Category Archives: News

Bosch Ventures participates in USD 50 million Series B of Qdrant to power the next generation of scalable AI infrastructure

Robert Bosch

Berlin startup sets new performance benchmarks for production AI applications

  • Qdrant enables precise, scalable data access as the core infrastructure for production AI applications.
  • USD 50 million Series B round led by AVP together with international co-investors.
  • Dr. Ingo Ramesohl, Co-Managing Director of Bosch Ventures: “Qdrant exemplifies the kind of deep-tech innovation that we believe will shape the next generation of powerful and trustworthy AI systems.”

Stuttgart & Berlin, Germany – Bosch Ventures, the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group, is participating in Qdrant’s USD 50 million Series B financing round. The round, led by AVP and joined by international co-investors, underscores the growing importance of AI infrastructure for business-critical applications such as multimodal search and AI agent systems.

 

Next-Generation Vector Database for Production AI systems

As artificial intelligence moves from pilot projects into operational deployment, fast and precise access to relevant data is becoming a key success factor. Qdrant has developed a highly powerful search technology designed for large-scale datasets. Built from the ground up in the Rust programming language, the solution enables companies to search extremely large and complex datasets in real time in the cloud, in hybrid infrastructures, in their own data centers, or directly on devices and machines at the edge. The result is a search engine that adapts to the use case rather than forcing the use case to adapt to the search engine. “Whether a team prioritizes maximum accuracy, lowest latency, or cost efficiency at scale, Qdrant provides the controls needed to achieve those goals,”
says André Zayarni, CEO and co-founder of Qdrant. As an open-source solution, Qdrant benefits from a global developer community while also offering companies transparency, flexibility, and technological independence.

 

“In commercial AI applications, the ability to reliably retrieve context-relevant information in real time has become mission-critical infrastructure,” says Ingo Ramesohl, Managing Director of Bosch Ventures. “Qdrant’s cutting-edge, Rust-based architecture exemplifies the type of deep-tech innovation that we believe will shape the next generation of powerful and trustworthy AI systems. We are excited to support the team on its continued growth journey.”

 

Proven in production and Scaled Globally

Companies including Tripadvisor, OpenTable, Bayer, Deutsche Telekom, and Bosch rely on Qdrant when vector search must run reliably and efficiently under real-world conditions. The open-source project has more than 250 million downloads and over 28,000 stars on GitHub. Its global developer community continuously advances the platform based on real production requirements. Qdrant has also been recognized in several industry reports, including The Forrester Wave™: Vector Databases, Q3 2024; GigaOm Radar for Vector Databases v3 (2025) and Sifted’s 2025 B2B SaaS Rising 100.

Categories: News

Tags:

East goes west: East Capital expands into the US and UK through strategic partnership with Campion Capital

East Capital

East goes west: East Capital expands into the US and UK through strategic partnership with Campion Capital

East Capital Group is expanding into the US and UK institutional markets through a strategic partnership with Campion Capital, an institutional capital formation and advisory firm that works with specialist asset managers as a strategic growth partner providing direct access to sophisticated institutional allocators. The collaboration creates a platform to meet growing demand for emerging and frontier markets exposure in two of the world’s largest investment markets.

For East Capital, the move represents a timely step in its international expansion. Founded in 1997 and fully independent since inception, the firm has built a reputation as dedicated emerging and frontier markets specialists. Its investment approach is research-driven and country-neutral, centred on bottom-up stock selection, local presence and disciplined risk management. Investment teams with lived market experience across multiple emerging and frontier regions provide the foundation for active, high-conviction portfolios.

The expansion into the US and UK comes at a time when many institutional investors are reassessing global allocations and valuation differentials between developed and emerging markets. East Capital is seeing increased interest from institutional allocators due to its disciplined investment process and rigorous bottom-up research.

Nick Rawdon-Jones, Co-Founder and Head of Campion Capital in the US, says: “We believe the long-term case for emerging markets has rarely been more compelling. After an extensive global search for a true specialist, we are proud to partner with one of the most experienced and disciplined teams in the asset class. Sustained alpha generation across cycles is rare in emerging markets, and East Capital’s track record reflects precisely that.”

Peter Elam Håkansson, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer (CIO), East Capital Group, comments: “The thoroughness and institutional discipline demonstrated by Campion Capital mirror East Capital Group’s own culture, creating a partnership grounded in shared standards and long-term ambition.”

Ed Bradley-Norman, Partner and Head of Research at Campion Capital adds: “Enduring partnerships are built on people, independence and aligned values. In institutional markets such as the US and UK, allocators seek managers who combine specialist heritage with stability and clarity. In East Capital, we found a firm that brings both.”

Through the partnership, East Capital’s emerging and frontier markets strategies will be introduced to institutional investors in the US and UK. In the US, the strategies will be offered primary through Collective Investment Trusts (“CITs”); the strategies may also be offered via separate accounts and a Limited Partnership (LP) vehicle for pension funds, where consistent with the regulatory status of East Capital advisory activities in the US and applicable law. To date, East Capital Group has predominantly served European investors and, as of 31 December 2025, its assets under management amounted to USD 4.6 billion (EUR 3.9 billion).

Nikodemus Dahlgren, Partner and Head of Sales, East Capital Group, concludes: “This is a partnership in the true sense of the word. From structuring the offering to preparing for market entry, we have worked closely together with a shared commitment to building a scalable and enduring presence in the US and UK institutional markets.”

With complementary expertise, shared values and a mutual belief in the structural opportunity in emerging and frontier markets, East Capital Group and Campion Capital view the partnership as a significant milestone in broadening institutional access to these markets in the US and UK.

About East Capital
East Capital is part of East Capital Group, a global asset manager based in Sweden since 1997. We offer a range of investment solutions within equities, fixed income securities, real estate and alternatives. The essence of our business is not only to find attractive investment opportunities, but also to work to drive positive change, influencing industries around the world to become more sustainable. We have a broad range of international investors including leading institutions, companies and private individuals.

Within East Capital Group you will find East Capital – specialising in emerging and frontier market strategies, East Capital Real Estate – managing commercial real estate investments in Central and Eastern Europe, Espiria – offering bespoke global and Nordic equities and fixed income strategies, and Adrigo – a Nordic long/short fund strategy targeting absolute returns. East Capital Group owns 49% of Cicero Fonder and 51% of Hjerta AB.

For more information, please visit www.eastcapital.group.

About Campion Capital
Campion Capital is an independent, fully regulated investment distribution and advisory firm that partners with high-quality boutique asset managers to help them access institutional investors globally. Founded over two decades ago and headquartered in London, the firm has grown from a small entrepreneurial start-up into an international team with offices in London, Madrid, Miami and New York.

Campion works exclusively with specialist investment managers across public and private markets, supporting their strategic growth through institutional client development, market positioning and long-term relationship building.

For more information, please visit www.campioncapital.com.

Contact information
Jessica Scott, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, East Capital Group
mediaenquiries@eastcapital.com

Valentina Lopez, Campion Capital, valentina@campioncapital.com, +1 (305) 440-4274

Risk information:
Past performance is no guarantee for future performance. The value of investments may go up or down in value and may be affected by changes in exchange rates. Investors may not get back the amount invested.

This is marketing communication. This publication is not directed at you if we are prohibited by any law in any jurisdiction from making this information available to you and is not intended for any use that would be contrary to local laws or regulations. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this document, but it may be based on unaudited or unverified figures or sources.
The information in this document should not be used as the sole basis for an investment. Please read the Prospectus and the KID, which are available on the fund page at www.eastcapital.com.

United Kingdom: Only certain East Capital funds are registered for marketing in the UK. Any reference to other funds/strategies is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement. This communication is directed only at professional clients and eligible counterparties, not retail clients.

United States: None of the funds referred to are registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 or the Investment Company Act of 1940. No offer or solicitation is made in the United States or to any US person. East Capital is registered with the US SEC as an investment adviser; such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training.

Image Attachments
East Capital and Campion Capital Partnership Announcement

Attachments
East goes west: East Capital expands into the US and UK through strategic partnership with Campion Capital

Categories: News

Ascora announces the acquisition of Health & Protection insurance broker Assuralib

IK Partners

Ascora, a multi-specialist insurance broker supported by IK Partners (“IK”) since December 2025, announces the acquisition of Assuralib (“the Company”), a Health & Protection (“H&P”) broker.

Founded in 2016, Assuralib is a recognized broker in the Paris region, serving more than 650 clients, mainly SMEs in the tertiary sector (technology, consulting, software), as well as self-employed workers. It has grown thanks to a high value-added advisory approach and recognised technical expertise in high-growth profiles.

This transaction is part of Ascora’s consolidation strategy, which has accelerated since IK inception in 2025. It enables Ascora to strengthen its H&P division by expanding its exposure to dynamic sectors.

The Assuralib team will be integrated into Ascora’s H&P division to ensure service continuity to customers and capitalise on commercial and operational synergies.

Benjamin Bing and Jean-Dominique Lelong, co-founders of Assuralib, said: “We were looking to pass Assuralib on to a partner sharing our commitment to quality and client service. Ascora quickly emerged as the natural partner to ensure continuity and support the team through this new stage of development.”

Bruno Deschamps, CEO of Ascora, added: “Assuralib is a high-quality asset and its acquisition fits perfectly with our external growth strategy and our desire to strengthen our H&P insurance division. The reputation of the Assuralib team and the quality of the portfolio they have built convinced us of the benefits of this merger.”

Contacts – Ascora

Bruno Deschamps
Telephone: +33 (0)1 55 62 11 27
b.deschamps@ascora.com

About Ascora

Founded in 1989, Ascora is an insurance broker specialising in three main areas: Real Estate, Property & Casualty, and Health & Protection. The group stands out thanks to its end-to-end personalised service from policy underwriting to claims management, positioning itself as a human-scale alternative to large international brokers.

Categories: News

Tags:

Blackstone Energy Transition Partners Announces Agreement to Acquire Majority Stake in Advanced Cooling Technologies

Blackstone

NEW YORK, NY & LANCASTER, PA – March 11, 2026 – Blackstone (NYSE: BX) and Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (“ACT”) announced today that funds managed by Blackstone Energy Transition Partners (“Blackstone”) have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in ACT, a leading U.S. manufacturer of highly-engineered thermal management and energy efficiency solutions. ACT’s executive team will remain in place and continue as significant shareholders in the business.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Pennsylvania, ACT designs and manufactures highly-engineered thermal management and energy efficiency solutions for advanced computing, high power density, and mission-critical applications. The company’s innovative solutions include two-phase liquid cooling, heat pipes, phase change materials, cold plates, environmental control units, and composite thermal and structural systems. ACT has thrived not only on their product and technology portfolio, but their unique ability to provide premier engineering and responsiveness to their customers. Blackstone’s investment is intended to help maintain this level of service, while adding capacity and capabilities to enhance the value provided to ACT’s broad customer base.

Mark Zhu, Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “We believe ACT is well positioned for accelerated growth given the increasing importance of thermal management amid rising power intensity and AI innovation. This includes the company’s pioneering work helping meet the next generation of data center and high-performance chip cooling requirements. We are excited to partner with Jon and the entire ACT management team to support the company’s continued technological leadership and expansion of their manufacturing capacity amidst record customer demand.”

David Foley, Global Head of Blackstone Energy Transition Partners, added: “Our investment strategy focuses on identifying businesses we believe are well positioned to benefit from long-term power demand growth and the need to manage power and energy more efficiently. We have a long track record of partnering with founder-led companies, and we look forward to supporting Jon and the ACT team with capital and other resources as they continue to build on the company’s strong foundation in a rapidly growing market.”

Jon Zuo, CEO and Co-Founder of ACT, said: “Every one of us is excited about this new chapter of ACT. With the support of our Blackstone partners, we will continue driving our core values of Innovation, Teamwork, and Customer Care, with the goal of building ACT into the world’s leading thermal management company.”

The transaction is expected to close in second quarter, subject to customary conditions.

Houlihan Lokey served as exclusive financial advisor and Reed Smith served as legal counsel to ACT. Kirkland & Ellis served as legal advisor and UBS served as financial advisor to Blackstone.

About ACT
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. is a premier thermal management solutions company, providing design and manufacturing services to meet our customers’ needs across all points of the product lifecycle. We serve our global customers’ thermal management and energy recovery needs in diverse markets including Data Centers, Space, Defense, Energy, Electronics, HVAC, and Enclosure Cooling. We specialize in providing innovative and performance-optimized thermal management technologies and solutions that meet the unique needs of each customer.

About Blackstone Energy Transition Partners
Blackstone Energy Transition Partners is Blackstone’s strategy for control-oriented equity investments in energy-related businesses, with a successful long-term record, having committed over $27 billion of equity globally across a broad range of sectors within the energy industry. Our investment philosophy is based on backing exceptional management teams with flexible capital to provide solutions that help energy companies grow and improve performance, thereby delivering more reliable, affordable and cleaner energy to meet the growing needs of the global community. In the process, we work to build stronger, larger scale enterprises, create jobs and generate lasting value for our investors, employees and all stakeholders. Further information is available at https://www.blackstone.com/our-businesses/blackstone-energy-transition-partners/.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which the firm invests. Blackstone’s $1.3 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, credit, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

Media Contacts

ACT

Megan Ulrich
Megan.Ulrich@1-ACT.com

Blackstone

Hallie Dewey
Hallie.Dewey@Blackstone.com

Jennifer Heath
Jennifer.Heath@Blackstone.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Carlyle to sell SierraCol Energy to Prime Infrastructure

Carlyle

London, UK – 11 March 2026 – Global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that it has agreed to sell SierraCol Energy Limited (“SierraCol”), Colombia’s largest independent oil and gas exploration and production company, to Prime Infrastructure Capital. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q1 2026.

Carlyle invested in SierraCol in 2020 through Carlyle International Energy Partners (“CIEP”), a private equity fund that invests in energy opportunities globally. Carlyle, in partnership with the SierraCol management team, built SierraCol into a leading standalone Colombian energy company responsible for ~10% of Colombia’s gross oil production – all while adding reserves, continually reinvesting in its asset base and decarbonizing operations.

Under Carlyle’s investment period, SierraCol invested nearly $1 billion in capital expenditure to generate over 100 mmboe of additional reserves, delivering a reserves replacement ratio of ~135%.[1] SierraCol also successfully executed and integrated value-accretive acquisitions, including CEPSA’s (now Moeve) Colombian assets and bought out its minority partner, Repsol, in SierraCol Arauca.

In addition, SierraCol has achieved substantial progress towards its sustainability efforts, reducing Scope 1 and 2 CO₂e emissions by 60% since 2020, eliminating methane emissions by 45% since 2023 and investing over $45 million in local communities since 2021.[2]

Tony Hayward, Executive Chairman of SierraCol, said: “We are grateful for Carlyle’s partnership in positioning SierraCol for long-term success and proud of what we have accomplished together. Over the past five years, we have transformed SierraCol into Colombia’s largest independent oil and gas producer starting from a carve-out of Occidental’s assets. During this time, we executed significant investments, expanded the asset base, and successfully accessed the capital markets twice – establishing a strong platform for the future. We look forward to working with Prime Infrastructure Capital as we enter our next phase of growth.”

Bob Maguire, Co-Head of CIEP, said: “SierraCol reflects our conviction that investing in high-quality assets can drive long-term value creation, while playing a key role in Colombia’s energy sector. Carlyle supported SierraCol in building a fully standalone Colombian energy company and empowered the business to become a responsible operator, leading employer, and trusted in-country partner to Ecopetrol that will continue to contribute to the longevity of Colombia’s energy sector.”

Parminder Singh, Managing Director of CIEP, said: “Carlyle’s investment in SierraCol represents a excellent case study on how we partner with management teams to deliver operational excellence through continual asset investment and a focus on sustainability, underpinning long-term value for our investors. Together with Tony, CEO Bernardo Ortiz and the wider management team, we are delighted to have scaled these operations into a leading Colombian energy champion, well positioned for continued success under its new ownership.”

BofA Securities acted as lead financial advisor while Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to Carlyle.

  1. Capital expenditure, additional reserves and reserves replacement ratio figures refer to the period from 2020 through 2025.
  2. Source: SierraCol Sustainability Report disclosures

 

—

 

About Carlyle

Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit, and Carlyle AlpInvest. With $477 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2025, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies, and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs more than 2,500 people in 27 offices across four continents. Further information is available at www.carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on X @OneCarlyle and LinkedIn at The Carlyle Group.

 

About SierraCol

SierraCol is the preeminent independent oil and gas company in Colombia. With a strong presence in Colombia’s most prolific basins, its asset base includes two giant fields – Caño Limón and La Cira Infantas – producing high-quality crude, connected to key infrastructure and markets. It is the largest independent oil producer in Colombia, with gross operated and co-operated production of c. 77 kboed, representing 10% of Colombia’s total oil output. Its 2P reserves of 129 million barrels have a reserve life of 10 years, with a reserves replacement ratio above 100% for the last 9 years. SierraCol sustainably delivers critical energy for Colombia and has a diverse and tangible portfolio of organic growth options. A strong platform for growth in Latin America.

 

Media Contacts

Carlyle

Andrew Kenny
+44 7385 662334
andrew.kenny@carlyle.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Hale Secures ~A$750 Million for Second Vintage Logistics Series Backed by Global Institutional Investors

Warburg Pincus logo
  • Second vintage anchored by Warburg Pincus and Oxford Properties, with a leading institutional investor joining as a new partner
  • Capital to be deployed across opportunistic development and core-plus/value-add strategies, targeting supply-constrained infill logistics markets across Australia

Sydney, Australia, March 10, 2026 — Hale, a vertically integrated Australian logistics manager and developer with A$3.3 billion in AUM[1], today announced the closing of approximately A$750 million in new equity commitments, marking the successful capital raise of the firm’s two flagship investment vehicles, HCLF2 and HCILF2.

The commitments were secured from a consortium of three global institutional investors, including Warburg Pincus and Oxford Properties, both of which have re-committed to this fundraising series after serving as cornerstone investors for Hale’s inaugural vintages. Hale is also pleased to welcome one of the world’s leading institutional investors, with an established global track record in logistics investing, as a new partner for this series.

The new capital will be deployed across Hale’s two primary strategies:

  • An opportunistic fund focused on development of modern and last-mile logistics facilities in supply-constrained urban markets;
  • A value-add/core plus vehicle targeting high-quality income-producing assets and repositioning strategies.

This dual-track raise positions Hale to immediately capitalise on current market dislocations and structural shifts in the Australian logistics market, including urbanization, population growth, infrastructure investment, and continued e-commerce penetration. Infill industrial vacancy across key east coast markets remains near historic lows, while limited land supply in inner-ring locations continues to support rental growth and redevelopment opportunities.

With partners including Warburg Pincus, Oxford Properties, and a major global investor, Hale combines global insights with local expertise to source, execute, and manage complex, large-scale transactions.

Robert McMickan, Joint Managing Director and Co-founder, Hale:

“Securing these commitments from high-calibre institutional partners marks a transformative milestone for Hale, reflecting deep institutional conviction in our strategy and platform. We are particularly grateful for the continued support from Warburg Pincus and Oxford Properties. Having cornerstoned our first vintage, their decision to re-commit to this second series is a strong endorsement of our execution capabilities and track record. Welcoming a pre-eminent global investor as a new partner further underscores our ability to deliver outperformance across the risk spectrum. This capital will allow us to scale with discipline during a pivotal moment in the real estate cycle.”

Andrew Fitzpatrick, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus, said:

“Hale has quickly established itself as a leading infill logistics platform in Australia. Since our partnership began in 2021, the team has demonstrated strong execution, disciplined underwriting, and differentiated origination in supply-constrained urban markets. Our re-commitment reflects our conviction in the long-term growth opportunities in the supply constrained segments of the Australian logistics market and our confidence in Hale’s vertically integrated platform and its ability to consistently deliver across single- and multi-level logistics, cold storage, and industrial outdoor storage. We look forward to continuing to scale the platform alongside Rob, Nick and their exceptional team.”

Alec Harper, Head of Australia, Oxford Properties, commented:

“Oxford’s re-commitment is testament to our deep conviction in the Australian infill logistics sector, and Hale’s world-class management team and platform. Since our cornerstone investment in Hale’s inaugural vintages, the team has successfully executed against strategy, building out one of Australia’s premier last-mile logistics portfolios, and an impressive track-record across the full asset lifecycle. Today’s announcement signifies continued momentum for our like-minded partnership, as Oxford continues to enhance our leading global logistics portfolio.”

About Hale

Founded by Robert McMickan and Nicholas Bradley in 2021, Hale has rapidly grown into one of Australia’s leading logistics-focused fund managers and developers, managing A$3.3 billion[1] in assets on behalf of 7 institutional clients. The platform spans single- and multi-level logistics, cold storage, and industrial outdoor storage.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is the pioneer of global growth investing. A private partnership since 1966, the firm has the flexibility and experience to focus on helping investors and management teams achieve enduring success across market cycles. Today, the firm has more than $100 billion in assets under management, and more than 215 companies in its active portfolio, diversified across stages, sectors, and geographies. Warburg Pincus has invested in more than 1,100 companies across its private equity, real estate, and capital solutions strategies.

About Oxford Properties Group

Oxford Properties Group (“Oxford”) is a leading global real estate investor, developer and manager. Established in 1960, Oxford and its portfolio companies manage approximately C$86 billion of assets across four continents on behalf of their investment partners. Oxford’s owned portfolio encompasses logistics, office, retail, multifamily residential, life sciences, credit and hotels in global gateway cities and high-growth hubs. A thematic investor with a committed source of capital, Oxford invests in properties, portfolios, development sites, debt, securities and real estate businesses across the risk-reward spectrum. Together with its portfolio companies, Oxford is one of the world’s most active developers with 30 projects currently underway globally across all major asset classes. Oxford is owned by OMERS, the Canadian defined benefit pension plan for Ontario’s municipal employees. For more information on Oxford, visit www.oxfordproperties.com.

[1] Assets Under Management (AUM) represents the total Gross Asset Value (GAV) of all real estate assets managed by Hale. AUM is calculated on a stabilised basis, reflecting the estimated market value of properties assuming normalised occupancy and market-standard operating expenses.

Back To News

Categories: News

Tags:

Blackstone and Blue Owl Announce Strategic Minority Investment in Atlas Holdings

Blackstone

Blackstone and Blue Owl announced today that funds managed by Blackstone GP Stakes and Blue Owl GP Strategic Capital have made a strategic minority investment in Atlas Holdings.

Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, Atlas and its affiliates own and operate a diversified group of 30 industrial, manufacturing and distribution businesses. The firm focuses on complex situations where deep operational expertise, hands‑on engagement and long‑term commitment are essential. These capabilities have been a defining feature of Atlas’ strategy for more than two decades.

“We are proud to partner with Atlas, which has built a highly differentiated investment platform grounded in a true owner operator model,” said Michael Rees, Co-President of Blue Owl Capital Inc. and Head of the GP Strategic Capital platform. “The Atlas team’s ability to work closely and collaboratively with management teams has proven critical to their success in strengthening complex, essential businesses, and we look forward to supporting Atlas in this next phase of growth.”

“Over the past decade we’ve built a close partnership with the Atlas team. They are an outstanding organization defined by a culture of excellence and proven track record,” said Josh Blaine, Head of Blackstone GP Stakes. “Atlas’s ability to transform complex industrial businesses into more resilient, higher-performing enterprises aligns with the differentiated, durable playbook we seek in a partner. We look forward to deepening our relationship and sharing Blackstone’s resources to support the firm and its portfolio companies,” added Ward Young, Chief Investment Officer of Blackstone GP Stakes.

“Blackstone and Blue Owl are widely regarded as the most respected investors in GP stakes globally, and we believe the investment by these two institutions speaks strongly to the quality and reputation of the Atlas enterprise,” said Andrew Bursky, Co‑Founder and Managing Partner of Atlas Holdings. “The transaction further strengthens our ability to attract and retain top talent, and Blackstone and Blue Owl will provide meaningful strategic support to Atlas and our portfolio companies through their scaled GP support platforms, allowing us to selectively leverage the broader capabilities of their respective organizations.”

“The shared commitment of Blackstone and Blue Owl is a testament to the strength of our team and the durability of what we have built over the past 25 years. While we are energized by the opportunities ahead created through this partnership, Atlas will continue to invest and operate exactly as we have since inception – with discipline, alignment and a long-term perspective at the core of everything we do,” said Tim Fazio, Co‑Founder and Managing Partner of Atlas Holdings.

Evercore served as financial advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Proskauer Rose LLP served as legal counsel to Atlas. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP served as legal counsel to Blue Owl. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to Blackstone.

About Atlas Holdings
Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut and founded in 2002, Atlas and its affiliates own and operate 30 companies which employ more than 75,000 associates across 1,200 facilities worldwide. Atlas operates in sectors such as automotive supply, building materials, capital equipment, construction services, food manufacturing and distribution, metals processing, packaging, paper, power generation, printing, pulp, supply chain management and wood products. Atlas’ companies together generate $26 billion in revenues annually. For more information, please visit atlasholdingsllc.com.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which the firm invests. Blackstone’s $1.3 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, credit, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

About Blue Owl Capital
Blue Owl (NYSE: OWL) is a leading asset manager that is redefining alternatives®. With over $307 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2025, we invest across three multi-strategy platforms: Credit, Real Assets and GP Strategic Capital. Anchored by a strong permanent capital base, we provide businesses with private capital solutions to drive long-term growth and offer institutional investors, individual investors, and insurance companies differentiated alternative investment opportunities that aim to deliver strong performance, risk-adjusted returns, and capital preservation.

Together with approximately 1,365 experienced professionals globally, Blue Owl brings the vision and discipline to create the exceptional. To learn more, visit www.blueowl.com or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blue-owl-capital

Contacts

Atlas Holdings

Kate Sylvester
Atlasholdings@longacresquare.com

Blackstone
Paula Chirhart
Paula.Chirhart@Blackstone.com
347-463-5453

Blue Owl Capital
Media@blueowl.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Hale Secures ~A$750 Million for Second Vintage Logistics Series Backed by Global Institutional Investors

Warburg Pincus logo
  • Second vintage anchored by Warburg Pincus and Oxford Properties, with a leading institutional investor joining as a new partner
  • Capital to be deployed across opportunistic development and core-plus/value-add strategies, targeting supply-constrained infill logistics markets across Australia

Sydney, Australia, March 10, 2026 — Hale, a vertically integrated Australian logistics manager and developer with A$3.3 billion in AUM[1], today announced the closing of approximately A$750 million in new equity commitments, marking the successful capital raise of the firm’s two flagship investment vehicles, HCLF2 and HCILF2.

The commitments were secured from a consortium of three global institutional investors, including Warburg Pincus and Oxford Properties, both of which have re-committed to this fundraising series after serving as cornerstone investors for Hale’s inaugural vintages. Hale is also pleased to welcome one of the world’s leading institutional investors, with an established global track record in logistics investing, as a new partner for this series.

The new capital will be deployed across Hale’s two primary strategies:

  • An opportunistic fund focused on development of modern and last-mile logistics facilities in supply-constrained urban markets;
  • A value-add/core plus vehicle targeting high-quality income-producing assets and repositioning strategies.

This dual-track raise positions Hale to immediately capitalise on current market dislocations and structural shifts in the Australian logistics market, including urbanization, population growth, infrastructure investment, and continued e-commerce penetration. Infill industrial vacancy across key east coast markets remains near historic lows, while limited land supply in inner-ring locations continues to support rental growth and redevelopment opportunities.

With partners including Warburg Pincus, Oxford Properties, and a major global investor, Hale combines global insights with local expertise to source, execute, and manage complex, large-scale transactions.

Robert McMickan, Joint Managing Director and Co-founder, Hale:

“Securing these commitments from high-calibre institutional partners marks a transformative milestone for Hale, reflecting deep institutional conviction in our strategy and platform. We are particularly grateful for the continued support from Warburg Pincus and Oxford Properties. Having cornerstoned our first vintage, their decision to re-commit to this second series is a strong endorsement of our execution capabilities and track record. Welcoming a pre-eminent global investor as a new partner further underscores our ability to deliver outperformance across the risk spectrum. This capital will allow us to scale with discipline during a pivotal moment in the real estate cycle.”

Andrew Fitzpatrick, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus, said:

“Hale has quickly established itself as a leading infill logistics platform in Australia. Since our partnership began in 2021, the team has demonstrated strong execution, disciplined underwriting, and differentiated origination in supply-constrained urban markets. Our re-commitment reflects our conviction in the long-term growth opportunities in the supply constrained segments of the Australian logistics market and our confidence in Hale’s vertically integrated platform and its ability to consistently deliver across single- and multi-level logistics, cold storage, and industrial outdoor storage. We look forward to continuing to scale the platform alongside Rob, Nick and their exceptional team.”

Alec Harper, Head of Australia, Oxford Properties, commented:

“Oxford’s re-commitment is testament to our deep conviction in the Australian infill logistics sector, and Hale’s world-class management team and platform. Since our cornerstone investment in Hale’s inaugural vintages, the team has successfully executed against strategy, building out one of Australia’s premier last-mile logistics portfolios, and an impressive track-record across the full asset lifecycle. Today’s announcement signifies continued momentum for our like-minded partnership, as Oxford continues to enhance our leading global logistics portfolio.”

About Hale

Founded by Robert McMickan and Nicholas Bradley in 2021, Hale has rapidly grown into one of Australia’s leading logistics-focused fund managers and developers, managing A$3.3 billion[1] in assets on behalf of 7 institutional clients. The platform spans single- and multi-level logistics, cold storage, and industrial outdoor storage.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is the pioneer of global growth investing. A private partnership since 1966, the firm has the flexibility and experience to focus on helping investors and management teams achieve enduring success across market cycles. Today, the firm has more than $100 billion in assets under management, and more than 215 companies in its active portfolio, diversified across stages, sectors, and geographies. Warburg Pincus has invested in more than 1,100 companies across its private equity, real estate, and capital solutions strategies.

About Oxford Properties Group

Oxford Properties Group (“Oxford”) is a leading global real estate investor, developer and manager. Established in 1960, Oxford and its portfolio companies manage approximately C$86 billion of assets across four continents on behalf of their investment partners. Oxford’s owned portfolio encompasses logistics, office, retail, multifamily residential, life sciences, credit and hotels in global gateway cities and high-growth hubs. A thematic investor with a committed source of capital, Oxford invests in properties, portfolios, development sites, debt, securities and real estate businesses across the risk-reward spectrum. Together with its portfolio companies, Oxford is one of the world’s most active developers with 30 projects currently underway globally across all major asset classes. Oxford is owned by OMERS, the Canadian defined benefit pension plan for Ontario’s municipal employees. For more information on Oxford, visit www.oxfordproperties.com.

[1] Assets Under Management (AUM) represents the total Gross Asset Value (GAV) of all real estate assets managed by Hale. AUM is calculated on a stabilised basis, reflecting the estimated market value of properties assuming normalised occupancy and market-standard operating expenses.

Categories: News

Tags:

Ardian signs an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Casaforte, Italy’s leading self-storage operator, a further step in the creation of a pan-European platform in the sector

Ardian

With this acquisition Ardian’s total investment in the self-storage sector in Italy and France exceeds €300 million, with the aim of achieving diversified geographic exposure and scalable growth
• Another €200 million of investments are planned to support expansion across Europe, with a primary focus on Spain and Germany
• Italy represents one of the fastest-growing markets, offering attractive consolidation opportunities

Ardian, a global private investment firm, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Casaforte S.p.A., a market leader in the Italian self-storage sector.

The transaction represents a significant step in Ardian’s strategy to build a scaled, pan-European self-storage platform by consolidating a highly fragmented sector driven by favorable long-term structural trends. Since launching the strategy in 2023, Ardian has already invested €300 million in self-storage. In addition to Casaforte, it has acquired two platforms in France (Costockage and Atout-Box), focused on urban areas characterized by strong demographic growth and increasing demand for new space. The objective is to invest at least a further €200 million in the coming years, with a primary focus on Spain and Germany.

In Italy, Ardian has invested in the sector’s leading player, widely regarded as the pioneer of temporary storage solutions. Casaforte offers significant growth potential in a market that has the lowest self-storage space per capita in Europe and the lowest level of sector awareness, with only 12% of the population familiar with the concept.

Casaforte operates 24 facilities nationwide, representing approximately 80,000 square meters of total space. The portfolio is predominantly concentrated in Northern Italy, with a strong presence in key metropolitan areas such as Milan, Turin, Genoa, Bologna, as well as a presence in Rome.

The company’s success is built on an experienced management team, led by its visionary founder and Chairman, Cesare Carcano, who will continue to play a key role in Casaforte’s development.

“This transaction confirms Ardian’s commitment to strengthening the European dimension of its self-storage strategy. We are particularly focused on Southern Europe, where Italy and Spain continue to show significantly lower penetration rates compared to more mature markets, despite benefiting from the same structural trends – urbanization, mobility and shrinking living spaces. It is precisely this gap between potential demand and existing supply that represents one of the most compelling value creation opportunities in the sector today. We are currently exploring a number of high-potential opportunities in Spain, where discussions are already well progressed, while also considering potential opportunities in Germany that will enable us to further advance our continental growth strategy”. Rodolfo Petrosino, Head of Real Estate Southern Europe & Senior Managing Director, Ardian

“We are proud of this transaction, which is strategically significant for us and accelerates the execution of our European growth plan. We are confident that the experience of the management team, combined with our strategic and financial support and international network, will further strengthen Casaforte’s leadership in the Italian market. We see strong potential for organic growth and selective acquisitions, while preserving the entrepreneurial culture and deep local market expertise that have underpinned the operator’s success to date”. Matteo Minardi, Head of Real Estate Italy & Managing Director, Ardian

“Ardian’s investment marks a key strategic milestone in Casaforte’s growth journey. Over the years, we have built a strong platform with a clear leadership position in the Italian market and a distinctive operating model based on service quality, innovation and deep local market expertise. Partnering with Ardian will enable us to further accelerate the company’s development, strengthen our presence in major urban centers and seize new expansion opportunities, including through targeted acquisitions”.  Cesare Carcano, Founder and Chairman, Casaforte

List of participants

  • Ardian

    • M&A and Debt Advisory: Mediobanca
    • Legal & Tax: Chiomenti
    • Financial DD: Deloitte
    • Technical: Ryze

  • Casaforte

    • M&A: Ethica Group
    • Legal: Advant NCTM

ABOUT ARDIAN

In a world of constant evolution, Ardian stands out for its ability to anticipate, adapt, and turn challenges into opportunities. As a global, diversified private markets firm with 22 offices and more than 350 investment professionals worldwide, we provide investment and customized solutions that reflect new economic dynamics and help our clients remain resilient in a changing world.
We deliver multi-local expertise and long-term performance for our investors and partners as well as shared value for the broader society. Since Ardian’s inception in 1996, our pioneering approach to diversification and our ability to offer tailor-made solutions at scale have remained the heart of our strategy.
Through commitment, knowledge and technology, we bring lasting value to our companies and contribute positively to the whole industry.
Ardian currently manages or advises $200bn for more than 1,920 clients worldwide across Private Equity, Real Assets, and Credit.
Ardian. Mastering change for lasting value.

ardian.com

ABOUT CASAFORTE

Casaforte is recognized for its ability to anticipate and address the evolving space needs of both individuals and companies, offering flexible, secure and easily accessible solutions. Through an integrated operating model and disciplined asset management, Casaforte develops and manages modern, functional self-storage facilities designed to meet both temporary and long-term needs.
A strong focus on service quality, operational efficiency and customer experience lies at the heart of Casaforte’s strategy, with the aim of creating sustainable long-term value and contributing to the development of the sector at both local and national levels.

Casaforte.it

Media contacts

Ardian

HEADLAND

ardian@headlandconsultancy.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Ardian and ADIA to launch new Real Estate Secondaries Platform

Ardian

Ardian, a global private investment firm, has reached an agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”), to launch a new real estate secondaries platform.

The real estate secondaries market has experienced significant growth in recent years, with transaction volumes reaching a record USD 20 billion in 2025. The current market environment, characterized by a reset in valuations and increased demand for liquidity, provides compelling opportunities to pursue a focused approach to the asset class.

Ardian is a recognized pioneer and leader in Private Equity and Infrastructure secondaries. Having completed selective real estate secondaries transactions on an opportunistic basis, the firm identified the current market as the right time to pursue a more focused approach.

The launch of the new real estate secondaries platform represents the latest expansion of the broad and long-standing relationship between Ardian and ADIA.

This announcement underscores Ardian’s continued commitment to expanding its secondaries platform and reinforces its positioning as a leading global investor across alternative asset classes.

“This platform reflects our conviction in real estate secondaries as an attractive and growing market. We have been closely studying the market for some time and believe now is a compelling moment to enter the market and drive significant value for our investors. By combining our leading global secondaries platform with deep real estate expertise, we can offer both breadth of access and granular insight into the asset class. Together with ADIA, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunities ahead and deliver value for our investors.” Vladimir Colas, Executive Vice-President and Co-Head of Secondaries, Ardian.

“Our relationship with ADIA has been built over many years across multiple strategies. This expansion into real estate secondaries is a natural progression that reflects the depth of trust and collaboration we have developed together.” François Aïssa Touazi, Member of the Executive Committee and Head of Investor Relations (MENA), Ardian

“Ardian has built a long and successful track record of investing in secondaries. This new platform reflects our confidence in both the growth potential of real estate secondaries and the strength of the long-standing relationship between ADIA and Ardian.” Mohamed Al Qubaisi, Executive Director of the Real Estate Department at ADIA.

ABOUT ARDIAN

In a world of constant evolution, Ardian stands out for its ability to anticipate, adapt, and turn challenges into opportunities. As a global, diversified private markets firm with 22 offices and more than 350 investment professionals worldwide, we provide investment and customized solutions that reflect new economic dynamics and help our clients remain resilient in a changing world.
We deliver multi-local expertise and long-term performance for our investors and partners as well as shared value for the broader society. Since Ardian’s inception in 1996, our pioneering approach to diversification and our ability to offer tailor-made solutions at scale have remained the heart of our strategy.
Through commitment, knowledge and technology, we bring lasting value to our companies and contribute positively to the whole industry.
Ardian currently manages or advises $200bn for more than 1,920 clients worldwide across Private Equity, Real Assets, and Credit.
Ardian. Mastering change for lasting value.

ardian.com

ABOUT ADIA

Established in 1976, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) is a globally-diversified investment institution that prudently invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi through a strategy focused on long-term value creation.

adia.ae

Media contacts

Ardian

Mithras Partners

ardian-mena@mithras-partners.com 

ADIA

Garry Nickson

garry.nickson@adia.ae

Categories: News