Exclusive: EQT to announce Emirates GBR SailGP deal
European private equity giant EQT will today partner with Sir Ben Ainslie’s SailGP team Emirates GBR ahead of this weekend’s British leg of the series.
The Swedish global investment firm – with £250bn in assets under management – has agreed a deal to be Emirates GBR’s private markets partner until the end of the decade.
It will mean EQT’s branding appearing on the F50 boats from Saturday at the team’s home SailGP event in Portsmouth.
Peter Beske Nielsen, head of global wealth solutions at EQT, said: “We believe that an ever-larger share of value creation in the global economy is happening in private markets, and individual investors want access to that opportunity.
“As we continue to broaden EQT’s investor base, building brand awareness of our firm is a strategic priority.”
It is the latest commercial boost to SailGP, with major firms buying stakes in teams and signing partnership deals across the fleet.
The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman count themselves as investors alongside major private equity firms such as Ares and MSP Sports Capital, while sponsors continue to flood in from a number of sectors.
SailGP deal for GBR
Added Beske Nielsen: “SailGP – also known as ‘F1 on water’ – offers a truly global platform that reaches audiences across our key markets. We are proud to partner with Emirates GBR, a team that shares EQT’s commitment to continuous improvement.”
Emirates GBR have deals with its eponymous airline, JP Morgan, Howden and Jumeirah, while the likes of SunGod and Telmont are official suppliers.
Ainslie, chief executive and team principal of Emirates GBR SailGP Team, said: “We look forward to working together to create value both on and off the water as we compete on the global stage.”
The Jackman and Ryan Reynolds-owned Australian team Bonds Flying Roos currently lead SailGP after seven race weekends, ahead of Los Gallos, owned by Atletico Madrid investors Quantum Pacific Group, and Emirates GBR, which is co-owned to varying degrees by Ainslie’s Athena Sports Group, commodities trader Chris Bake and private investment firm Misland Capital.
This weekend’s SailGP event will kick off the European leg of the season and will be followed by races in Germany, Spain and Switzerland before a season finale double header in the United Arab Emirates.