Inside the Rope with David Clark

Ep 208: Tara Davies - Inside the Global Infrastructure Playbook for Serious Private Capital

Oct 28, 2025
Tara Davies, Co-Head of European Infrastructure at KKR, brings two decades of experience in global infrastructure investing. She discusses KKR's approach to defining "true infrastructure" and highlights the risks associated with mispriced assets. Tara emphasizes the growing role of AI in energy transition and digital infrastructure. She covers the shift to evergreen investment vehicles, the importance of downside protection, and the necessity of disciplined debt practices. Her insights reveal strategies for navigating private capital in an evolving market.
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ANECDOTE

Formative Years At Macquarie

  • Tara Davies started at Macquarie in the late 1990s and wrote prospectuses like the listing for Sydney Airport.
  • She describes those formative years as learning infrastructure from the ground up and shaping her career focus.
INSIGHT

Risk-Based Definition Of Infrastructure

  • KKR defines infrastructure by downside protection: capital preservation plus a small return in severe stress.
  • They analyse asset drivers, revenue mechanics and contractual strength rather than sector labels.
INSIGHT

Characteristics Of Core Infrastructure

  • Core infrastructure contains hard assets, privileged positions and long-term contracts often inflation-linked.
  • Returns are driven largely by steady cash yield and predictable growth like population or GDP correlation.
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