Goldman Wins Rare Solo Role On Blockbuster $19 Billion Port Deal

One of the biggest infrastructure deals in recent years has a clear winner on Wall Street: Goldman Sachs Group Inc. 

Goldman is currently the only investment bank working on the sale of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd. ports to a consortium led by BlackRock Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. 

The transaction — with proceeds of $19 billion — includes two ports on either side of the Panama Canal, which Donald Trump has long wanted in US hands. 

A small group of Goldman bankers from Hong Kong to New York, led by senior executives John Waldron and Raghav Maliah, hammered out the transaction in just a couple of weeks. They moved quickly to avoid any leaks, reaching out to various potential suitors including industry players and infrastructure-focused firms, the people said. Blackstone Inc. and KKR & Co. also considered bids.

While other investment banks missed out, former Citigroup Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mike Corbat, who founded consultancy firm Teton Advisors, also advised CK Hutchison on the deal, the people said.

The BlackRock consortium isn't using financial advisers for now, but banks are gunning to land advisory and financing roles with the group, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information.

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Data compiled by Bloomberg show that Goldman has historically been the top adviser to CK Hutchison, founded by billionaire Li Ka-shing. One of Hong Kong's most prominent companies, CK Hutchison trades locally under the ticker 1.HK. 

Once the BlackRock consortium showed interest in the port assets, which include the two in Panama and more than 40 others worldwide, there was a rush to sign a memorandum of understanding and file it to the Hong Kong stock exchange ahead of Trump's address to Congress in Washington, D.C., the people said.

In a statement announcing the transaction, Frank Sixt, co-managing director of CK Hutchison, said the deal resulted from a “rapid, discrete but competitive” process — and was unrelated to politics and reports on the Panama Canal ports.

Corbat and a representative for Goldman declined to comment. CK Hutchison referred questions to its statement. BlackRock didn't respond to requests seeking comment.

The role in such a high profile deal is a boost for Goldman, which is already leading the global M&A league table this year, data compiled by Bloomberg show. 

CK Hutchison investors got a boost too. The company's shares jumped 22% in Hong Kong on Wednesday. That's the biggest one-day gain since 1998, a year before the US gave the government of Panama control of the Panama Canal.