Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.9346 — Investcorp/Aberdeen/JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2019/C 130/08)

On 1 April 2019, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).

This notification concerns the following undertakings:

—	Investcorp Investment Holdings Limited (‘Investcorp’, Cayman Islands), ultimately controlled by SIPCO Holdings Limited,

—	Aberdeen Asset Management plc (‘Aberdeen’, United-Kingdom), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Standard Life Aberdeen plc,

—	Concession Infrastructure Investments Manager Limited, a newly created entity (‘JV’, Cayman Islands).

Investcorp and Aberdeen acquire, within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation, joint control over the JV.

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares in a newly created company constituting a joint venture.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:

—	Investcorp is an international financial institution acting as a principal and as an intermediary in international investment transactions,

—	Aberdeen is a global investment company,

—	Concession Infrastructure Investments Manager Limited will provide investment advisory services to investment funds with respect to social and economic infrastructure projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Middle East and North Africa region and Turkey.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:

M.9346 — Investcorp/Aberdeen/JV

Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:

E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Fax +32 22964301

Postal address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

(1) OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2) OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.