Linklaters has advised DigitalBridge, a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure, and Vantage Data Centers, a DigitalBridge portfolio company, on AustralianSuper’s €1.5bn investment in Vantage’s EMEA platform for a significant minority stake.
AustralianSuper will be a key shareholder in Vantage EMEA, one of the fastest growing hyperscale data centre platforms in the region. Together, AustralianSuper and DigitalBridge-sponsored vehicles will support Vantage’s expansion and development of hyperscale data centres across EMEA, utilising the company’s campus model to drive accelerated time to market while building on its longstanding customer relationships, track record of growth and next-generation infrastructure capabilities.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.
David Martin, Co-Head of Linklaters’ Telecoms, Media and Business Services sector, comments:
“Data centres are the digital infrastructure backbone of the largest technology companies in today’s global economy, enabling these market-shaping businesses to scale quickly and to meet growing customer demand for data storage and high-speed connectivity. This deal represents an investment by AustralianSuper into the future of digital infrastructure, as DigitalBridge and Vantage Data Centers continue to grow and lead the sector in EMEA and around the world. We are delighted that our digital infrastructure platform was again able to support our clients on delivering another complex multi-jurisdictional data centre transaction.”
The Linklaters cross-border and multi-practice deal team was led by Corporate partners David Martin and Daniel Law, alongside and including Tax partner Jamie Coomber, Corporate partner Rémy Bonneau (Luxembourg), Antitrust & Foreign Investment partner Neil Hoolihan (Brussels), Finance partner Elisabeth Johnson, Corporate counsel Josh Feit (New York), TMT counsel Alaister Johnson, Corporate managing associate Carol Sin, Tax managing associate Jack Harrison, Real Estate managing associate Jack Shand, Finance managing associate Benjamin Dewsnip, Corporate associates Ling Wei Ngew, William Peck, Asim Ayub and Ayo Thomas, Lizzeth Merchan and Fraser Goodlad (New York), Colas Surot (Luxembourg), TMT associate Silvia Curin Brown, and Finance associates Will Morton, Jared Ovsiowitz, Christine Lawton, Hugh Joscelyne, and Tiffany Pang (all London unless otherwise stated).
This is the latest stage of a longstanding relationship with DigitalBridge and Vantage Data Centers. Linklaters supported Vantage in forming its EMEA platform in 2019-2020 and APAC platform in 2021, and a number of investments to build them out.
