A year has passed but much has changed in the relatively short period since our last European fund management roundtable.

At the time, Brexit, trade wars and tepid economic growth were front of mind. Although these continue to cause concern, they certainly seem more mundane than the health crisis the world is still grappling with.

At the time of writing, only a few days after this year’s virtual roundtable was held, a number of European countries had imposed second national lockdowns, thereby making the path to economic recovery even more uncertain.

Yet despite the upheaval covid-19 has imposed upon the world and our daily routines, the two mega-trends we identified a year ago for the European market have not only proved resilient; they have thrived during the health crisis.

The first is digital infrastructure. “Digital infrastructure is now considered to be a utility,” says Ian Harding, co-managing partner at Arcus Infrastructure Partners. He notes it is essential not only for work but for maintaining contact with family and friends during this time of social distancing.

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