Ashurst Advises Aquila Group on Strategic Partnership with Bain Capital to Create a Leading European Data Center Platform
Ashurst advised Aquila Group on the conclusion of a strategic partnership with Bain Capital and the creation of a leading European data center platform, including the sale of an 80% stake in AQ Compute, Aquila Group's data center subsidiary, to Bain Capital. Aquila Group is a leading private investment company for renewable energy and sustainable assets, while Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private alternative investment investors.
This strategic collaboration, characterized by an intended investment volume of several billion euros, aims to significantly accelerate AQ Compute's plans to develop and operate sustainable data centers for hyperscale and AI customers across Europe. AQ Compute was founded by Aquila Group in 2020 and specializes in providing modular and AI-enabled data center and colocation services, primarily powered by renewable energy.
Bain Capital has acquired an 80% stake in AQ Compute, representing a majority takeover that underscores the strategic importance of this partnership. The collaboration aims to set new standards for the sustainable operation of data centers, leveraging Bain Capital's investments and global expertise in the data center industry, including the successful development of Bridge Data Centres in Asia.
The partnership focuses on expansion in Europe and envisions the development and operation of data centers across the continent. AQ Compute opened its first sustainable data center near Oslo in 2024, with further projects in Barcelona, Milan, and other key locations already in planning. The joint efforts of Bain Capital and Aquila Group are expected to lead to significant growth and innovation in this sector.
Ashurst advised under the leadership of Munich partners Stefan Bruder and Marina Arntzen, with an international team from Ashurst offices in Munich, Madrid, Luxembourg, and London.
About Aquila Group: The Aquila Group, headquartered in Hamburg, is a private investment company that manages a diverse portfolio of businesses focused on innovative solutions in various sectors. Since 2001, the Aquila Group has been at the forefront of identifying emerging trends and promoting innovations, particularly in the areas of renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, while actively investing in the development of new companies.
About Bain Capital: Bain Capital is a leading private, multi-asset alternative investment firm with a global presence. The company has a strong track record in investments and developments in the data center industry.
The internationally composed Ashurst team advised under the leadership of Munich corporate partners Stefan Bruder and Marina Arntzen. The further German team consisted of Marina Arntzen (Partner, Corporate, Munich), Martin Eimer (Partner, Dispute Resolution, Frankfurt/ Munich), Michael Holzhäuser (Partner, Antitrust, Frankfurt), Lukas Müller (Counsel, Employment), Maria Held (Counsel, Antitrust), David Plischka (Junior Associate, Corporate) and Karen Kelat (Junior Associate, Corporate both Munich).
The London team included Jason Redford (Partner, Corporate), Gaby Jones (Partner, Corporate), Camilla Booth-Clibborn (Senior Associate, Corporate), Aoife Weir (Junior Associate, Corporate), Ben Patton (Partner, Real Estate), Ruth Buchanan (Partner, Employment), Jamie Chapman (Partner, Real Estate), Nicholas Gardner (Partner, Tax), Ruby Hamid (Partner, Dispute Resolution), Sunny Kumar (Partner, Corporate), Henry Moss (Partner, Real Estate), Chris Whitehouse (Partner, Real Estate), Rebecca Clarke (Counsel, Digital Economy), Andris Ivanovs (Counsel, Dispute Resolution), Umut Bektas (Senior Associate, Tax), Shehana Cameron-Perera (Senior Associate, Digital Economy), Louise Chan (Senior Associate, Corporate), Holly Dwyer (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Dan Fielding (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Joanna Fox (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Amy McCalmont (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Rodrigo Romero Hidalgo (Senior Associate, Corporate), Victoria Stagg (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Emily Bodger (Associate, Employment), Catherine Lillycrop (Associate, Dispute Resolution), Hana Byrne (Junior Associate, Digital Economy), Oliver Passmore (Associate, Tax), Shashtika Sundar (Junior Associate, Corporate), and Ashleigh Smithson (Trainee Solicitor, Corporate Transactions).
From Luxembourg, the advisors included Isabelle Lentz (Partner, Corporate), Antonios Nezeritis (Partner, Investment Funds), Paul Witte (Counsel, Corporate), Fabio Vittore (Senior Associate, Corporate), and Levani Khutsishvili (Associate, Corporate).
From Spain, the involved lawyers were Jorge Vázquez (Partner, Corporate), Alfonso González-Espejo (Counsel, Dispute Resolution), Cristina Grande (Counsel, Employment), Javier Torrecilla (Counsel, Antitrust), Camilo Luna (Senior Associate, Corporate), María Antonia de Prada (Senior Associate, Real Estate), Begoña de la Riva (Senior Associate, Corporate), Beatriz Aizpun (Associate, Corporate), Carmen Gordillo (Associate, Employment), María López Garayalde (Associate, Corporate), María Baixauli (Junior Associate, Employment), Teresa Prado (Associate, Antitrust), and Patricia Valenzuela (Associate, Antitrust).
