• The EQT Madrid-office will be led by Daniel Pérez Wikmark
• It is the first EQT office in Southern Europe and part of the firm’s expansion strategy across the continent and in Spain
• EQT holds two Spanish companies in its portfolio through the EQT Infrastructure funds: Parkia and Islalink

EQT, the leading private equity group in Northern Europe, announced today the opening of an office in Madrid. The office will be led by Daniel Pérez Wikmark, Head of EQT Partners investment advisory organization for Spain and Portugal.

This is EQT’s first office in Southern Europe and part of the firm’s expansion strategy for the region. Daniel Pérez Wikmark, who has been leading the firm’s activities in Spain and Portugal since the beginning of 2014, will lead a team of investment professionals covering the Iberian market with the support of EQT’s international team.

Thomas von Koch, EQT Managing Partner stated: “The Madrid office is a further step in EQT’s commitment to investing in solid companies in the Iberian region and developing them into strong and sustainable businesses. Being “local with locals” is key in the way EQT creates long term value for investors, portfolio companies as well as society as a whole”.

“We are delighted to open an office in Spain four years after EQT’s first investment in the country. There is plenty of activity in the corporate markets in Spain and Portugal and this will translate into opportunities for an industrially oriented private equity firm such as EQT. A permanent office in Madrid will of course enable us to more efficiently capture such opportunities”, comments Daniel Pérez Wikmark, Head of EQT for Spain and Portugal.

Lennart Blecher, Head of EQT Infrastructure and Deputy Managing Partner says: “In the Iberian market, we will specifically pursue opportunities in medium sized companies in sectors such as energy, transportation, telecommunications and infrastructure-related services. Possibilities to support expansion plans, accelerate growth or drive operational excellence, thus creating market leading companies, are examples of what we are looking for.”

The EQT Infrastructure I Fund made its first investment in Spain in 2011 ­­­with the acquisition of Acciona Aparcamientos, subsequently renamed Parkia. In August 2014 Parkia was merged with MutuaPark, the car park operator belonging to Mutua Madrileña, with EQT holding a 66.8% stake in the new business. Parkia is currently the largest pure off-street car park operator in Spain.

In 2014, the EQT Infrastructure II Fund acquired the Spanish telecom infrastructure company IslaLink, an independent and neutral operator of submarine fibre optic cables in and around Spain from Cube Infrastructure.