Logistics firm GLP secures up to $1.5 billion investment from ADIA unit

By Kane Wu

HONG KONG, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Global logistics builder and investor GLP has secured up to $1.5 billion of investment from a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) to back its next growth phase, the two companies said on Thursday.

The deal includes an initial capital deployment of $500 million. The funds will be used to bolster Singapore-headquartered GLP's presence in logistics, digital infrastructure, and renewable energy, the companies said in a joint statement.

The rest of the capital will be invested in the coming months, said a person with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be named as the information was not public.

The investment comes amid rising demand for logistics and digital infrastructure.

Investments into data centres have surged in particular, driven by high growth potential and strong demand for artificial intelligence services.

GLP develops and operates logistics real estate, data centers, renewable energy, and related technologies, with operations across Brazil, China, Europe, India, Japan, the U.S., and Vietnam. The group manages around $80 billion of assets through its asset management unit, GLP Capital Partners.

ADIA has been an investor in GLP's funds, but it is the first time the largest sovereign wealth fund of the UAE will become a shareholder in the group.

GLP said earlier this week it has secured 2.5 billion yuan ($349.51 million) from Zhejiang government-backed investors to expand its China data centre operations.

In May, GLP reported a 43% surge in annual data centre revenue to $193 million.

Last November, Reuters reported that GLP was aiming for a Hong Kong listing in 2025, more than eight years after it was taken private.

The company is still aiming for a Hong Kong listing but it would not happen this year, said the person and a second source familiar with GLP's plans.

GLP declined to comment on its listing plan.

In 2017, a Chinese private equity consortium including Hopu Investment Management and Hillhouse Investment, backed by GLP's CEO Ming Mei, took the then Singapore-listed firm private for S$16 billion ($12.47 billion).

In October, GLP sold the international business of GLP Capital Partners to Ares Management Corp ARES.N for $3.7 billion, paid with about $1.8 billion in cash and the rest in shares.

($1 = 7.1529 Chinese yuan renminbi)

($1 = 1.2827 Singapore dollars)