Samsung Life Insurance Co., Ltd., Samsung Asset Management Co., Ltd and Natixis S.A. have signed a cooperation agreement to co-invest in infrastructure and aviation debt originated by Natixis.

Under the terms of the agreement, signed on Tuesday 19th April, the two Samsung Group entities target to invest US$500 million over five years into loans originated globally by Natixis. Samsung Life will invest on its own behalf, while Samsung Asset Management will place the loans among other Korean institutional investors.

During the investment period, Natixis will introduce loans backed by infrastructure and aviation assets, in accordance with the investment criteria specified in the agreement. Natixis will retain a portion of each transaction on the bank’s balance sheet in order to ensure alignment of interest all along the life of the operation. Natixis will also provide servicing and administration of all assets in the portfolio.

This is the sixth such agreement signed by Natixis with institutional investors across Europe and Asia, as part of the bank’s pioneering model to open the infrastructure and aviation debt asset class to non-bank financial institutions on a large scale.

Anne-Christine Champion, Global Head of Infrastructure & Projects at Natixis, commented:

“We are delighted to partner with Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung Asset Management, each a leader in Korea in their respective sectors. This agreement further enhances our capacity to deliver innovative financing solutions, which can complement standard bank financing for infrastructure projects, and is a significant milestone in the development of our infrastructure platform.”

Bruno Le Saint, Head of Structured & Asset Finance, Asia Pacific, at Natixis added: 

“Alternative asset classes, and particularly infrastructure and aviation debt, are of increasing interest to Asia Pacific institutional investors due to the stability and long-term yield they offer. This is reflected by this agreement, in which we are partnering with two of Asia’s major investors while also making our investment solutions available to a broad base of institutional investors in South Korea.”