Australian holding company 'looks to sell share of Brussels Airport'

Australian-owned holding company Macquarie is prepared to sell its shareholding in Brussels Airport, Reuters reports. The company has stressed its decision has nothing to do with new noise limits at the airport.

In total, Macquarie owns 36% of the shares in Brussels Airport. The Belgian government has 25% and a Canadian pension fund 39%. Macquarie is said to be in talks with the pension fund, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, to sell its shares. The Australian company has retained JP Morgan to negotiate the sale and to approach other potential buyers if the Ontario deal doesn’t go through.

Macquarie’s acquisition of a 70% stake in the airport 10 years ago was an important factor in its privatisation. Since then, it has sold off just under half of its holding to Ontario in return for a holding in Sydney airport.

The company, which has holdings in energy, materials, infrastructure and agriculture across the world, but mainly in the Asia-Pacific region, said the sale was unrelated to the current situation regarding noise limits, which has seen several companies threaten to quit the airport over restrictions imposed by the Brussels region.

None of the parties involved have reacted to the report by Reuters.

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