Real assets and infrastructure advisory
Real-assets and infrastructure advisers support capital-intensive projects and portfolios whose value depends on long-duration cash flows, regulation, contracts, operations and financing.
Definition
Real Assets & Infrastructure Advisory is the provision of strategic, financial, transaction and commercial advice concerning infrastructure, energy, transport, utilities, property and other tangible or concession-based assets.
Overview
The field combines project economics with public policy, engineering, procurement, regulation and capital markets. Advisers may work for governments, developers, operators, lenders or investors at different stages of an asset’s lifecycle. Long horizons and contractual complexity make assumptions about demand, inflation, operating performance and political risk especially important.
Scope of advisory work
Strategy and development
Market assessment, project definition, business cases and delivery models.
Capital and transactions
Project finance, valuation, acquisitions, disposals and capital recycling.
Performance and risk
Contract review, operating improvement, regulation and portfolio oversight.
Typical engagement
- Context: define asset, concession, jurisdiction, stakeholders and lifecycle stage.
- Economics: model demand, revenue, capital expenditure, operating costs and downside cases.
- Structure: assess ownership, procurement, regulation, contracts and financing.
- Market process: support investors, lenders, counterparties and public stakeholders.
- Delivery: monitor conditions, implementation, performance and value realization.
Important distinctions
| Category | Primary question | Typical context |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure advisory | Focuses on essential systems, concessions and long-duration projects. | Transport, energy and utilities |
| Real-estate advisory | Focuses principally on land and buildings. | Property investment and development |
| Engineering consulting | Addresses technical design and asset integrity. | Technical feasibility and delivery |
| Project finance advisory | Concentrates on financing supported by project cash flows. | Debt structure and bankability |
Related categories
The Economy rankings
See the latest Real Assets & Infrastructure Advisory ranking and the associated profiles of ranked firms on Advisory Ranking.
Sources and further reading
View sources and editorial notes
- International Capital Market Association, market-practice and primary-market resources.
- CFA Institute, corporate-finance, valuation and capital-markets resources.
- Relevant securities, insolvency, tax and competition authorities in the applicable jurisdictions.
Editorial note: This entry explains a professional-advisory category and does not constitute financial, legal, tax or investment advice.