• Blackstone confirms to Forbes Australia it sealed a deal today to acquire Australian unicorn AirTrunk. 
  • The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board also participated in the deal.

OUR TAKE
The conclusion of this transaction shows that Blackstone and CPPIB are optimistic about the long-term growth potential of the data center industry. Data centers are key assets that support cloud computing, online services, big data analytics, and Internet infrastructure, and as digital transformation and data demands continue to grow, so does the demand for data center services.
— Iydia Ding, BTW reporter

What happened

Blackstone confirmed to Forbes Australia that it reached a deal today to acquire Australian unicorn AirTrunk. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is also involved in the deal. AirTrunk is the leading data center platform in the Asia-Pacific region – founded by Australian Robin Khuda and now part of Blackstone.

“Digital infrastructure is experiencing unprecedented demand, driven by the AI revolution as well as the digitization of the wider economy,” Sean Klimczak, Blackstone’s global head of Blackstone Infrastructure, and Nadeem Meghji, global co-head of Blackstone Real Estate, said in a joint statement.

The deal, which Blackstone confirmed values AirTrunk at $24 billion, is the New York-based investment firm’s largest investment in the Asia-Pacific region. However, this is not the first high-profile investment the company has made in Australia. Blackstone acquired Crown Resorts in 2022 for $8.9 billion.

Also read: AirTrunk affirms sustainability commitment on Environment Day

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Why it’s important

Blackstone’s acquisition of AirTrunk is a significant expansion of its data center business that will help combine the resources and strengths of both companies. The exact details of this transaction and future integration plans are likely to be further clarified as the transaction progresses. Blackstone has demonstrated its long-term commitment to the data center industry and expects to use this acquisition to strengthen its data center business in the Asia Pacific region and globally.

The conclusion of this transaction shows that Blackstone and CPPIB are optimistic about the long-term growth potential of the data center industry. Data centers are key assets that support cloud computing, online services, big data analytics, and Internet infrastructure, and as digital transformation and data demands continue to grow, so does the demand for data center services.