In October 2011 Crédit Agricole CIB supported F2i/AXA Private Equity for the EUR 772 million acquisition of G6 Rete Gas from GDF Suez Italia. Crédit Agricole CIB acted as mandated lead arranger and bookrunner.

The deal is the third acquisition of gas network assets by F2i/AXA in the last two years. It follows its acquisition of Enel Rete Gas (from ENEL) in 2009 and the E.ON Rete Gas one (from E.ON) in 2011. Crédit Agricole CIB acted as coordinating bank, documentation bank and hedging bank providing medium term facilities for the acquisition of G6 Rete Gas and the refinancing of the existing debt related to the acquisitions of Enel Rete Gas and E.ON Rete Gas. The global financing transaction amounts to EUR 2.1 billion. IMI, Unicredit, MPS, BNP Paribas, Mediobanca, Société Générale, Natixis, Bank of America, ING, HSBC and Centrobanca also acted with different roles in the transaction.

Thanks to this new acquisition, the consortium now owns the second (after ENI) major player in the Italian market with 18% market share.

F2i is an Italian infrastructure fund of EUR 1.8 billion. After three years from the fund raising, F2i has almost fully invested its funds becoming a major operator in Italy in the gas distribution sector. The fund is also active in the integrated urban water management and in the airports, telecommunications, renewable and highways sectors.  
Crédit Agricole CIB supported F2i in all the largest acquisitions performed by the fund in the infrastructure and renewable sectors being one of their major partners in profitable and visible deals.

AXA Private Equity is a leading private equity firm with USD 28 billion in managed assets and a global reach extending across Europe, North America and Asia. The firm offers investors the full spectrum of private equity services for every market segment: direct funds, infrastructure financing, mid cap and small cap buyouts, venture capital, co-investments, fund of funds as well as mezzanine financing.