Investment firm KKR and Dutch investment firm Reggeborgh have announced a partnership for the strong expansion of Deutsche Glasfaser (DG).
DG plans, constructs, and operates fibre-optic networks in Germany and provides German households and companies with fast broadband connections. KKR will acquire a majority stake in DG, which is currently fully owned by Reggeborgh. In a joint effort, the two partners will provide DG with the long-term capital to embark on an ambitious growth program whereby approximately €450m is to be invested in the further roll-out of the German fibre optics infrastructure over the next few years.
Deutsche Glasfaser focuses on the rural and suburban parts of Germany and is active across the entire value chain, from passive to active infrastructure up to acting as an internet service provider. As a fibre-to-the-home (“FTTH”) business, DG has already connected about 100,000 German households and companies to its fibre-optic network.
Johannes Huth, Member and Head of KKR Europe, Africa and Middle East, said: “We are excited to partner with Reggeborgh in building a top infrastructure company. With our capital resources and experience, we will bring Deutsche Glasfaser to its next stage of development and thereby also contribute to the ambitious Digital Agenda of the German government.”
“Deutsche Glasfaser is a blueprint for the type of investments our infrastructure fund is targeting in Europe: building a partnership with a best-in-class company, and investing significant amounts of capital to grow a business with strong infrastructure characteristics,” added Jesús Olmos, member and head of European Infrastructure at KKR.
“We are very excited about this new addition to our European portfolio as it opens up opportunities in a new and promising sector – telecom infra – alongside our existing investments in renewables, water, district heating, parking and rolling stock.”
“We have ambitious plans to bring the fastest broadband access technology in the world to the German citizens,” said Henry M. Holterman, CEO of Reggeborgh.
“With its deep capital base and its longstanding country and sector experience, KKR is the right partner to accelerate the realization of our ambitions.”
