COVID-19 has hit multiple sectors worldwide. For the infrastructure sector, the pandemic has triggered a double whammy of strained government finances as focus is diverted to immediate financial measures such as healthcare spend, as well as delays in infrastructure project pipelines.

The fact remains that there is a strong correlation between infrastructure investment and economic spin-offs. As per the Economic Policy Institute, every US$100 spent on infrastructure boosts private-sector output by US$13 (median) and US$17 (average) in the long run. Furthermore, each US$100 billion in infrastructure spending would boost job growth by roughly US$1 million full-time equivalents (FTEs). This link has always been top of mind for policy makers, especially in emerging markets. And with economies coming to a halt during this pandemic, infrastructure investment could become even more prominent as an effective tool to fast track recovery.

So, how can investors make the most of the future of infrastructure as an asset class? To gather points of view from key MLAs, Institutional Investors and Asset Managers, KPMG conducted 1-1 conversations with senior infrastructure sector leaders from 15 organizations in early May 2020 to capture the key themes that will lay the foundation for infrastructure delivery in the post COVID world:

  1. Financial sustainability is paramount
  2. Technology to transform infrastructure service delivery 
  3. Revisiting the new normal in pricing and returns expectations 
  4. ESG and sector reforms to become a priority 
  5. Strengthened deal pipeline for diversified portfolios to drive the market

 

Explore how these themes could change the way we look at infrastructure as an asset class in the post COVID-19 era. Download our report now.