EQT Infrastructure IV said it signed an agreement to acquire Malta operator Melita from private equity firms Apax Partners and Fortino Capital. Melita will continue to operate under the leadership of CEO Harald Rosch, a longstanding industrial advisor to EQT.
EQT Infrastructure said it intends to support Melita’s growth by further upgrading its fixed and mobile networks and opening an additional data centre location on Malta. It will also support Melita’s internationalisation strategy including its expansion in Italy as well as its IoT connectivity proposition.
The parties agreed not to disclose the transaction's financial details. The proposed transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
Apax and Fortino acquired Melita at the end of 2015. In 2017 they attempted to merge the company with Vodafone Malta, but the deal was abandoned due to competition concerns.
Melita is the largest broadband and pay-TV operator in Malta, ahead of the telecom operator Go. It is in second place by subscribers among the three mobile network operators, after Go.
EQT's latest infrastructure fund was formed earlier this year and recently agreed the takeover of hosting and managed services provider Zayo, in cooperation with Digital Colony. The company's other investments in the telecom sector include North Sea operator Tampnet, submarine cable group IslaLink, US fibre network Segra, Norway's Broadnet and the Dutch operator Delta Fiber.
