostolides was previously a Managing Director at Macquarie Capital where he led many of the team’s advisory, investing and capital raising efforts in the communications infrastructure, satellite, cable, wireless, enterprise communications and Internet of Things sectors. Before joining Macquarie, Mr. Apostolides was a Vice President within Evercore’s Corporate Advisory business advising companies in the Communications sector. Mr. Apostolides started his career at Citigroup where he spent nearly seven years as a member of the Communications and Technology Investment Banking teams in New York and London.
He has been a panelist and speaker at key industry events including the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s Connect (X), SuperReturn Global Infrastructure (London), World Satellite Business Week (Paris), Satellite Innovation (Silicon Valley) and the annual Washington D.C. satellite conferences.
Mr. Apostolides holds a BA cum laude in Economics and minor in Music from Dartmouth College.
Palistar Capital
Palistar Capital is an alternative asset manager led by Managing Partner and Founder, Omar Jaffrey, focused on private equity and structured investments in digital infrastructure assets, specifically on the mission-critical communications digital infrastructure which underpins the global telecommunications, media and technology (“TMT”) sectors. The firm seeks to invest through direct asset ownership as well as by developing innovative financing solutions to complex problems for leading global digital infrastructure and communications companies. To learn more about Palistar, visit www.palistar.com