Among the world Top 10 in infrastructure, a resilient sector
With its strong growth and resistance to rising interest rates, the infrastructure sector is now viewed as a safe haven. Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking plays a major role in this sector, ranking among the world's top 10 banks for infrastructure financing. In 2022, a number of operations were recognized as "Deal of the Year", notably for their contribution to the major energy, digital and societal transitions.
Infrastructure needs increasing by 6% per year
The infrastructure sector is becoming a safe haven in the backdrop of rising interest rates, inflation and high volatility in bond and equity markets, as well as in other asset classes such as real estate. The stability and indexation of cash flows generally provides the sector good protection against inflation while interest rates are usually hedged over the long term.
In addition, there are huge infrastructure needs to support the energy and digital transitions, as well as new societal trends, such as telecommuting and the move away from city centers, which are stepping up the need for proximity, flexibility and autonomy.
Infrastructure investments are expected to grow by 6% per year over the next five years, to deploy renewable energies, new energies such as hydrogen, soft mobility or digital equipment such as fiber or data centers.
No. 8 global bank in infrastructure
Natixis CIB is one of the Top 10 banks worldwide in infrastructure advisory and financing. It was ranked no. 8 global mandated lead arranger in 2022*, arranging numerous landmark deals, recognized as Deal of the Year by leading publications such as Refinitiv Project Finance International (PFI), IJ Global and TXF.
No. 4 global bank for renewable infrastructure
The bank stood out especially for its ability to support its clients' energy transition. It was ranked no. 4 worldwide arranger of renewable infrastructure financing*.
In 2022, for example, Natixis CIB arranged financing for ReNew RTC, the first wind and solar photovoltaic network in India. The project is combined with battery storage to provide green energy 24 hours a day, as a solution to intermittency issues with renewable energy. In this respect, it was voted "Asia Pacific Green Deal of the Year" by PFI.
Financing of the Zarafshan wind farm in Uzbekistan, the largest wind farm in Central Asia (500 MW), was also triple-awarded "Deal of the Year" by PFI, IJ Global and TXF. The operation highlights the bank's ability to arrange deals in different jurisdictions and support the deployment of renewable energy, including in developing countries.
Finally, Natixis CIB arranged the financing of the largest green hydrogen production site, NEOM Green Hydrogen Project, in Saudi Arabia, powered entirely by renewable energy. PFI awarded it the title of "Middle East & Africa Green Deal of the Year".
Metals, at the heart of the energy transition
Electrification of the economy to gradually replace fossil fuels with low-carbon energy sources requires metals to generate, transport and store this new form of energy. There can be no energy transition without metals.
IJ Global recognized Natixis CIB's involvement in this critical sector by awarding its financing of the acquisition of the Minas de Aguas Tenidas mining complex in Andalusia, with an annual extraction capacity of 4.7 million tons of copper, zinc and lead ores.
Sustainable mobility, another important focus of the environmental transition
In the transportation sector, financing of electric buses for Colombian operator TransMilenio received the "Transport ESG Award Americas" at the IJ Global ESG Awards.
A major player in the digital transition
Another key sector undergoing profound change is technology and telecommunications. Natixis CIB ranks as the no. 9 global arranger, with numerous references, especially in the fields of fiber optics, cloud, data centers and antennas.
In 2022, Natixis CIB financed the construction of the Middle East's first giga-data center, developed by Quantum Switch and Tamasuk in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, with capacity of over 5,000 servers. The deal was voted "Deal of the Year" by TXF and earned Natixis CIB the title of Middle East "Bank of the Year" by PFI.
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* No. 8 Global Infrastructure MLA by deal count, No. 9 Global Infrastructure MLA by value, No. 4 Renewables Infrastructure MLA by value. Source: IJ Global - Infrastructure and Project Finance League Table Report - Full Year 2022
