Montréal, December 14, 2021 - Today, with its new DGAM Global Private Infrastructure Fund ("the Fund"), Desjardins Global Asset Management (DGAM) is launching its first alternative investment solution for Canadian institutional investors. Desjardins itself plans to invest massively alongside them. The Fund will target long-term equity investments in infrastructure assets worldwide that have the ability to generate stable and predictable revenues.
As announced today by Nicolas Richard, DGAM President and Chief Operating Officer, "The DGAM Global Private Infrastructure Fund is designed to provide favourable, risk-adjusted long-term returns by building a diversified infrastructure portfolio through direct investments, co-investments and investments in funds." It complements the equity and fixed-income products DGAM offers its institutional clients.
"Desjardins has become a respected infrastructure investor around the world, thanks to trusting relationships and partnerships stemming from the program set up 14 years ago for our pension plan and, later, our insurance companies," added Frédéric Angers, Vice President, Infrastructure Investments at DGAM. "DGAM will be able to lend this credibility to the Fund participants. ESG considerations will also be included in the various stages, from acquisition to portfolio investment management."
The DGAM Infrastructure Fund was launched thanks to the expertise of the Desjardins Group Pension Plan infrastructure investment team that joined DGAM in September 2020. They have deployed more than $3 billion in assets on behalf of Desjardins institutional entities since 2008, including $1.4 billion in the renewable energy sector.
Why invest in infrastructure?
- Long-term contracts are concluded with quality partners.
- The correlation with other asset classes is generally low, which helps diversify the portfolio.
- Income from infrastructure investments is often adjusted, at least partially, to reflect inflation.