People familiar with the review say Ares Management has spent the past few months evaluating a transaction for a minority interest in Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. They also noted there is no guarantee the parties will reach an agreement. The Los Angeles firm, one of the world's largest private credit managers, declined to comment. CIP did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Big investment houses have been bulking up in infrastructure as asset owners like pension funds aim to place more money with fewer managers. Recent headline moves include BlackRock's roughly $12.5 billion purchase of Global Infrastructure Partners in 2024. In 2023, Bridgepoint Group moved to acquire Energy Capital Partners, and CVC Capital Partners agreed to buy DIF Capital Partners.
A potential tie-up would expand Ares's presence in Europe just as energy needs are poised to rise because of the expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure and a broader reindustrialization push, trends similar to what is unfolding in the US. In July, Ares said a record second quarter for fundraising brought assets under management to $671 billion as of June 30, 2026, with momentum led by alternative credit and real assets as investors shift from traditional direct lending toward holdings backed by hard collateral.
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In 2012, Jakob Baruël Poulsen and three partners launched CIP, which originated from the offshore wind division that later became Orsted A/S. The founders retain a majority ownership of the firm. In 2020, Vestas Wind Systems A/S struck a deal to acquire a 25% stake in the company.
Since inception, CIP has collected about €43 billion, equivalent to $49.4 billion, and manages 15 funds, placing it among Europe's largest standalone infrastructure managers. Its holdings include the first commercial-scale wind project off the US coast, a large Spanish wind farm, plus an expanding slate of offshore wind projects in Taiwan, Ireland, and California.
Why the rush into infrastructure? Cash flows tend to be steadier, and many assets are structured to hold up better against inflation. Think toll roads, wind farms or fiber networks operating under long contracts that often include inflation-linked terms. In a world with more geopolitical crosscurrents and choppy markets, that kind of predictability stands out.
If Ares ultimately takes a minority stake in CIP, it would underline a clear theme: the search for durable income from real assets tied to the energy transition. For everyday investors, it is another clue that the big money is leaning into assets with long-term contracts and built-in inflation features to smooth returns when everything else is swinging around.
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