Image source: SAF AerogroupXi Chen and Lindsay Scully promoted to Partner as Private Debt team grows to support attractive pipeline across UK, Europe and North America.
QIC today announced the successful close of a €30 million financing to market-leading French aerial emergency services provider, SAF Aerogroup, highlighting the growing presence, origination capability and sponsor relationships QIC Private Debt has in the European infrastructure debt market.
The five-year, bilateral financing supported the acquisition of SAF by Infracapital, the infrastructure private equity investment arm of M&G, and Vesper Infrastructure Partners.
Founded in 1979, SAF Aerogroup provides advanced, mission-critical aerial emergency medical, firefighting and humanitarian logistics support services under long-term contracts with governments, local authorities and international organisations to help them meet their most critical challenges.
The company operates a fleet of approximately 90 helicopters on more than 30 bases primarily located in France.
QIC Private Debt’s Xi Chen said the transaction demonstrated QIC’s ability to structure bespoke financing solutions in partnership with leading European infrastructure investors.
As we expand QIC’s European private debt portfolio, our focus remains squarely on partnering with high-quality sponsors on economically essential infrastructure assets with strong fundamentals and clear earnings visibility
Xi Chen - Partner, QIC Private Debt Infrastructure
“This latest investment is underpinned by long-term contracts, strong counterparties and resilient cash flows, aligning with our disciplined approach to financing capital intensive businesses that provide essential services.”
“With a strong pipeline for the year ahead, our team will continue to selectively deploy capital across Europe as part of our proven strategy to construct global infrastructure debt portfolios that meet the needs of leading institutional investors.”
To support the continued growth of QIC’s global infrastructure debt platform and in recognition of the key roles both have played in originating and executing a number of key transactions for the business to-date, Ms Chen and New York-based Lindsay Scully have been promoted to Partner.
“I’m very proud to continue working alongside our exceptional team as we further scale the platform,” Ms Scully said.
There is significant momentum across the global infrastructure market, and QIC is well positioned to execute the investment strategy that the QIC private debt team has defined and developed over the past 25 years to continue to create value for our clients.
Lindsay Scully - Partner, QIC Private Debt Infrastructure
Ms Scully is responsible for originating and structuring investment opportunities in the North American market and has been with QIC since the launch of its inaugural private debt fund in 2021. Before joining QIC, she was a Director in the Energy and Infrastructure Group at Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank.
Based in London, Ms Chen joined QIC in 2022. Prior to joining QIC, Ms Chen was a Director in the Infrastructure Finance Group of HSBC Global Banking & Markets and held origination roles at Barclays Investment Bank and Société Générale.
