Directorate Change

BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A.

24 November 2023

 

 

24 November 2023

BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A.

(the "Company" or "BBGI")

MANAGEMENT CHANGES

BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. (LSE ticker: BBGI), the global infrastructure investment company, today announces that Frank Schramm has informed the Board of his intention to retire, after 12 years, as Co-CEO and member of the Management Board of the Company for personal reasons. To ensure an orderly handover and seamless transition, Frank will remain in his position until 31 January 2024 and then as an advisor to the business until December 2024.

The Board is pleased to confirm, effective 31 January 2024, Duncan Ball will continue in his role as sole CEO and he will continue as a member of the Management Board of the Company. Duncan has been Co-CEO with Frank since BBGI's inception in December 2011. The Board is also pleased to appoint, effective 1 February 2024, Michael Denny as COO alongside his existing CFO duties and he will continue as a member of the Management Board of the Company. Michael is based in Luxembourg and has been CFO since 2012. Furthermore, the Board is pleased that Andreas Parzych will join the Management Board of the Company, effective 31 January 2024, subject to confirmation by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier ("CSSF"), the main financial regulatory authority in Luxembourg. As Director, Business Development Europe and North America at BBGI since 2016, Andreas has played an integral part in the implementation of the Company's disciplined growth strategy, and will continue to do so in his new role on the Management Board.

Frank and Duncan as Co-CEOs were both instrumental in floating the Company in 2011, leading and working together with Michael and the wider BBGI team to grow BBGI's defensive and globally diversified portfolio from 19 assets at IPO to 56 assets today, all of which are 100% availability-style critical social infrastructure investments.

Sarah Whitney, Chair of BBGI, said:

"I would like to express the Board's gratitude to Frank for the significant contribution he has made to the business over the last 12 years. Frank has been an exemplary leader and, alongside Duncan as Co-CEO and Michael as CFO, has overseen our successful strategy of constructing a high-quality portfolio of core social infrastructure assets, which continue to deliver a strong and resilient performance.

Frank is retiring and leaves the Company and portfolio in a robust shape with a strong management team in place to take it forward successfully. We send Frank our very best wishes for a long and happy retirement."

Frank Schramm, Co-CEO of BBGI, said:

"It has been a pleasure and privilege to provide leadership alongside Duncan and Michael to BBGI over the last 12 years, and I am immensely proud of what the BBGI team has accomplished during my time as Co-CEO, including significant financial returns and a progressive dividend policy that outpaced UK CPI. I am confident that now is the right time for me to retire, BBGI has a great team and business with a low-risk investment strategy that is well-placed to continue to deliver attractive and sustainable value to all stakeholders. I'd like to express my sincere thanks to the Board, our shareholders and all of my colleagues for the fantastic support over all these years, and I wish them every success for the future."

There is no further information to be disclosed under Listing Rule 9.6.13R(2) to (6).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

BBGI Management Team	[phone]
Duncan Ball, CEO Designate
Michael Denny, CFOO Designate
H/Advisors Maitland (Communications advisor)	[e-mail]
James Benjamin	[phone]
Rachel Cohen	[phone]

This announcement contains information that is inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the UK version of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended (the Market Abuse Regulation). The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. is Duncan Ball.

NOTES

BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. (BBGI) is a responsible infrastructure investment company and a constituent of the FTSE 250. We invest in and actively manage for the long-term a globally diversified, low-risk portfolio of essential social infrastructure investments on which people rely every day, such as schools, hospitals, transport, fire and police stations and affordable housing. Our purpose is to deliver healthier, safer and more connected societies, while creating sustainable value for all our stakeholders.

BBGI is committed to delivering stable and predictable cash flows with progressive long-term dividend growth and attractive, sustainable, returns for shareholders. Through our proactive and disciplined approach to active asset management and prudent financial management, and with a strong focus on ESG, we preserve and enhance the value of our investments, and deliver well maintained social infrastructure that serve and support local communities and end users.

All of BBGI's investments are availability-style and supported by secure public sector-backed contracted revenues, with high quality inflation-linkage. Availability-style means that our revenues are paid so long as the assets are available for use, and we maintain a consistently high level of asset availability of 99.9%.

BBGI's investment portfolio is 100% operational with all its investments located across highly rated investment grade countries with stable, well developed operating environments.

BBGI's in-house management team is incentivised by shareholder returns and consistently maintains low comparative ongoing charges to shareholders.

BBGI is targeting dividends of 7.93 pence and 8.40 pence per ordinary share for the twelve months ending 31 December 2023 and 31 December 2024, respectively, representing a 6% increase year on year, and a dividend target of 8.57pps for 2025: all are expected to be fully cash-covered**.

Further information about BBGI is available on its website at www.bb-gi.com*

The Company's LEI: 529900CV0RWCOP5YHK95

Any reference to the Company or BBGI refers also to its subsidiaries (where applicable).

*    Neither the Company's website nor the content of any website accessible from hyperlinks on its website (or any other website) is (or is deemed to be) incorporated into, or forms (or is deemed to form) part of this announcement.

**  These are guidance levels or targets only and not a profit forecast and there can be no assurance that they will be met.

 

END