The official signature on the purchase and sale documents of 49% of the Italian 2i Aeroporti holding company is expected today. The buyer is the Spanish fund Asterion Industrial Partners which deals with investments in European infrastructure. The seller is the Luxembourg joint venture Cavour Aero (established by the French Ardian and Crédit Agricole Assurances). The remaining 51% remains in the hands of the F2i fund. According to rumors, Asterion risked losing the match.

Yes, because when in December 2023 Cavour Aero gave a mandate to Mediobanca and Crédit Agricole CIB to manage the sale of 49% of 2i Aeroporti, there were so many suitors: the insurance company Swiss Life, the German insurance company Allianz, the North American bank Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (Cdpq); but in June 2024 it had become a two-way challenge between Asterion and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) pension fund.

The latter, according to rumors in the press, is still trying to get the deal out of Asterion. Canada Pension Plan (CPP) would have been favored for many months for the purchase of 49% of 2i Aeroporti, but its offer would not have respected the terms set by the advisors. Therefore Ardian and Crédit Agricole dealt exclusively with Asterion. Now, if CPP were to send a binding proposal at the last minute, Ardian and Crédit Agricole could, by paying a penalty, sell 2i Airports to it. For this reason Asterion wants to sign as soon as possible.

On the same topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.