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Antin Infrastructure Partners
Antin Infrastructure Partners
Antin Infrastructure Partners
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Antin Infrastructure Partners is a French private equity firm with offices in Paris, London, New York, Luxembourg and Singapore.[3] It has EUR 30.6 billion in assets under management as of December 2022.[4] Antin invests in the energy & environment, digital technology, transportation, and social infrastructure sectors.[5]

Key Information

History

[edit]

Antin was founded in Paris in 2007.[6][7] Initially sponsored by BNP Paribas, the company bought out the bank's 40 per cent stake in 2012. Led by former banker Alain Rauscher, Antin manages four funds for infrastructure investment in Europe and North America, each with a focus on Energy & Environment, Digital technology, Transportation, and Social infrastructure sectors.[5] The company owned one third of all rolling stock in the UK in 2014.[8] By late 2022, Antin had more than 190 partners and employees.[5]

In 2021, Antin became a publicly traded company after listing in an IPO on Euronext Paris.[9][10]

Antin sponsors a research chair in private equity and infrastructure at HEC Paris, which in 2019 was held by Denis Gromb, who has been Professor at the Finance Department.[11] The firm also finances the chair of infrastructure finance at Italian Bocconi University. The chair is currently held by Stefano Gatti.[12]

Investments

[edit]

In August 2011, Antin invested in the Spanish Andasol 1 and 2 solar power plants. After a 7 per cent tax on electricity production was imposed by the Spanish government in 2013, Antin sued the Spanish State. The Court of Arbitration of the World Bank acknowledged a compensation of €112 million to Antin. Eventually, Antin sold off the Andasol 1 and 2 power plants in 2017.[13]

In September 2014 it was announced that the Israeli conglomerate Delek Group was selling UK freeway services company Roadchef to Antin for £153 million.[14]

In September 2014 Antin bought UK motorway services company Roadchef for £153 million.[15]

Between 2014 and 2015, Antin acquired a 99 per cent stake in Central Area Transmission System, a natural gas transmission and processing system, from BG Group.[16]

In 2015, Antin acquired Amedes [de], a German company active in the sector of laboratory and health services.[17]

In 2017, Antin bought 60 per cent of the capital of the French clinic group Almaviva Santé [fr] from Gimv and UI Gestion.[18]

Since 2018, Antin has bought 82 per cent of Norwegian shipping company Sølvtrans [no].[19]

In May 2018, Antin acquired Idex.[20]

Antin invested in UK telecoms company CityFibre in 2018.[21]

In August 2019, Antin sold a minority stake in Eurofiber, a Dutch fiber-optic network, to PGGM,[22] after having bought the company for 875 million Euros in 2015.[23]

In late 2019, Antin acquired the U.S. district energy assets of Veolia to establish Vicinity Energy.[24]

In late 2020, Antin acquired Babilou [fr], a French nursery operator.[25] In 2021, it acquired Pulsant, a provider of datacenter services.[26]

In 2022, CityFibre secured £4.9 billion in debt finance from banks and investors, among them Antin.[27]

Controversies

[edit]

In January 2023, a social infrastructure provider owned by Antin[28] - The Hesley Group - was the subject of an investigation by BBC News. BBC News reported that children in care were punched, locked out naked, and had vinegar poured on cuts.[29] The complaints were raised 3 years prior to the closure of the children's home. The BBC commissioned research that found more than a quarter of all children's home placements in England and Wales were run by private equity firms, and criticised the alleged lack of accountability in the sector.[29] Hesley was put up for sale in 2023.[30]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Antin Infrastructure Partners

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from Grokipedia

Antin Infrastructure Partners is an independent headquartered in , , specializing in infrastructure investments. Founded in 2007 by Alain Rauscher and Mark Crosbie, the firm applies active value-creation strategies derived from private equity principles to infrastructure assets, targeting majority stakes in . With offices in , New York, , , and , Antin focuses primarily on and . The firm manages €33.3 billion in as of December 2024, reflecting steady growth through successive fundraisings. Antin's flagship strategy has delivered multiple funds, culminating in Fund V's final close at €10.2 billion in December 2024—exceeding its €10 billion target by 2% and marking the largest fund closing worldwide that year. Investments span and environment, digital , transport, and social sectors, with examples including developer Origis Energy, broadband provider , and highway operator Bina Istra. While Antin emphasizes disciplined partnership and accountability in its approach, it has faced business disputes, such as a 2023 Delaware court case over a failed acquisition and a 2025 European Commission ruling deeming a €101 million arbitration award from as illegal state aid.

Company Overview

Founding and Early Operations

Antin Infrastructure Partners was established in in 2007 by Alain Rauscher and Mark Crosbie, who sought to implement a differentiated emphasizing active value creation in the then-emerging asset class. The firm began operations with a small team and initial sponsorship from , which held a 40% stake in the manager. In 2008, Antin launched its inaugural flagship fund (Fund I), targeting majority stakes in infrastructure companies and assets across with a focus on operational improvements and growth. The fund achieved final close in late 2010, securing €1.1 billion in commitments from 35 limited partners, primarily based in , , and other European regions. This capital enabled the construction of a diversified portfolio of core investments during the fund's investment period, which extended through 2013. Early operations centered on identifying undervalued opportunities amenable to hands-on , distinguishing Antin from passive approaches prevalent at the time. In January 2013, the firm's partners acquired BNP Paribas's 40% stake, transitioning Antin to full ownership by its senior and aligning incentives more closely with long-term performance.

Mission and Investment Focus

Antin Infrastructure Partners operates as an independent dedicated to infrastructure investments, emphasizing an active approach to value creation to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns. The firm applies principles to infrastructure assets, focusing on operational improvements, strategic repositioning, and growth initiatives rather than passive holding strategies typical in traditional infrastructure investing. This mission stems from the conviction that proactive management can unlock significant value in sectors. The investment focus centers on core infrastructure businesses in and , targeting sectors including and environment, digital infrastructure, transport, and social infrastructure. Antin seeks assets with stable cash flows but untapped potential for enhancement through hands-on involvement, such as expanding service offerings or optimizing operations. Geographic priorities remain firmly on developed markets in these regions to leverage regulatory stability and established demand for . Guided by founding principles of , , , and , Antin fosters collaborative relationships with teams and investors to drive . These pillars underpin a disciplined process that prioritizes aligned interests and entrepreneurial initiatives to transform portfolio companies.

Historical Development

Inception and Initial Growth (2007–2015)

Antin Infrastructure Partners was established in in by Alain Rauscher and Mark Crosbie as an independent focused on investments. Initially sponsored by , which held a 40% stake in the management company, the firm started with a small team dedicated to implementing a value-added investment approach in the then-emerging infrastructure asset class. committed €300 million to support the inaugural fund amid a challenging environment post-financial . The first fund's investment period began in and extended through , with €1.1 billion raised by late from 35 partners primarily in , , , and the . Early deployments included investments in leasing operations and a one-third stake in the Pisto Group, an oilfield services provider, acquired from Macquarie infrastructure funds in . These moves demonstrated the firm's strategy of targeting operational improvements in mid-market assets to generate risk-adjusted returns. In 2012, Antin's managing partners and senior executives bought out BNP Paribas's minority stake, securing full ownership and operational independence. This transition enabled accelerated expansion, culminating in the closure of the second fund at a €2 billion hard cap in June 2014—exceeding its €1.5 billion target within a year and attracting over 60 investors, including returning and new limited partners. The fund adhered to the same core strategy as its predecessor, emphasizing disciplined capital deployment in Europe-focused infrastructure opportunities. By mid-2015, these milestones positioned Antin as an established specialist in the sector, having grown from a bank-affiliated startup to a partner-owned entity with proven fundraising momentum.

Expansion and Global Reach (2016–Present)

Following the successful closure of earlier funds, Antin Infrastructure Partners experienced substantial growth in (AUM), reaching €22.0 billion by the end of 2021, a 34.4% increase from the prior year, driven by capital deployments and fundraising activities. This expansion continued, with AUM surpassing €33 billion by December 2024, reflecting a supported by larger fund sizes and sustained investor commitments. Key to this was the closure of Flagship Fund IV in 2020 at €6.5 billion, followed by Flagship Fund V in December 2024 at €10.2 billion—over 50% larger than its predecessor and the largest fund final close worldwide that year—demonstrating heightened global investor confidence in Antin's strategy. To enhance its global footprint, Antin established its first office outside in New York in March 2019, led by partner Kevin Genieser and initially staffed with 13 professionals in , targeting North American opportunities in sectors like and digital assets. This move aligned with a strategic pivot toward the U.S. market, where Antin later doubled its North American allocation by 2024 to capitalize on mature needs and regulatory stability. Further extending into , Antin launched a office in December 2021 to strengthen ties with regional limited partners and explore deals, hiring initial staff for and deal sourcing. In 2022, it opened a office, appointing specialists like Michelle Maeng for Korean to tap into institutional capital from one of 's largest funding sources. These developments supported a multinational exceeding 240 professionals across more than 30 nationalities by 2024, with offices in , , New York, , , and facilitating cross-border transactions. While maintaining a core focus on European and North American assets—such as telecom in via the 2018 Ufinet acquisition—Antin's global outreach enabled diversified investments, including safety management systems through the acquisition of Consilium Safety and telecom tower platforms, underscoring operational scaling amid rising demand for resilient . The firm's public listing on in 2025 further bolstered its capacity for international expansion by accessing broader equity markets.

Investment Approach

Core Strategies and Value Creation

Antin Infrastructure Partners employs a hands-on investment strategy that applies principles to assets, emphasizing active ownership to drive operational enhancements and expansion opportunities. This approach prioritizes value creation through close collaboration with portfolio company management teams, focusing on initiatives such as investing in personnel, technology upgrades, and accretive to scale operations. The firm targets resilient, cash-flow-generative assets underpinned by long-term contracts, which support downside protection by mitigating exposure to market volatility. Value creation is pursued via a performance-first methodology, integrating —such as executing programs—and inorganic strategies, including over 100 add-on acquisitions completed in 2022 alone, with 97% of deals sourced proprietarily through bilateral negotiations rather than competitive auctions. Antin's in-house performance improvement team facilitates these efforts, aligning operational tactics with financial objectives to enhance asset positioning for exits, particularly in environments where multiple expansion and leverage are constrained. De-risking remains integral, achieved by selective deal origination that favors opportunities aligned with megatrends like and digitalization, while avoiding overvalued assets. The firm structures its strategies across three primary vehicles: the fund for large-scale core infrastructure investments, Mid Cap for mid-sized assets with scalable potential, and NextGen for innovative, decarbonization-focused opportunities. This diversified framework enables targeted value accrual, as evidenced by realized gross multiples of 2.5x across 17 exits to date, derived from sustained operational and growth levers rather than passive holding. Overall, Antin's methodology differentiates it by prioritizing disciplined, over passive exposure, fostering risk-adjusted returns in sectors.

Target Sectors and Geographic Priorities

Antin Infrastructure Partners targets infrastructure investments across four primary sectors: energy and environment, digital, transport, and social infrastructure. These sectors are selected for their alignment with long-term structural trends, including the energy transition, digital transformation, evolving mobility needs, and sustained demand for essential services. In energy and environment, the firm focuses on renewable energy assets, grid modernization, and waste management, exemplified by investments in solar projects and energy storage solutions. Digital investments emphasize broadband networks, data centers, and telecom towers to address rising connectivity demands. Transport encompasses airports, rail systems, and logistics hubs, while social infrastructure includes hospitals, schools, and water utilities, prioritizing assets with predictable revenue streams from regulated or contracted operations. Geographically, Antin's priorities are centered on and , regions offering mature regulatory frameworks, economic stability, and opportunities for operational enhancements in established infrastructure markets. The firm deploys capital primarily in these areas through its flagship and other strategies, leveraging local offices in , , New York, and other key locations to execute deals. This disciplined focus excludes emerging markets to minimize exposure to geopolitical risks, currency volatility, and underdeveloped legal systems, with over 90% of allocated to Europe and North America as of late 2024.

Fundraising and Performance

Key Funds Raised

Antin Infrastructure Partners has raised a series of funds targeting mid-market infrastructure assets in and , with sizes reflecting growing scale and investor demand. These funds apply private equity-style to generate value in sectors such as , digital, , and social infrastructure. The firm's milestones include:
FundClosing DateAmount Raised
Flagship Fund IIJune 10, 2014€2 billion
Flagship Fund IIIDecember 13, 2016€3.6 billion
Flagship Fund IVJuly 28, 2020€6.5 billion
Flagship Fund VDecember 19, 2024€10.2 billion
Flagship Fund II exceeded its €1.5 billion target, marking the firm's expansion beyond its inaugural efforts. Fund III achieved its hard cap in under five months, underscoring rapid commitment growth. Fund IV represented the largest at the time, while Fund V, upsized 56% from its predecessor, became the world's largest fund closed in 2024. Beyond flagship vehicles, Antin closed its inaugural NextGen Infrastructure Fund at €1.2 billion on November 30, 2023, focusing on sustainable and smart infrastructure opportunities. The firm has also raised mid-cap funds, such as Mid Cap Fund I, contributing to diversified strategies alongside core flagships.

Assets Under Management and Financial Metrics

As of 30 June 2025, Antin Infrastructure Partners reported (AUM) of €33.0 billion, marking a 4.2% increase from €31.7 billion in the first half of 2024, driven by prior fundraising momentum despite currency headwinds. Fee-paying AUM reached €21.8 billion, up 6.2% year-over-year from €20.6 billion, reflecting capital deployments and management fees from active funds. Financial performance for the first half of 2025 included of €148.2 million, a 0.9% rise from €146.9 million in the prior-year period, with an adjusted growth of 8.0% excluding non-recurring catch-up fees from Flagship Fund V. EBITDA totaled €79.7 million, down 5.2% from €84.0 million but up 7.1% on the adjusted basis, underscoring the firm's capital-light model reliant on recurring fees. Investment metrics demonstrated resilience, with net asset values rising 4.7% excluding adverse effects, and all funds tracking on or ahead of their plans. Fundraising over the preceding 12 months contributed €0.8 billion, following the final close of Flagship Fund V above its €10 billion target in late 2024. Longer-term, revenue has compounded at 22% annually from 2014 to 2024, while realized gross across 17 portfolio exits measures 22%, with a gross multiple of 2.5x.

Portfolio Highlights

Major Investments Across Sectors

Antin Infrastructure Partners' portfolio spans energy and environment, digital, , and social sectors, with a focus on majority stakes in assets primarily in and . The firm targets operational improvements and long-term value creation in these areas, managing investments through funds that emphasize essential to economic and societal functions. In the energy and environment sector, Antin has invested in developers and systems. Origis Energy, a U.S.-based platform, develops utility-scale solar and battery storage projects, with Antin as majority owner supporting expansion amid growing clean energy demand. Vicinity Energy operates the largest district energy portfolio in the United States, comprising 13 systems across ten major cities that provide steam, hot water, and chilled water to commercial and institutional customers. Additional commitments include Antin Solar Investments, focusing on photovoltaic assets, and stakes in transmission infrastructure like the Central Area in the UK. The digital sector features and connectivity assets. CityFibre, a full-fiber provider, received investment to expand its network aiming for nationwide gigabit-capable coverage. Eurofiber, a Dutch fiber-optic operator, supports Antin's strategy in high-speed infrastructure across and . These holdings align with increasing demand for digital driven by data growth and remote operations. In , Antin pursues , , and mobility solutions. On October 1, 2025, the firm acquired a majority stake in , Europe's leading outsourced express airfreight provider, to enhance fleet expansion and e-commerce . Matawan, a smart mobility platform serving over 300 networks in and , saw exclusive negotiations for a majority investment announced on September 4, 2025, targeting analytics for operators. Other assets include Sølvtrans, a Norwegian shipping firm specializing in offshore support vessels. Social infrastructure investments center on healthcare and essential services. Hesley Group, a UK provider of care for children and adults with complex needs, operates specialized facilities emphasizing education and residential support. In healthcare, stakes in Amedes (German laboratory services) and Almaviva Santé (French clinic operator) address diagnostic and acute care demands. These reflect Antin's approach to stable, regulated sectors with demographic-driven growth.

Recent Transactions and Exits

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Antin completed the divestiture of Hesley Group, a UK-based social care provider specializing in services for individuals with complex needs and disabilities. Antin's primary exit in 2024 was the sale of its stake in Grandi Stazioni Retail (GSR), Italy's leading retail platform at major railway stations, to a consortium of infrastructure investors including DWS Group and OMERS Infrastructure; the agreement was signed on August 6, 2024, and closed on December 1, 2024, at a premium to carrying value. This transaction, from Flagship Fund II, represented the fund's final exit and contributed to gross exits of €0.4 billion over the twelve months ending June 30, 2025. As of mid-2025, Antin reported a robust exit pipeline, particularly from Flagship Fund III investments nearing maturity, though no additional realizations were announced in the first half of 2025 due to market conditions and timing. Recent transactions have emphasized new investments in , mobility, and marine . On September 24, 2025, Antin signed a binding agreement to acquire Aquavista Watersides & Marinas, the UK's largest marina provider operating over 10,000 berths, from LDC to support further expansion. In early October 2025, Antin agreed to take a stake in Group, a Madrid-headquartered leader in outsourced express airfreight with a fleet of over 30 aircraft serving and pharmaceutical sectors across . Additionally, on September 4, 2025, Antin entered exclusive negotiations for a in Matawan, a French platform offering smart parking and urban mobility solutions, with completion expected by year-end. These deals align with Antin's focus on high-growth essential assets, funded primarily through Flagship Fund V, which reached €10.2 billion at final close in early 2025. Antin also completed the acquisition of Consilium Safety Group, a Norwegian manufacturer of gas and systems, in September 2025. Separately, as of September 2025, Antin initiated a process to explore the sale of Vicinity Energy, its U.S. and cooling platform.

Leadership and Organization

Founders and Executive Team

Antin Infrastructure Partners was founded in 2007 by Alain Rauscher and Mark Crosbie, who sought to apply a value-added approach to assets. Alain Rauscher serves as Co-Founder, Chairman of the , , and Managing Partner; he chairs the Executive Committee and sits on the Investment Committee. Prior to founding Antin, Rauscher headed the Oil, Gas, and Mining division at . Mark Crosbie is Co-Founder, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Managing Partner, bringing over 30 years of experience in infrastructure investing, M&A, and risk management. His prior roles included membership on the Executive Committee at Centrica Plc and senior positions at UBS and Peregrine Investment Holdings. In November 2023, Crosbie stepped down from certain executive functions to prioritize family and private interests while retaining his board role. Mélanie Biessy, Antin's first hire upon inception, holds the positions of Managing Partner and , with membership on the Executive and Investment Committees; she has overseen the firm's operational structuring and, as of June 2025, serves as interim Group CFO. The Executive Committee, which coordinates strategy implementation and under the Board, comprises Rauscher and several promoted Managing Partners following the 2023 leadership evolution.

Team Composition and Expertise

Antin Infrastructure Partners maintains a team of approximately 228 professionals, structured across investment, operations, and support functions to support its infrastructure-focused strategy. The firm operates from six offices globally, enabling localized deal sourcing and management in primary markets including and . This distributed structure facilitates expertise in regional regulatory environments, asset operations, and essential for assets. The 's composition reflects diversity with professionals from 32 nationalities, fostering a broad range of perspectives and local market knowledge critical for cross-border investments. Investment professionals, forming a core segment, possess specialized backgrounds in private equity, , digital , , and social sectors, with experience in deal origination, execution, and value enhancement through operational and financial interventions. Recent expansions have strengthened the investment by 13 members, particularly in and New York, to bolster capabilities in high-growth areas like renewables and . Expertise within the team emphasizes active management approaches, drawing from prior roles in leading financial institutions and infrastructure operators, enabling the firm to apply rigorous due diligence, performance optimization, and risk mitigation tailored to long-term assets. Operations and support staff contribute complementary skills in financial reporting, compliance, and ESG integration, supporting scalable portfolio oversight amid growing assets under management exceeding €33 billion. This multidisciplinary composition underpins Antin's track record of generating risk-adjusted returns via hands-on involvement rather than passive holding.

Merger and Acquisition Disputes

In December 2022, Antin Infrastructure Partners S.A.S. ("Antin"), through its affiliate OTI Parent LLC, entered into a merger agreement to acquire Optical Telecom International Inc. ("OpticalTel"), a provider of dark fiber and other telecommunications infrastructure, for approximately $230 million from sellers including HControl Holdings LLC. The agreement included standard representations and warranties, notably a capitalization representation affirming that the company's equity structure was accurately disclosed with no undisclosed equity interests. Post-signing in early 2023 revealed that a former OpticalTel employee, Mohammad Iqbal, held undisclosed "phantom equity" equivalent to about 0.2% of the company's fully diluted shares, constituting a breach of the representation. Antin terminated the merger agreement in March 2023, citing this breach along with related issues involving Iqbal's potential claims, which Antin characterized as emerging from a "shakedown artist" seeking leverage. The sellers disputed the termination's validity, arguing the breach was immaterial and that Antin had waived objections by proceeding past certain outside dates, and filed suit in the to enforce the agreement and seek . On May 29, 2023, Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick ruled in HControl Holdings LLC v. Antin Infrastructure Partners S.A.S. (C.A. No. 2023-0283-KSJM) that the sellers had breached the capitalization representation, as the phantom equity directly contradicted the warranty's plain terms without any materiality qualifier negotiated into the provision. The court held that Delaware law permits termination for such breaches regardless of immateriality unless the explicitly requires it, rejecting the sellers' attempts to imply materiality or find . Antin was awarded its termination rights, avoiding the deal's closing, and the decision underscored the enforceability of unqualified representations in merger agreements, influencing subsequent M&A drafting practices. No further appeals or related disputes from this transaction have been reported as of October 2025.

Investor-State Arbitration and EU State Aid Ruling

In 2013, subsidiaries of Antin Infrastructure Partners, Infrastructure Services Luxembourg S.à.r.l. and Antin Energia Termosolar B.V., initiated investor-state against the Kingdom of under the (ECT) at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The claimants alleged that Spain's 2013-2014 regulatory reforms retroactively reduced guaranteed revenues and s for solar thermal power plants, breaching fair and equitable treatment (FET) and legitimate expectations under the ECT after Antin had invested approximately €200 million in two projects (Campos del Sol and Solacor) between 2010 and 2011. defended by arguing the reforms addressed economic crisis-driven deficits and that investors bore regulatory risks, but the tribunal rejected jurisdictional objections, finding Antin's and reliance on stable incentives created protected expectations. The ICSID tribunal awarded Antin €101 million in compensation for lost profits, plus interest from the date of the regulatory cuts and partial recovery of legal costs, in a June 28, 2018 decision (ICSID Case No. ARB/13/31). refused enforcement, citing the March 6, 2018 Achmea judgment of the of Justice of the (CJEU), which declared investor-state clauses in intra- bilateral treaties incompatible with due to potential conflicts with judicial autonomy. Although the Antin case arose under the ECT—a —the extended Achmea's logic to ECT-based intra- disputes, prompting to challenge the award's validity in multiple jurisdictions, including , , and Australian courts. Antin pursued enforcement actions, such as in the for the of Columbia, which lifted a stay on proceedings in January 2025 amid ongoing appeals. The European Commission initiated a state aid investigation in 2021, preliminarily finding in July 2021 that Spain's potential payment of the award would constitute unlawful state aid incompatible with the EU single market, as it selectively advantages intra-EU investors over competitors without economic justification. On March 24, 2025, the Commission issued its final decision (SA.54155), ordering Spain not to pay the €101 million (plus accrued interest exceeding €150 million by then) and to recover any prior disbursements, reinforcing that ECT arbitration awards between EU member states violate Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU by bypassing state aid scrutiny. The ruling aligns with broader EU efforts to dismantle intra-EU investor-state dispute settlement post-Achmea and the 2021 CJEU Micula decision, prioritizing EU law supremacy over international treaty obligations, though critics, including arbitration practitioners, argue it undermines treaty consent and investor protections without retroactive legislative reform. As of October 2025, Antin has appealed the state aid decision to the EU General Court, while enforcement efforts continue internationally, highlighting tensions between EU integration and global investment law.

Other Investigations and Criticisms

In January 2023, a investigation uncovered multiple allegations of physical and emotional abuse at three children's homes operated by the Hesley Group in , , including children being punched, struck over the head, locked outside naked, and having vinegar poured on cuts, despite the facilities receiving "good" ratings from inspectors. The report detailed over 100 internal incident reports involving such mistreatment of vulnerable children with learning disabilities and autism, prompting a criminal investigation by into some cases. Antin Infrastructure Partners had acquired Hesley in for an undisclosed sum, during which period the provider recorded a 16% profit margin yielding £12 million on revenues, amid broader scrutiny of firms profiting from social care amid safeguarding lapses. Further reporting in April 2023 highlighted racially charged abuses at Hesley facilities, such as the shaving of girls' heads as punishment, described by victims' advocates as degrading and discriminatory, with staff facing no charges in at least 95 alleged cases of neglect by April 2025 despite ongoing reviews. Critics, including the , attributed systemic failures to inadequate oversight in private equity-owned care models, noting Hesley's operation under Antin—a firm primarily focused on physical like pipelines—exacerbated risks in specialized child services. In response, Antin initiated a sale process in August 2023, divesting Hesley to Blandford Capital in November 2023, after which the group shifted focus to adult services only. No formal regulatory probes or enforcement actions were publicly leveled directly against Antin itself regarding Hesley, though the incidents fueled wider debates on private equity's role in social infrastructure, with outlets like and Ian Birrell's reporting emphasizing profit extraction amid human costs without of Antin-specific malfeasance beyond ownership during the period. Beyond Hesley, searches yielded no substantiated additional investigations, whistleblower claims, or ethical lapses unique to Antin, with other legal matters like the 2023 OpticalTel merger termination resolved in the firm's favor via Chancery Court rulings citing immaterial breaches rather than misconduct.

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