MILAN, March 17 (Reuters) - Italian infrastructure fund F2i is confident stability in Europe amid growing global upheaval and the good returns of a recently liquidated fund will help it hit a
F2i Aims for €1.5 Billion European Fund Backed by Stability and Returns
F2i's Fundraising Strategy and Market Position
Strong Performance of Previous Equity Fund
MILAN, March 17 (Reuters) - Italian infrastructure fund F2i is confident stability in Europe amid growing global upheaval and the good returns of a recently liquidated fund will help it hit a fundraising target of 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) for a new equity fund, its CEO said.
An equity fund F2i launched in 2015 after gathering 1.2 billion euros has returned investors a cumulated 14.5% average yield per year, reaching 2.6 billion euros in value before being liquidated, company data showed.
Expansion Beyond Italy
F2i has now started the fundraising for its seventh equity fund, which will broaden the company's investment footprint beyond Italy to include some European projects as well.
Investor Sentiment Amid Geopolitical Instability
Europe as a Safe Haven
Chief Executive Renato Ravanelli told Reuters the rising geopolitical instability was focusing investors' attention on Europe, which offers a pocket of relative stability.
"What we're seeing now is that investors from North America and Asia are increasingly looking to Europe as a place of stability when deciding how to allocate their capital and manage risk," Ravanelli said.
F2i's Background and Investment Focus
Origins and Growth
Born in 2007 with backing from leading Italian banks as well as pension funds and sovereign investors, F2i has raised a total of 11 billion euros since inception.
Specialization in Mid-Sized Investments
Sector Focus and Investment Horizon
Focused mainly on Italy until now, F2i specializes in mid-sized investments in energy, logistics and infrastructure companies, with a 10-12 year horizon.
Recent Credit Fund Activity
F2i recently raised 460 million euros for its second credit fund, which has a fundraising target of 750 million euros.($1 = 0.8687 euros)
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Valentina Za)
