Ares Management, a global alternative investment manager, made enhancements to its infrastructure debt team, including the most recent addition of Jon Plavnick as a partner. Plavnick is based in New York and will focus on sourcing, structuring and managing infrastructure debt investments throughout the Americas. In addition, Spencer Ivey, Ares partner and head of Americas and Asia-Pacific infrastructure debt, has relocated to Ares’ Sydney office to help accelerate the strategy’s buildout in the Asia-Pacific region.
Plavnick brings nearly two decades of experience in infrastructure debt, most recently serving as a partner at Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), where he played a key role in advancing the firm’s global infrastructure private credit platform. Prior to GIP, he was responsible for high-yield and distressed private credit opportunities as a managing director at Oaktree Capital Management, in addition to previous roles at BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank.
“Over the past three years ago, we have continued to enhance the positioning of our infrastructure debt platform as a leading, scaled financing solutions provider to businesses and assets across the digital, transport, energy and utility sectors,” Patrick Trears, partner and global head of Ares Infrastructure Debt, said. “We are thrilled to welcome Jon, and we look forward to benefitting from his deep sector knowledge, strong origination network and commitment to collaboration as we continue to reinforce the strength of our capabilities. In addition, having worked with Spencer for 15 years to build our existing platform, I am confident that his focus on expanding our presence and increasing our access to the attractive opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region should further propel our global growth.”
“Equity investment in infrastructure has increased significantly, bolstered by the assets’ essential nature and demonstrated resilience through cycles, and the resulting demand for flexible and scalable financing continues to outweigh supply,” Plavnick said. “I believe the Ares infrastructure debt platform is well positioned to meet this exciting opportunity, and I am eager to work alongside Patrick, Spencer and the talented global team as we build on their achievements and deploy in the key sectors that we believe will define the next wave of infrastructure.”
Originally from Australia, Ivey has helped lead the platform’s growth from New York over the past 11 years, including through Ares’ acquisition of the Infrastructure Debt business in 2022.
“Driven by secular demographic tailwinds, including rapid urbanization and a growing middle class, coupled with industry megatrends of digitization and the energy transition, the opportunity for private infrastructure debt capital in Asia-Pacific is significant,” Ivey said. “By leveraging the deep experience of our team and the strength of Ares’ global Credit platform, our Asia-Pacific business is focused on providing differentiated solutions to support the infrastructure demand in this market.”
These developments follow recent team enhancements designed to further strengthen the global Ares infrastructure debt platform. This includes the addition of investment professionals Brent Canada as a partner in New York in 2022 and Lorenzo Ceretti as a partner in London in 2023. In addition, Daniel Katz, who joined Ares in 2006 and was previously a partner in Ares’ U.S. direct lending strategy and co-led portfolio management, was appointed head of portfolio management for Ares Infrastructure Debt in 2024 and oversees portfolio monitoring and restructuring.
