Gwen Colin, ESG Director and Partner at Vauban Infrastructure Partners drives the firm’s commitment to creating sustainable value in European core infrastructure. Through a focus on energy transition, mobility, and social infrastructure, Gwen ensures Vauban’s long-term, yield-driven investments align with high environmental and social standards, benefiting communities and stakeholders alike.
Can you provide a brief description of your company?
Vauban Infrastructure Partners is an infrastructure asset manager focused on European core infrastructure investments. With headquarters in Paris and subsidiaries in Luxembourg and New York, as well as a branch in Munich, the firm comprises 76 professionals, many of whom have worked together for over a decade. Vauban targets predominantly European brownfield mid-market assets, pursuing a long-term yield-driven strategy matching the underlying nature of assets and long-term commitment to all stakeholders’ interests through a strong focus on creating sustainable value. Vauban has raised over $10 billion across 8 funds in core infrastructure from over 150 investors within 19 different countries and has invested in over 80 assets in mobility, energy transition, social & digital infrastructure across 16 different geographies.
How are you adapting to the evolving expectations of your customers?
At Vauban Infrastructure Partners, we prioritise sustainability, aligning our investments with the evolving expectations of investors and stakeholders. We focus on infrastructure that supports energy transition, decarbonised mobility, and social and digital infrastructure, ensuring long-term sustainability while generating value. Transparency with our investors is key. We ask for a voluntary audit of our SFDR reports, and we provide detailed annual action plans to enhance the environmental and social impact of our assets. Additionally, to reinforce infrastructure’s societal role, we publish annual research papers on topics like circular infrastructure and the social license to operate. This year, we have launched InfraVision, a Think Tank for Sustainable Infrastructure, by leveraging our expertise and collaborating with industry specialists, academics, and practitioners, we aim to provide a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of critical topics. 2024 research is focusing on inclusive infrastructure, emphasising its potential to reduce social and economic inequalities.
“We focus on infrastructure that supports energy transition, decarbonised mobility, and social and digital infrastructure, ensuring long-term sustainability while generating value”
What is your company’s vision for the next 5 years?
Our vision for the next five years is built on three key pillars: steady returns for investors, sustainable infrastructure development, and community-focused projects. We aim to invest in essential infrastructure like mobility, energy access, digital networks, and social infrastructure, enhancing connectivity and improving living standards. By aligning our investments with high environmental, social, and governance standards, we are committed to ensuring that our infrastructure projects benefit local communities while preserving critical resources. Vauban Infrastructure Partners will continue to focus on long-term value creation by carefully selecting assets that deliver consistent returns. Our approach balances yield generation and value enhancement, ensuring we remain a trusted partner for investors and open for collaboration in our research to shape a more sustainable and connected world.
