According to WAM, The National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) has entered into a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to invest aeound 400 mn in India over the next five years.
Under the partnership agreement, Tabreed India, currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Tabreed, will be transferred to a new holding company established in Singapore.
Here, Tabreed will hold a 75 % stake and IFC will have 25 %, according to a filing by Tabreed on the Dubai Financial Market where its shares trade.
The holding company will be set up with initial equity commitments from the partners of $100 mn with a mandate to invest in projects of up to approximately $400 mn over the next five years.
The investment will target a portfolio of approximately 100,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) servicing industrial, commercial and retail developments across India.
IFC and Tabreed have agreed investment eligibility criteria which include robust environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) requirements for projects in these geographies.
Public environment and sustainability (E&S) disclosures will be made by IFC prior to investing in each project.
Makhtar Diop, IFC’s Managing Director, commented, “As temperatures are rising, access to cooling is a major development challenge, especially in emerging economies located in the tropical climate zone. This district cooling project is at the heart of what IFC is all about.”
Khalid Abdulla Al Marzooqi, CEO of Tabreed, said: “This is a positive and timely development for Tabreed. IFC has been established in this region for many decades, unlocking investment opportunities, strengthening clients’ performance and impact, as well as improving environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.”