Opening Up New Sources of Finance for UK Infrastructure Investment

8 February 2012

This timely event will explore the new thinking about how private finance can be harnessed to deliver the infrastructure requirements set out in the recently published National Infrastructure Plan, including the various initiatives that are being launched with a view to bringing institutional investors into the market.  The speaker faculty brings together all the main players involved in these initiatives.

We are delighted that Geoffrey Spence, the new Head of Private Finance at the Treasury, will give the opening keynote address.

Among the initiatives that will be discussed are the new infrastructure investment platform for pension funds; the MoU on greenfield investment signed by a separate group of pension funds; and the Insurers’ Infrastructure Investment Fund, which has been set up to improve access to debt capital markets for infrastructure projects.  There are also major sessions on the Green Investment Bank, ways in which project delivery can be improved, and new private finance models.

The summit is being held on the third day of City Week (www.cityweekuk.com), which is organised with the support of the UK Government and a wide range of City institutions.  The benefit of holding the conference as part of City Week is that the latter attracts a lot of overseas investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and insurance companies, who will attend the infrastructure summit alongside the UK infrastructure industry.

The topics covered will include:

  • The Government’s plans for the use of private finance in implementing the National Infrastructure Plan
  • Creating a platform to facilitate increased pension fund investment in infrastructure
  • Attracting early stage institutional investment in greenfield infrastructure
  • Debt capital markets – the Association of British Insurers’ initiative for improving access for infrastructure projects
  • The potential for government guarantees for specific risks
  • The PFI Review
  • Improving the approval process for major infrastructure projects
  • The Green Investment Bank – the potential for attracting institutional investors
  • Using the concession model for new infrastructure – lessons from the UK and overseas
  • Tax increment financing as a tool for attracting private investment in local infrastructure
  • Reforming market structures to attract private sector investment

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