Mexico’s ANDA wants to get $600 million in funding to start a business in Colombia

Mexico City, December 20, 2010 (FBC) Mexican private asset manager AINDA expects to raise $600 million in a new fund early next year and start projects in Colombia, the company’s top executive told Reuters. It makes investments.

AINDA, which focuses on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) projects, aims to expand with the Mexican government’s close push to grow operations in its home country, CEO Manuel Rodriguez said.

The move to Colombia is aimed at collaborating with the government’s infrastructure plans, with AINDA set to open offices in the South American country in the second quarter of next year, Rodriguez said.

In the interview, he pointed out that highways and renewable energy auctions are interesting investment opportunities.

“Colombia is a country with great potential. We have strengthened the team in recent months, with the arrival of the new Colombian president, Juan Carlos Echeverri, former Colombian finance minister and director of the oil company Ecopetrol,” Rodriguez said.

In Mexico, Rodríguez emphasized the potential investments in logistics, mentioning the Pacific ports of Manzanillo and Mazatlan, but refused to go into detail.

Water infrastructure projects could attract interest from the new fund, according to Enda’s calculations, which have already cost about $13 billion in improvements in Mexico City alone.

In recent years, AINDA has partnered with Mexican road operator Pinfra (PINFRA.MX); Aldea, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) (601186.SS); Also getting a stake in the offshore Hokchi field oil contract. It won the top spot in the ESG ALAS 20 ranking on Monday.

Hernandez added that the ESG-focused fund will continue to evaluate other Mexican energy projects, citing potential investments in electricity transmission.

Since taking office four years ago, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has prioritized government regulation of the oil and energy market, creating rifts with business partners and raising fears for investors.

But Rodriguez said he sees opportunities to invest in “green efforts” that could be the government’s energy priorities.

Reporting by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Stephen Coates

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