Finance
Italy's F2i CEO Says Europe's Stability, Good Track Record to Support Fundraising Goal
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 17, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 17, 2026
Quick Summary
F2i’s CEO Renato Ravanelli highlighted that Europe’s relative geopolitical stability and the strong historical returns of F2i’s prior equity fund—including a 14.5% average annual yield and a value build-up to €2.6 billion—are boosting confidence in reaching a €1.5 billion fundraising target for its
F2i Aims for €1.5 Billion European Fund Backed by Stability and Returns
F2i's Fundraising Strategy and Market Position
Strong Performance of Previous Equity Fund
MILAN, March 17 (Reuters) - Italian infrastructure fund F2i is confident stability in Europe amid growing global upheaval and the good returns of a recently liquidated fund will help it hit a fundraising target of 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) for a new equity fund, its CEO said.
An equity fund F2i launched in 2015 after gathering 1.2 billion euros has returned investors a cumulated 14.5% average yield per year, reaching 2.6 billion euros in value before being liquidated, company data showed.
Expansion Beyond Italy
F2i has now started the fundraising for its seventh equity fund, which will broaden the company's investment footprint beyond Italy to include some European projects as well.
Investor Sentiment Amid Geopolitical Instability
Europe as a Safe Haven
Chief Executive Renato Ravanelli told Reuters the rising geopolitical instability was focusing investors' attention on Europe, which offers a pocket of relative stability.
"What we're seeing now is that investors from North America and Asia are increasingly looking to Europe as a place of stability when deciding how to allocate their capital and manage risk," Ravanelli said.
F2i's Background and Investment Focus
Origins and Growth
Born in 2007 with backing from leading Italian banks as well as pension funds and sovereign investors, F2i has raised a total of 11 billion euros since inception.
Specialization in Mid-Sized Investments
Sector Focus and Investment Horizon
Focused mainly on Italy until now, F2i specializes in mid-sized investments in energy, logistics and infrastructure companies, with a 10-12 year horizon.
Recent Credit Fund Activity
F2i recently raised 460 million euros for its second credit fund, which has a fundraising target of 750 million euros.($1 = 0.8687 euros)
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Valentina Za)
Key Takeaways
- •F2i is targeting €1.5 billion for its seventh equity fund, leveraging Europe’s stability amid global uncertainty and the impressive performance of its 2015 equity fund, which returned a 14.5% average annual yield and grew from €1.2 billion to €2.6 billion before liquidation.
- •Since its 2007 inception, F2i has raised a total of €11 billion across equity and debt strategies, specializing in mid-sized infrastructure investments with 10–12‑year horizons in sectors like energy, logistics and infrastructure.
- •The firm recently raised €460 million (62% of its €750 million target) for its second infrastructure credit fund, pushing its infrastructure credit platform to nearly €1 billion in AUM, underscoring investor appetite for private capital in European infrastructure.
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Italy's F2i CEO says Europe's stability, good track record to support fundraising goal
1What fundraising target has F2i set for its new equity fund?
F2i has set a fundraising target of 1.5 billion euros for its new equity fund.
2How has F2i performed for its investors in past funds?
F2i's previous equity fund delivered a 14.5% average annual yield and doubled its value before liquidation.
3Why is Europe viewed as attractive for investors, according to F2i?
Europe is considered a pocket of stability amidst global volatility, attracting investors from North America and Asia.
4Will F2i invest exclusively in Italy with its new fund?
No, F2i plans to broaden its investment focus to include selected European projects beyond Italy.
5What sectors does F2i primarily target for investment?
F2i specializes in mid-sized investments in energy, logistics, and infrastructure companies.
