Fundraising

William Fitzgerald, a former chief investment officer for Nuveen Asset Management’s municipal bond business, sees an attractive opportunity for mezzanine debt and secondary senior debt investment in the infrastructure sector.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has proposed a €75 million commitment to Chicago-based Heitman’s European Property Partners IV fund. The vehicle is targeting €600m of equity by its final close in September.

This month saw two direct investments in the City of London by Middle Eastern investors better known for making third party investments into blind pool, discretionary funds. PERE spoke with the agent behind these deals about their wind change in investment priorities.

The mid-market firm, established by Robert Bass in the 1980s, secured the backing of major pension investors for its latest investment vehicle.

The cash infusion will help Goodman meet liabilities this year. The Australian property group says the agreement with CIC also envisages the pair working on a broader strategic relationship.

The European and Asian Special Situations fund has up to $300m in capital soft-circled and is targeting a first close this June.

The Boston buyout firm may allow LPs in a private credit-opportunity fund to cancel participation if they agree instead to a planned $300m listed credit vehicle.

A debate is dividing the infrastructure community as to whether the $2.5bn Midway Airport deal fell apart because of bad timing or poor decision-making. Cezary Podkul weighs up the arguments.

Bernard Sheahan is the man behind the IFC’s new Infrastructure Crisis Facility: a $10bn pot of money that could lend to your project or invest in your next infrastructure fund. Cezary Podkul asked him about his vision for the facility, how investors can get access to it, and why it is of such critical importance at the current time

Pennsylvania said the recession and credit crisis upended the bidding process, which will resume when financial market conditions improve. In the meanwhile, $25m of commonwealth funds will be used to make the project more attractive to the private sector.