22
Oct
Europe’s infrastructure: Re-emerging safe haven or short on opportunities?
Amid escalating global tariff wars, is Europe’s infrastructure market regaining its appeal as a top destination for long-term capital seeking stability? With inflation and interest rates falling across the EU, investment conditions are improving – yet lingering UK volatility and sluggish GDP growth throughout the continent continue to raise concerns. This panel explores how infrastructure investors are weighing these factors, and how this is driving deal flow.
- Are tariff wars repositioning Europe as a safe haven for infrastructure capital, or simply adding fresh uncertainty?
- As interest rates fall, is the European deal environment becoming more favourable – and are asset valuation gaps narrowing?
- Is stable, regulated infrastructure making a comeback as a go-to asset amid threats to global GDP growth?
- Are Europe’s renewed infrastructure plans, including those in the UK and Germany, unlocking new opportunities for private investors?
- Are green industrial policies and digital transition tailwinds still driving infrastructure investment momentum in Europe?
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SpeakersTalya Misiri Senior Reporter Infralogic
Mark Gilligan Head of Infrastructure AXA IM
Richard Marshall Head of Research, Infrastructure DWS
William Briggs Managing Director Ardian
Barry Lynch Partner, Head of Operations, Energy Infrastructure Actis
Luke Gorton Head of Europe John Laing
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AXA IM Alts, part of BNP Paribas Group, is a €185 billion global leader in Alternatives investing across Real Estate, Alternative Credit, Infrastructure and Natural Capital & Impact. It invests across the capital stack, in private and listed markets, to identify relative value through a 360° view of the markets in which it operates. AXA IM Alts has over €16 billion invested across debt and equity strategies focused on Europe. Mark is a member of the Management Board of AXA IM Alts.
AXA IM Alts’ manages its infrastructure equity strategy through an evergreen format and invests across Core to Core-plus infrastructure with a focus on decarbonisation, electrification and digitalisation underpinned by the conviction that climate change is the issue of this century and the central long-term risk and opportunity for infrastructure investors. 2025 acquisitions include a 1,000 megawatt-hour UK battery (Coalburn 1) and a pan-European solar developer and independent power producer (Ilos).
Mark has over 20 years’ experience as an infrastructure investor and began his career as an engineering geologist and environmental and corporate lawyer.
Mr. Marshall is the Head of Research for Infrastructure at DWS. Mr. Marshall’s role is to support the DWS infrastructure platform with thought leadership on the global infrastructure market and the trends which will shape investment opportunities and returns. Mr. Marshall came to DWS after 10 years at Fitch Solutions, where as the Head of Infrastructure & Power Research he was responsible for strategic analysis across the transport and energy sectors, leading the global analytical team to identify opportunities and risks across infrastructure markets. Mr. Marshall is an honours graduate (MSci International Relations) from the University of Nottingham and has previously been based in Hong Kong and South Africa.
William is Managing Director. William joined Ardian in 2022 from Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP), where he advised clients in the infrastructure & telecom sectors. Prior to PWP, William spent over seven years in the utilities, infrastructure and transport team at Evercore.
William began his investment banking career in the UK M&A team of Goldman Sachs in London.
William is a board member of Verne and Heathrow.
Barry joined Actis in 2016 as Head of Energy Operations.
Prior to Actis he spent eight years with Mainstream Renewable Power as Managing Director of Procurement, Construction and Operations responsible for delivering large scale wind and solar projects in Europe, North America, Latin America and Africa. He was an executive director and Board member at Mainstream and sat on the Boards of two Actis Energy portfolio companies (Lekela Power and Aela Energia) in which Mainstream was a minority partner. Barry was also involved in the development of renewable projects in South Africa (as part of Mainstream) that were acquired by Globeleq Africa at financial closing.
Prior to joining Mainstream, Barry spent eight years with ESB International and was involved in the construction and operation of large-scale thermal power plants. He undertook several roles including Group Safety Manager and Operations Manager for Asia with responsibility for four power plants in Pakistan and Malaysia.
Barry served as a Board member of former Actis Energy portfolio companies Saavi Energia, Echoenergia, Sprng Energy, Ostro, Lekela Power and Aela Energia. He currently serves as a Board member of BTE Renewables, Azura Power, BluPine Energy, Bridgin Power, Rezolv Energy, Levanta Renewables, Valia Energia and Nozomi Energy.
Barry holds a Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Dublin Institute of Technology.
Luke is an accomplished finance executive with over 20 years of experience specialising in M&A, Project Finance, and Asset Management within the European infrastructure sector. He joined John Laing in 2023 as Head of Europe following his position as Head of Infrastructure EMEA at Credit Suisse and before that Director in the Energy and Infrastructure team at BNP Paribas.
A member of the Senior Management Group and Investment Committee at John Laing, Luke drives growth and long-term value through expert leadership in complex transactions across Europe. Luke spearheaded the John Laing transaction with Stegra in 2024 to provide essential water treatment services to the flagship green steel industrial site in Boden, Sweden and has been involved in over €400bn in infrastructure advisory mandates and exits encompassing M&A advisory, strategic advisory, financing, and equity capital markets since 2005.