Speaking at the Merger & Acquisition Summit organized by Il Sole 24 Ore, the Tunisian businessman Hazem Ben-Gacem, also Co-Chief Executive Officer of Investcorp, discussed potential investments in Italy, particularly following the rumors surrounding Milan and Inter. Here are his words as reported by Calcio e Finanza:
"These are huge clubs and institutions, especially for their fans. Sometimes I scratch my head when I read the Italian press saying that Investcorp is doing this or that, and I think to myself, 'Really? I don't remember that.' No, we don't want to, and we haven't looked in the last two years to acquire or invest in Inter or Milan. They have their shareholders, Steven Zhang and RedBird, who are excellent shareholders. It's not an investment we're considering."
"Football, like other sectors in Italy, is particularly interesting, because, for example, it's driven by passion. Investcorp's first investment was in 1984 in Riva, which is now one of the largest international brands. Italian football in the next 10 years could be one of the main leagues globally, and if we could have a part in it, it would be magnificent."
"In certain parts of the world, sports have become more than just a game but more of a matchday entertainment. The ecosystem is transforming into this also economically. One of the key themes remains infrastructure; we're interested in this aspect regarding stadiums as well. As Investcorp, we invested in the JFK airport redevelopment project in New York; it's one of the main sectors we work in."
The Investcorp Co-Chief Executive Officer added:
"Some of the top Italian clubs aim to build the so-called 21st-century stadium, and we would gladly work in the background, particularly at the equity level, to bring together infrastructural projects. It's a great asset and ties into the fans' passion, supporting the structure, and it would be a pleasure to be involved. However, I hope that in Italy, they become more pragmatic in terms of approvals and procedures when it comes to these projects."
