Macquarie Asset Management continues build-out of infrastructure secondaries capability with senior EMEA appointment

Macquarie Asset Management has today announced the appointment of Irina Luckey as a Managing Director to support its infrastructure secondaries business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Analysis conducted by Macquarie Asset Management indicates assets under management in infrastructure secondaries could more than triple over the next three years¹. The rapid growth of the market is being fuelled by the growth and maturation of the primary market for unlisted infrastructure, with infrastructure secondaries to provide investors with enhanced liquidity and immediate diversification across a range of fund vintages, sectors, and strategies through their ability to buy pre-existing investor ownership rights and commitments in a primary fund.

From London, Irina will help harness Macquarie Asset Management’s 28 years of investment leadership in infrastructure to execute a robust pipeline of investment opportunities sourced through Macquarie Asset Management’s longstanding relationships with infrastructure managers and investors. Irina is re-joining Macquarie Asset Management following a seven-year career at Canada Pension Plan Investments where she supported its investment and asset management activities in the infrastructure sector. Irina began her career at Macquarie Group, having previously worked in Macquarie Asset Management assessing investment opportunities across the European transport infrastructure and energy sectors.

Irina’s appointment follows a series of strategic hires to support Macquarie Asset Management’s infrastructure secondaries platform, including the appointments of Charles Spiller and Bing Wong in New York. Charles has more than 45 years of experience in alternative asset classes, joining the business from Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System as a Senior Advisor and Investment Committee member for Macquarie Asset Management’s secondaries strategy. Bing Wong joined the business from Pantheon as a Senior Vice-President to support investment activity.

Wandy Hoh, a Managing Director responsible for Macquarie Asset Management’s infrastructure secondaries team commented: “The growing secondary market for infrastructure is offering investors another way to access the asset class, and we believe there is a significant opportunity for it to grow over the coming years. Irina’s deep experience in the sector, combined with her extensive professional network, will be incredibly valuable as we look to capture this growing opportunity on behalf of our investors.”

Commenting on her appointment, Irina Luckey said: “I am delighted to re-join Macquarie Asset Management at this exciting time for the business as it continues to innovate and identify new opportunities tailored to the needs of its clients. The development of its infrastructure secondaries platform reflects a natural evolution of the asset class and accommodates the growing liquidity and investment needs of institutional investors active in the space. I look forward to helping develop this offering further.” 

Macquarie Asset Management has established a team of 9 professionals focused on infrastructure secondaries. Since 2021, the team has executed more than $US500 million of transactions in the market.

1. 'Infrastructure Secondaries: New opportunities and greater liquidity for infrastructure investors’, Macquarie Asset Management (Aug 2022)