Franklin Templeton announced on Tuesday that it partnered with sustainable infrastructure firm Actis, fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge to provide private infrastructure solutions to individual investors. The initiative is the first strategic partnership between the four firms.
The firms plan to provide private wealth clients with access to infrastructure opportunities with the themes of digitalization, electrification and energy security, as well as sectors including data centers, hyperscale data center development, digital power, fiber and towers, and renewable energy, they said in a news release.
“The investment profile is expected to provide stable inflation-linked cash flows” and the solutions fielded by the firms under the partnership are “intended to be built for resilience through economic and market cycles, with exposure to high-growth sectors driving the future of energy, transport, and digital connectivity,” the firms said.
The partnership responds to “compelling market demand for allocations to infrastructure,” according to Jenny Johnson, President and CEO of Franklin Templeton.
“The trends shaping the private markets present an opportunity to broaden access to capital and advance the availability of investments in energy security, electrification, and digitalization, and this is a unique opportunity for investors to unlock that potential,” she said in the news release.
DigitalBridge’s role will be to enable the partnership to invest in the digital advancements, including AI, by investing in data centers, cell towers, fiber networks, small cells, and edge infrastructure, according to the firms.
CIP’s portfolio of energy infrastructure projects and industry expertise are expected to enable the partnership to leverage opportunities in the global energy transition.
Growth market specialist Actis, the sustainable infrastructure business of General Atlantic, invests in infrastructure assets with defensive profiles in the power, transmission, transport and digital sectors, according to the release.
“Digital infrastructure is a core driver of the global economy, and private wealth investors are increasingly seeking access to opportunities that have traditionally been reserved for institutions,” according to Marc Ganzi, CEO of DigitalBridge.
“Partnering with a global distribution leader like Franklin Templeton allows us to broaden access to this asset class at a pivotal moment, as artificial intelligence, electrification, and next-generation connectivity accelerate demand for digital and energy infrastructure,” Ganzi said.
He added, “By combining our sector expertise with Franklin Templeton’s reach in private wealth, we are creating a platform designed to deliver institutional-quality opportunities to a broader set of investors.”
“We are delighted to join this partnership for the development of critical global infrastructure, and energy infrastructure in particular,” said Christian Skakkebæk, Senior Partner at CIP.
He added, “As pioneers in providing energy and electrification solutions, we look forward to contributing our distinct industrial approach to value creation, based on investing in greenfield projects and developing them from the ground up. This collaboration is the first of its kind, marking a significant milestone for investors looking to strengthen their portfolios with private infrastructure.”
“We are building critical infrastructure across energy, digital, transport, and other high-growth sectors, supported by disciplined, hands-on investment capital,” according to Torbjorn Caesar, Chairman of Actis.
“Investors today are seeking resilience, scale, and relevance – qualities that define Actis’ sustainable infrastructure platform in growth markets,” he said. “Through this strategic partnership, we look forward to expanding access to our investment platform and delivering long-term value.”
Franklin Templeton had $1.64 trillion in assets under management (AUM) as of Aug. 31, according to the firm.
Since it was founded over 20 years ago, Actis has raised $27 billion, according to the firm. In October 2024, Actis was acquired by General Atlantic, a global investor in the private markets, creating a diversified investment platform that includes climate, credit, growth equity and infrastructure strategies. As of June 30, General Atlantic managed about $114 billion in AUM, inclusive of all strategies, Actis said.
CIP was founded in 2012 and now manages 13 funds. It raised about $37 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from approximately 200 institutional investors across the globe, according to the news release.
The DigitalBridge team manages $106 billion of infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders, the firm said.
Jeff Berman, Contributing Editor and Reporter at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at jeff.berman@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
