Azure Capital expands Sydney office

Azure Capital has appointed three new partners, including a recruit from global investment bank Goldman Sachs, to support the growth of its infrastructure practice.

Sydney-based Phil Prenc has 18 years of corporate advisory experience and was most recently head of infrastructure for Australia and New Zealand at Goldman Sachs.

Prior to that, he spent 10 years with Macquarie Capital.

Mr Prenc's appointment increases Azure’s Sydney team to six while in Perth it has 29 people, making it the largest specialist corporate advisory firm in WA.

He recently worked on Infratil’s defence of a takeover offer by AustralianSuper, and the subsequent sale of Infratil’s majority interest in Tilt Renewables.

Other clients have included rail freight operator Aurizon, investment groups IFM and Global Infrastructure Partners, and toll road owner Transurban.

Azure has tapped into the trend for superannuation funds to invest in infrastructure, which is seen as an attractive asset class at a time of low interest rates.

It has recently advised on the sale of wind farms, solar farms, subsea cables and remote energy supplier Zenith Energy.

Mr Prenc said he would have a particular focus on transport and logistics, energy and digital infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Azure has announced two local promotions to partner, including Daniel Della Vedova, who joined the firm 14 years ago as a graduate.

Mr Della Vedova’s M&A clients have included Valmec, Macmahon Holdings, Force Equipment and St John of God Health Care.

He will continue to focus on mining services, industrial services and agriculture.

Tim Balston has also been promoted to partner in Azure’s Perth office.

He has 12 years of corporate advisory experience specialising in mining and metals, having previously worked at Lazard, Standard Chartered and Canaccord Genuity across Perth, Sydney and London.

Azure joint managing partners Adrian Arundell and Simon Price said they were delighted with the appointments.

“They are evidence of the strength and momentum in our national franchise, the high regard in which these three individuals are held by their clients and their deep expertise in their relevant sectors,” they said.

“We are particularly excited to be adding senior capability to our growing Sydney team to capitalise on a strong pipeline of opportunities and allow us to support more clients on the east coast and with cross-border transactions and to further action our synergies with Natixis.”