Linklaters advised the lead structuring banks on the acquisition financing for a consortium, comprising Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, on the acquisition of AirTrunk, a leading Asian data centre operator, for an implied enterprise value of A$24bn (approximately US$16.1bn). This represents the largest buyout in Australia this year and one of the biggest in recent history.

AirTrunk, founded in Australia in 2015, is the largest data centre platform in the Asia Pacific region, with a sizeable presence in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It has more than 800MW of capacity committed to customers and owns land that can support over 1GW of future growth across the region.

The Linklaters team was led by banking partner Alessandro Nolet, supported by banking counsel Douglas Doherty and managing associate Brad Pawlak. TMT partner Alaister Johnson and TMT managing associate Jia-Yi Tay provided specialist support on the transaction.

Linklaters’ banking partner Alessandro Nolet commented:

“We are honoured to have advised on the acquisition financing of the AirTrunk deal which marks a landmark moment in the digital infrastructure sector. This strategic acquisition not only highlights the transformative growth potential within the Asia Pacific region but also sets a new benchmark in the market for digital infrastructure investments. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our clients and contribute to a transaction that will undoubtedly shape the future of digital infrastructure.”