Legal & General Capital bets £5bn on alternative assets

Laura Mason, CEO of Legal & General Capital

Legal & General Capital announced that it committed around £5 billion towards “levelling up” the UK’s towns and cities across 2022, driving regional economic growth, tackling the housing crisis — whilst expanding its footprint into the US for the first time.

“Despite globally economic uncertainty, Legal & General Capital has significantly increased its alternative asset commitments in 2022, backing the delivery of over 17,000 new homes, 2.7m sq ft of commercial real estate across the UK and US, and investing in multiple innovative clean energy businesses to support the transition to a low carbon economy,” said Legal & General Capital.

“Legal & General Capital’s commitments in 2022 mean it is on track to deliver against its stated ambitions to generate up to £600m in profit from alternative assets by 2025, with returns of around 10% to 12% per annum, across its key focus areas of housing, SME finance, specialist commercial real estate, digital infrastructure and clean energy.”

In 2022, Legal & General Capital’s commitments included:

  • Backing the delivery of over 17,000 new homes across affordable housing, Suburban Build to Rent, Modular Housing, traditional build to sell, and key worker homes through its Oxford University partnership.
  • Continuing to invest in major urban regeneration schemes, encompassed by LGC’s multi-billion pound commitment with the West Midland’s Combined Authority and new science and tech infrastructure through Bruntwood SciTech’s first Scotland-based scheme, Glasgow Met Tower.
  • Significant investments into companies such as net zero enabler Sero Technologies; marine technology business, Rovco-Vaarst; battery storage business, Brill Power; rooftop solar business, Sunroof; and an increased investment in UK manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps, Kensa Group, amongst others.
  • Increased investment in digital infrastructure, with LGC’s data centre business, Kao Data, becoming a multi-site platform.
  • Expansion into the US for the first time, creating a major life science and technology platform across regional markets through our new business Ancora L&G.

Legal & General Capital CEO Laura Mason said: “2022 has been a landmark year for Legal & General Capital as we have made major commitments to deliver transformational schemes in all our alternative asset specialisms across both the UK and, for the first time, the USA.

“Much of this has come through strategic partnerships with like-minded investors, who are seeking stable, long-term returns, but also looking to drive positive social impact and limit the impacts of climate change.

“With an increasingly uncertain picture over the next 12 months, it’s essential that financial institutions continue to invest in the real economy, recycling pensions funds and savings into projects that help to create jobs, housing and vital infrastructure.

“Despite headwinds, our appetite to continue to invest globally, alongside other institutional partners, remains strong for 2023.”