Cameron outlines how CBHH's infrastructure advisory playbook-from fiber rollouts to energy transition and smart cities-helps the firm compete with larger banks.
LONDON and NEW YORK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the latest episode of Navatar's A-Game podcast, Charles Cameron, Partner at CBHH (Cameron Barney Herbst Hilgenfeldt), shares the firm's focused approach to sourcing and executing infrastructure financing and M&A opportunities across the UK and continental Europe. The conversation explores how CBHH is helping next-generation infrastructure businesses raise institutional capital and scale across borders
CBHH is a boutique M&A and corporate finance advisory firm, operating at the intersection of infrastructure and technology-a space the firm refers to as "core+ or value-add infrastructure." This includes data centres and fiber broadband roll-outs, EV and HGV charging infrastructure, energy generation and storage and smart city technologies-all sectors with proven unit economics, but where companies still face growth-stage operational risk and have considerable demands for capital.
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.
Core+ Infrastructure
Cameron explains how CBHH's business focuses on "next-generation infrastructure" assets-businesses that fall between venture and traditional infrastructure mandates. They're too small for most large-cap investors, but too capital-intensive for early-stage funds. Yet, these firms are driving "mission critical" infrastructure for the future and therefore, it is important that their funding needs are solved.
"These companies are capital hungry and operationally intense. But if you understand the unit economics-like take-up rates for fiber or utilization of EV charging-you can underwrite the growth just like with traditional infrastructure," Cameron notes.
European Market Dynamics & German Expansion
Cameron Barney's post-Brexit merger with German boutique Herbst Hilgenfeldt Partners has given the enlarged firm ("CBHH") real-time coverage across two of Europe's most active infrastructure markets.
"In Europe, decarbonization and digital infra are public priorities. Governments and investors alike are aligned-and we're specifically positioned as the 'go to' firm to advise technology-centric infrastructure scale-ups which are leading that transition," he says.
From Advisory to Execution to Capital
Strong relationships are central to CBBH's approach. It is notable that CBHH regularly works with companies from their earliest institutional round all the way to large-scale strategic exits. A particular feature is that the firm has also co-invested in past clients-blending traditional merchant banking principles and support for clients with modern M&A execution.
"We're not just dropping-in for a transaction. Some clients we've advised through 9 or 10 deals-and we have also invested alongside them from the outset. That level of commitment and continuity is rare (in our view), but it's how we operate and how we have developed deep sector knowledge and relationships."
Competing with Bulge Bracket banks
Despite its boutique size, CBHH punches well above its weight-often winning mandates over global investment banks. Cameron attributes this in part to the global banking heritage and transaction experience of the senior team. He also believes that the firm's continued success if founded on deep sector knowledge, ongoing senior partner engagement, and agility in the midst of complex transactions.
"We are the size of a bulge bracket's sector team-but almost certainly more focused, more aligned, and closer to the client. Our clients always get the A-team, not the associate bench."
Scaling Institutional Knowledge with Navatar
With a growing cross-border team, CBHH chose Navatar's CRM platform to turn individual relationships into firmwide institutional knowledge.
"With a growing team and across separate offices, Navatar gives us CRM tool of a bulge-bracket platform, but purpose-built for firms like ours," observed Cameron.
"CBHH represents exactly the kind of investment bank redefining sector leadership in today's private markets," said Alok Misra, CEO at Navatar. "Their deep expertise in infrastructure, enviable record in transaction execution and long-term client model set them apart. Navatar simply helps surface and scale their institutional knowledge-so every individual in the firm, on every deal can benefit from every insight from their colleagues - and bring the full value of the firm to its mandates."
Final Takeaways
Cameron also shares perspectives on:
- Why large infra investors may want to engage earlier in an infra lifecycle
- How operational experience of its partners has made CBHH a stronger advisor
- Why the firm is leaning into 'smart city' infra and exploring 'natural capital' opportunities alongside its more traditional sector focus of telecoms and renewable energy infrastructure.
- How to balance the demands of 'hands-on' partner involvement whilst scaling an advisory firm.
"This is a firm built by ex-Goldman, Morgan Stanley, and UBS bankers-all of whom chose to bring their A game to the next generation of entrepreneurs, facing the challenges of rapid growth and large-scale capital requirements. We bring a distinct discipline and empathy to every client relationship."
Listen to the full episode: https://youtu.be/wDJeyzySbTs?si=kG_2nkbM1dQaDmOw
Learn more about CBHH: www.cbhh.com
Learn more about on Navatar's CRM for M&A Advisory & Investment Banking: https://www.navatargroup.com/mergers-and-acquisitions-crm-software/
About Cameron Barney Herbst Hilgenfeldt
Cameron Barney Herbst Hilgenfeldt (CBHH) is an independent European investment bank providing financing and M&A advice to fast-growing companies in the 'infra-tech' sector including energy transition infrastructure, digital infrastructure, social infrastructure, natural capital and technology.
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