Slate Asset Management launched its impact investment strategy focused on infrastructure with the appointment of Christian Schmid as managing director and global head of infrastructure.
Based in London, Schmid joins from Queensland Investment Corporation and will lead Slate’s new Cities and Communities Impact Infrastructure Strategy, which will target infrastructure assets that advance the global energy transition to renewable energy to drive reductions in carbon emissions.
Previously, he was the sector lead for Utilities and led the successful acquisition of CenTrio (formerly Enwave Energy U.S.), a pure-play district energy platform in the U.S. Prior to joining QIC in 2019, he spent 13 years at RBC Capital Markets, where he was a managing director responsible for originating and executing infrastructure transactions across Europe and North America.
The new Slate Cities and Communities strategy will partner closely with cities, companies and technology providers and invest across the infrastructure spectrum in long-term clean energy and sustainability solutions for urban settings.
“Meeting the ambitious net-zero commitments of governments and communities around the world will require massive investments to upgrade and modernize urban infrastructure,” said Brady Welch, founding partner at Slate Asset Management. “With our Cities and Communities Impact Infrastructure Strategy, we have a unique opportunity to leverage Slate’s existing expertise, reach and relationships to put ourselves at the forefront of that change, and we are very pleased that Christian has joined us to lead these efforts.”
Some of Schmid’s recent transaction experience includes advising on the acquisition of Wheelabrator Technologies and Vicinity Energy in the U.S. and sub-metering businesses Techem GmbH and insta International GmbH Europe. He began his career at the German utility company RWE, where he worked in corporate finance.
“Slate’s young culture of innovation will be a significant advantage as we champion technologies and infrastructure solutions aimed at making our cities and communities more environmentally resilient,” said Schmid. “This culture, coupled with the firm’s well-established global footprint, vertically-integrated portfolio and focus on ESG, positions Slate well to unlock compelling investment opportunities tied to the global energy transition, while advancing our vision of a more sustainable future.”
