Caisse Acquires Stake In Fluxys

On March 30, 2011, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec acquired a 10 per cent stake in the capital of Fluxys G, the parent company of the transmission infrastructure company Fluxys SA, via a capital increase of €150 million.

Fluxys SA has established itself as the independent operator of both natural gas transmission and storage infrastructure in Belgium and has become the crossroads for Western European international gas flows.

The Caisse acquired the stake in the capital of Fluxys G under an agreement concluded with Publigas, majority shareholder in Fluxys G, on January 28, 2011.

Publigas continues to hold a 90 per cent share in the capital of Fluxys G. Publigas, founded in 1996, is a public holding company for Belgian gas companies.

The Caisse manages funds primarily for public and private pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2010, it held $151.7 billion in net assets.

As one of the leading institutional fund managers in Canada, the Caisse invests in the main financial markets as well as in private equity and real estate.

The Caisse de dépôt's legal team was headed by Robert Côté, Vice President Legal Affairs Private Equity, and assisted by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP with a team that included Daniel Picotte, Anne Granger, Catherine Isabelle, and Constantinos Ragas from the Montréal and Paris offices.

Jérôme Vermeylen and Johan De Bruycker of Altius assisted the Caisse with matters specific to Belgian law.

Publigas was advised by Clifford Chance LLP with a team including Xavier Remy and Sylvain Cailleau.

Lawyer(s)

Catherine Isabelle Constantinos Ragas Daniel Picotte

Firm(s)

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP Clifford Chance Rogers & Wells LLP