中資24億英鎊入股英國數據公司
Global Switch, the data centre company owned by the billionaire Reuben Brothers, has sold a 49 per cent stake in the business to a consortium of Chinese investors, despite concerns about national security.
億萬富翁魯本兄弟(Reuben Brothers)擁有的數據中心公司Global Switch已將49%股份出售給由中國投資者組成的一個財團，儘管存在國家安全方面的擔憂。
The stake has been sold for ￡2.4bn in cash to a consortium called “Elegant Jubilee”. The figure is in line with reports that the business had been valued at around ￡5bn. Global Switch has long been linked with a potential float or trade sale. David and Simon Reuben purchased it in 2004 for a reported ￡585m, but have invested more than ￡1bn in expanding the business.
這筆股份以24億英鎊現金出售給一個名爲“Elegant Jubilee”的財團。這個數字與這塊業務估值達到約50億英鎊的相關報道吻合。Global Switch一直被人與潛在的上市或業內出售聯繫在一起。戴維.魯本(David Reuben)和西蒙.魯本(Simon Reuben)在2004年據報道以5.85億英鎊買下該公司，但自那以來已投資逾10億英鎊擴大業務。
Li Qiang, a major shareholder in Chinese data centre company Daily-Tech Beijing, pulled together the consortium. The largest investor comes from outside the technology sector in the form of Jiangsu Sha Steel Group, the largest private steelmaker in China.
中國數據中心公司北京德利迅達(Daily-Tech Beijing)的大股東李強牽頭組建了這個財團。最大投資者是科技行業以外的江蘇沙鋼集團(Jiangsu Sha Steel Group)，這是中國最大的民營鋼鐵企業。
Global Switch tried to quash any suggestion of security issues resulting from the sale to Chinese backers by stressing that its data centres would continue to comply with the UK Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, as part of the government’s national security strategy. It has argued it is more like a real estate business and does not have access to the servers installed at its locations.
Global Switch強調其數據中心將繼續遵從英國國家基礎設施保護中心(Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, CPNI)的要求，作爲英國政府國家安全戰略的一部分，從而試圖打消向中國支持者出售股份所引發的安全擔憂。該公司辯稱，它在更大程度上像是一家房地產企業，對於安裝在其場地的服務器並無訪問權。
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former MP who previously ran the government’s intelligence and security committee, said in September that intelligence agencies should be consulted about a Global Switch sale to determine whether an intervention was necessary on security grounds.
曾經執掌英國政府情報和安全委員會的前議員馬爾科姆.裏夫金德爵士(Sir Malcolm Rifkind)今年9月表示，對於出售Global Switch股份的交易，應該徵求情報機構的意見，以確定是否需要基於安全理由進行干預。
It is the second British data centre company to be tapped by international investors in the past 18 months after Equinix of the US paid ￡2.35bn to buy Telecity.
這是過去18個月裏海外投資者投資的第二家英國數據中心公司，此前美國Equinix斥資23.5億英鎊收購Telecity。
The investment in Global Switch also comes just weeks after Chinese regulators increased scrutiny on outbound investment.
中資對Global Switch出手僅幾周前，中國監管機構對本國企業境外投資加強了審查。
The central government has encouraged groups in good financial health to buy overseas technology that complements their businesses at home. However, China’s foreign exchange regulator also plans to crack down on investments used to move cash offshore, as the country’s economy slows and its currency depreciates against the dollar.
中國中央政府鼓勵財務健康狀況良好的企業集團收購對其本土業務構成補充的海外技術。然而，隨着中國經濟放緩和人民幣兌美元貶值，中國外匯監管機構也計劃打擊旨在向境外轉移資金的投資。
Companies and private equity funds in China invested about $146bn overseas during the first 10 months of the year, surpassing the amount invested during the whole of 2015.
今年頭10個月，中國企業和私募股權基金在境外投資約1460億美元，超過2015年全年的投資額。
The consortium investing in Global Switch brings together a diverse range of interests — from Jiangsu Sha Steel, which has made its first appearance on the global stage through its investment, to mPing An, one of China’s largest financial conglomerates.
投資Global Switch的財團聚集了各類企業——從通過其投資首次登上全球舞臺的江蘇沙鋼，到中國最大金融集團之一平安(Ping An)。
The consortium resembles several deals proposed this year in which a strategic buyer, sometimes contributing little equity to the deal, is backed by a wide range of financial investors.
這個財團類似於今年提出的好幾筆交易，這些交易都有一個戰略買家（有時僅貢獻少量股權），另有一批金融投資者作爲後臺。
In July, German lighting manufacturer Osram agreed to sell its lamps business to a first-time overseas Chinese buyer called MLS. The EURO400m deal was backed by IDG Capital Partners and Yiwu State-Owned Assets Operation Center.
7月，德國照明設備製造商歐司朗(Osram)同意將其燈具業務出售給首次從事境外收購的中資買家木林森(MLS)。這筆4億歐元的交易得到IDG Capital Partners和義烏市國有資產運營中心支持。
