10-12G 1 d817918d1012g.htm 10-12G 10-12G
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 2, 2024

File No.      

 

 

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10

 

 

GENERAL FORM FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   99-4067586

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or registration)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

345 Park Avenue, 16th Floor

New York, NY

  10154
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(212) 583-5000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

with copies to:

 

Benjamin Wells

Nathan Somogie

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

425 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

 

Rajib Chanda

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

900 G Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20001

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

None

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Class S Limited Partnership Units

Class D Limited Partnership Units

Class I Limited Partnership Units

(Title of class)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Explanatory Note      1  
Forward-Looking Statements; Risk Factor Summary      3  
Item 1.   

Business

     5  
Item 1A.   

Risk Factors

     35  
Item 2.   

Financial Information

     184  
Item 3.   

Properties

     191  
Item 4.   

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

     191  
Item 5.   

Directors and Executive Officers

     192  
Item 6.   

Executive Compensation

     194  
Item 7.   

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and DirectorIndependence

     195  
Item 8.   

Legal Proceedings

     196  
Item 9.   

Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Unitholder Matters

     197  
Item 10.   

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

     201  
Item 11.   

Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered

     201  
Item 12.   

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     204  
Item 13.   

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

     205  
Item 14.   

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

     205  
Item 15.   

Financial Statements and Exhibits

     205  


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies L.P. is filing this registration statement on Form 10 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), to provide current public information to the investment community in anticipation of being required to register under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act in the future, to comply with applicable requirements thereunder.

In this Registration Statement, except where the context suggests otherwise:

 

   

the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Fund,” refer to Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies L.P.;

 

   

the term “Feeder” refers to Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies (TE) L.P. (the Fund and the Feeder together form “BXINFRA,” a private investment program, and the term BXINFRA is used throughout this Registration Statement to refer to the investment program of the Fund and the Feeder as a whole);

 

   

the term “General Partner” refers to Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies Associates L.P., our general partner;

 

   

the term “Investment Manager” refers to Blackstone Infrastructure Advisors L.L.C., our investment manager;

 

   

the term “Blackstone” refers collectively to Blackstone Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliated entities;

 

   

the term “Sponsor” refers to, as the context or applicable law requires, individually and collectively, the General Partner and the Investment Manager;

 

   

the term “Unitholders” refers to holders of our limited partnership units (the “Units”). There are three classes of Units available to investors through the Fund: Class S (“Class S” or the “Class S Units”), Class D (“Class D” or the “Class D Units”) and Class I (“Class I” or the “Class I Units”) (each a “Class”);

 

   

the term “Aggregator” refers to BXINFRA Aggregator (CYM) L.P. (including any successor vehicle or vehicles used to aggregate the holdings of the Fund and any Parallel Funds);

 

   

the term “Parallel Funds” refers to one or more parallel vehicles established by, or at the direction of, the Sponsor to invest alongside the Fund (as determined in the Investment Manager’s discretion);

 

   

the term “Portfolio Entity” refers, individually and collectively, to any entity owned, directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, by the Fund or Other Blackstone Accounts (as defined below), including as the context requires, portfolio companies, holding companies, special purpose vehicles and other entities through which investments are held;

 

   

the term “Other Blackstone Accounts” refers to, as the context requires, individually and collectively, any of the following: investment funds, vehicles, accounts, products and/or other similar arrangements sponsored, advised, and/or managed by Blackstone or its affiliates, whether currently in existence or subsequently established (in each case, including any related successor funds, alternative vehicles, supplemental capital vehicles, surge funds, over-flow funds, co-investment vehicles and other entities formed in connection with Blackstone or its affiliates side-by-side or additional general partner investments with respect thereto), including other vehicles that form part of the BXINFRA Fund Program (as defined below).

The Fund is an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) and the Fund will take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

This Registration Statement does not constitute an offer of BXINFRA or any other Blackstone fund. Once this Registration Statement has been deemed effective, we will be subject to the requirements of Section 13(a) of

 

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the Exchange Act, including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, which will require us, among other things, to file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and we will be required to comply with all other obligations of the Exchange Act applicable to issuers filing registration statements pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. Additionally, we will be subject to the proxy rules in Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the Fund, directors, executive officers, and principal unitholders will be subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 and 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS; RISK FACTOR SUMMARY

This Registration Statement may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which involve certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements predict or describe our future operations, business plans, business and investment strategies and portfolio management and the performance of our investments. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by their use of such terms and phrases as “intend,” “goal,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “projections,” “plans,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “designed to,” “foreseeable future,” “believe,” “scheduled” and similar expressions. Our actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those anticipated. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. Potential investors should not rely on these statements as if they were fact. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

References herein to “expertise” or any party being an “expert” are based solely on the belief of Blackstone, are intended only to indicate proficiency as compared to an average person and in no way limit any exculpation provisions or alter any standard of care applicable to Blackstone. Additionally, any awards, honors, or other references or rankings referred to herein with respect to Blackstone or any investment professional are provided solely for informational purposes and are not intended to be, nor should they be construed or relied upon as, any indication of future performance or other future activity. Any such awards, honors, or other references or rankings may have been based on subjective criteria and may have been based on a limited universe of participants, and there are other awards, honors, or other references or rankings given to others and not received by Blackstone and/or any investment professional of Blackstone.

Our actual results may differ significantly from any results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. A summary of the principal risk factors that make investing in our securities risky and might cause our actual results to differ is set forth below. The following is only a summary of the principal risks that may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. This summary should be read in conjunction with the more complete discussion of the risk factors we face, which are set forth in the section entitled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Registration Statement.

 

   

Although the investment professionals of the Sponsor and Blackstone have extensive investment experience generally, including extensive experience operating and investing for Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform (as defined below), as of the date of this Registration Statement, BXINFRA has not commenced operations and has no operating history. The Sponsor cannot provide assurance that it will be able to successfully implement BXINFRA’s investment strategy, or that Investments made by BXINFRA will generate expected returns.

 

   

This is a “blind pool” offering and thus you will not have the opportunity to evaluate our future investments before we make them.

 

   

We do not intend to list our Units on any securities exchange, and we do not expect a secondary market in our Units to develop. In addition, there are limits on the ownership and transferability of our Units.

 

   

We have implemented a Unit repurchase program, but there is no guarantee we will be able to make such repurchases and if we do only a limited number of Units will be eligible for repurchase and repurchases will be subject to available liquidity and other significant restrictions.

 

   

An investment in our Units is not suitable for you if you need ready access to the money you invest.

 

   

The purchase and repurchase price for our Units will be based on our transactional net asset value (“Transactional NAV”), calculated in accordance with a valuation policy that has been approved by the Board of Directors (as defined below), and are not based on any public trading market. While there will be independent valuations of our Direct Investments (as defined below) from time to time, the valuation of Infrastructure Investments (as defined below) is inherently subjective and our

 

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Transactional NAV may not accurately reflect the actual price at which our Investments could be liquidated on any given day. Unless the context requires otherwise, references herein to NAV shall refer to Transactional NAV.

 

   

The acquisition of Investments may be financed in substantial part by borrowing, which increases our exposure to loss. The use of leverage involves a high degree of financial risk and will increase the exposure of the investments to adverse economic factors.

 

   

The infrastructure industry generally, and BXINFRA’s investment activities in particular, are affected by general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability and spreads of credit, credit defaults, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in tax, currency control and other applicable laws and regulations, trade barriers, technological developments and national and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances. Identifying, closing and realizing attractive Infrastructure Investments that fall within BXINFRA’s investment mandate is highly competitive and involves a high degree of uncertainty.

 

   

BXINFRA’s Investments may be concentrated at any time in a limited number of sectors, geographies or investments, and, as a consequence, may be more substantially affected by the unfavorable performance of even a single Investment as compared to a more diversified portfolio.

Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe these factors include but are not limited to those described herein in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Registration Statement, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this Registration Statement and in our other periodic filings. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Registration Statement, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

 

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ITEM 1.

BUSINESS

(a) General Development of Business

Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies L.P. forms a part of BXINFRA, an investment program designed to offer eligible individuals access to Blackstone’s infrastructure platform (the “Infrastructure Platform”). Our general partner, Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies Associates L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, (previously defined as the “General Partner”) and our investment manager, Blackstone Infrastructure Advisors L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (previously defined as the “Investment Manager”), are affiliates of Blackstone.

We expect to conduct a continuous private offering (the “Private Offering”) of our Units in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act to investors that are both (i) accredited investors (as defined in Regulation D under the 1933 Act) and (ii) qualified purchasers (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and rules thereunder). BXINFRA is structured as a perpetual-life strategy, with monthly, fully funded subscriptions and periodic repurchase offers, which we believe enables investors to better manage exposure to private markets asset classes, such as infrastructure.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) Description of Business

The Fund — Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies L.P.

The Fund, a limited partnership, was formed on July 16, 2024 under the laws of the State of Delaware. We are a private fund exempt from registration under Section 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act.

Our investment objective is to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns consisting of both current income and long-term capital appreciation. We will seek to meet our investment objective by investing primarily in infrastructure equity, credit and secondaries strategies (collectively, “Infrastructure Investments”), leveraging the talent and investment capabilities of Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform to create an attractive portfolio of alternative infrastructure investments.

Overview of Blackstone and Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform

Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager, with total assets under management of $1.1 trillion as of June 30, 2024 and approximately 4,735 employees at our headquarters in New York and around the world as of December 31, 2023. Blackstone seeks to utilize its global expertise and presence to create positive economic impact and long-term value for its investors, the companies it invests in, and the communities in which it works. Blackstone does this by utilizing extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Blackstone’s asset management businesses include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform operates around the globe with a broad spectrum of investing capabilities across infrastructure strategies representing more than $100 billion in total assets under management as of June 30, 2024.

Investment Strategies

We will employ Blackstone’s thematic, sector-based approach to infrastructure investing with a focus on transactions where its scale, brand and/or operating intervention capabilities will create competitive advantages for us. As part of our investment strategy, we will seek to identify, acquire and operate a diversified portfolio of high quality, long-duration, cash-yielding investments that offer the opportunity for risk-adjusted capital appreciation.

 

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Our investment strategy will employ the full breadth of Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform, including:

 

 

LOGO

We intend to primarily make infrastructure Investments within the Core+ or Core space; however, we may invest in any type of infrastructure investments. To date, Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform has focused on investments in the U.S. and Europe, but we have plans to potentially make investments in Asia as well.

In managing our Direct Investments, Blackstone intends to remain a disciplined, value-oriented investor engaged in building portfolio companies by supporting management teams and business plans, improving operations, providing access to the Blackstone ecosystem, and evaluating and participating in follow-on investments to support growth.

To a lesser extent, we will also invest in debt and other securities, including but not limited to loans, debt securities, public equities, interests in collateralized debt obligation and loan obligation vehicles, derivatives, money market instruments, cash and cash equivalents (“Debt and Other Securities”) across asset classes (not limited to infrastructure). Debt and Other Securities may be used to generate income, facilitate capital deployment and provide a potential source of liquidity.

BXINFRA will generally seek to invest at least 80% of its NAV in Infrastructure Investments and generally up to 20% of its NAV in Debt and Other Securities. Our Investments may vary materially from these indicative allocation ranges, including due to factors such as a large inflow of capital over a short period of time, the Sponsor’s assessment of the relative attractiveness of opportunities, or an increase in anticipated cash requirements or repurchase requests and subject to any limitations or requirements relating to applicable law. Certain Investments could be characterized by the Investment Manager, in its discretion, as either Infrastructure Investments or Debt and Other Securities depending on the terms and characteristics of such Investments. We may make Investments by investing in or alongside Other Blackstone Accounts, subject to the terms and conditions of our and such Other Blackstone Accounts’ governing documents.

The Fund expects to access such Infrastructure Investments in a variety of ways, including through direct investments in companies and other private operating assets (“Direct Investments”); secondary market purchases of existing investments in established funds managed by Blackstone affiliates or third-party managers (“Secondary Investments”); and capital commitments to commingled investment funds managed by Blackstone affiliates or third-party managers (“Primary Commitments”).

Each Infrastructure Investment, including Direct Investments, Secondary Investments and Primary Commitments, and investments in Debt and Other Securities is referred to as an “Investment.” BXINFRA expects to make Investments through special purpose vehicles, operating companies or platforms, joint ventures (including as the general partner or co-general partner), other investment vehicles and listed companies. Direct Investments may include, without limitation, private and public investments in equity instruments, preferred equity instruments, convertible debt or equity derivative instruments, warrants, options, paid-in-kind (“PIK”) notes, mezzanine debt and private investments in public equity (“PIPE”) transactions. The Sponsor may determine not to pursue an investment opportunity for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to price,

 

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risk-adjusted returns, reputational risk, industry characteristics, environmental issues, unfavorable financing terms, or governance / shareholder dynamics.

BXINFRA Fund Program

BXINFRA is expected to invest alongside one or more vehicles with substantially similar investment objectives and strategies. While these vehicles will be operated as distinct investment structures, they are expected to have highly overlapping investment portfolios and will together form the “BXINFRA Fund Program.”

The Investment Manager and the General Partner

The Fund expects to enter into the investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) with Blackstone Infrastructure Advisors L.L.C. (previously defined as the “Investment Manager”), and an amended and restated limited partnership agreement, as may be amended and restated from time to time (the “Partnership Agreement”), with Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies Associates L.P. (previously defined as the “General Partner” and, together with the Investment Manager, the “Sponsor”), pursuant to which the Sponsor will manage the Fund on a day-to-day basis.

Overall responsibility for BXINFRA’s oversight rests with the General Partner, subject to certain oversight rights held by the Fund’s Board of Directors (as defined below). See “—The Board of Directors” and “—Partnership Agreement” below for further information.

The General Partner will delegate the portfolio management function regarding BXINFRA to the Investment Manager. The Investment Manager will have discretion to make Investments on behalf of BXINFRA.

The Investment Manager is a Delaware limited liability company with its business address at 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154, United States of America. The Investment Manager is an affiliate of Blackstone and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended from time to time (the “Advisers Act”). The Investment Manager will be responsible for initiating, structuring, and negotiating BXINFRA’s Investments. In addition, the Investment Manager will actively manage each Investment to seek to maximize the value of each Investment.

Each of the Investment Manager and General Partner is an affiliate of Blackstone and, as such, our Investment Manager and General Partner have access to the broader resources of Blackstone, subject to Blackstone’s policies and procedures regarding the management of conflicts of interest.

The Sub-Investment Managers

The Investment Manager expects to delegate the portfolio management function for a portion of BXINFRA’s Investments to one or more investment managers within Blackstone Credit & Insurance, the credit, asset based finance and insurance asset management business unit of Blackstone (“BXCI”), and the Investment Manager may, from time to time, further delegate such authority in a similar manner to other sub-investment managers within BXCI (BXCI, together with any other sub-investment managers, the “Sub-Investment Managers,” each being a “Sub-Investment Manager,” and together with the Investment Manager, the “BX Managers”). The Investment Manager will have the ability to determine the portion of BXINFRA’s Investments that will be managed by each Sub-Investment Manager, but is not expected to have investment-level discretion for the portion managed by each Sub-Investment Manager. The primary investment focus of the Sub-Investment Managers will be investments in Debt and Other Securities.

In consideration for its services, each Sub-Investment Manager will be entitled to receive a fee payable by the Investment Manager (out of its Management Fee (as defined below)) in an amount to be agreed upon between the Investment Manager and each Sub-Investment Manager from time to time.

 

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BXINFRA Structure

 

 

LOGO

Market Opportunity

Infrastructure assets share certain defining characteristics:

 

   

Essential Services: Infrastructure assets provide essential services and are critical for the economy.

 

   

Asset and Capital Intensity: Infrastructure assets require significant capital investments with long development periods.

 

   

Specialized Markets: Infrastructure assets operate in specialized markets that tend to be highly regulated, creating competitive advantages for incumbent players.

 

   

Robust and Stable Cash Flows: Infrastructure assets have revenues that are typically underpinned by long-term economic regulatory frameworks, concession agreements, or medium-to-long-term customer contracts, often with inflation protection.

Infrastructure assets can be broadly categorized into four sections. The following are those sectors with illustrative examples:

 

   

Transportation: Roads, airports, ports and railroads.

 

   

Digital: Data centers, towers and fiber.

 

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Energy: Renewables, utilities and energy transition assets.

 

   

Water and Waste: Water treatment and waste disposal.

The infrastructure asset class is now at the forefront of multiple transformational investment opportunities, including artificial intelligence, data proliferation and decarbonization. We expect these important megatrends to create significant growth opportunities for infrastructure platforms in the coming years. We believe the market for infrastructure investment is expected to continue its strong growth given its consistent track record for delivering strong total returns, stable current income, inflation-protection and diversification.

The Board of Directors

Overall responsibility for BXINFRA’s oversight rests with the General Partner, subject to certain oversight rights held by the Fund’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or “Board”). The Board is responsible for overseeing our periodic reports under the Exchange Act, certain conflicts of interest related to the Sponsor in accordance with the provisions of the Partnership Agreement and any policies of the General Partner, the suspension of (a) the calculation of the NAV, (b) the ongoing offering of Units or (c) the Fund’s Repurchase Program (as defined below), and any material modification to (a) the valuation policy adopted for BXINFRA (the “Valuation Policy”), (b) the Repurchase Program and (c) the fair valuation of any Direct Investments that the General Partner has determined to value outside of the applicable range provided by the Fund’s independent valuation advisor. The Board will be comprised of      members,      of whom will be independent of the Fund and the Sponsor (each, an “Independent Director”). The status of an Independent Director under our Partnership Agreement is determined consistent with the independence tests set out in Rule 303A.02 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual or other standards determined by the General Partner. The General Partner may appoint additional directors to the Board from time to time; provided that the appointment of new Independent Directors as a result of a vacancy (regardless of how the vacancy was created) will require approval by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the remaining Independent Directors. See “Item 5. Directors and Executive Officers—Biographical Information” for further information regarding the members of the Board.

The Fund will have an audit committee (the “Audit Committee”), which will be composed solely of Independent Directors. The Audit Committee will be responsible for selecting our auditor and approving our financial statements, among other matters.

Investment Management Agreement

The description below of the Investment Management Agreement is only a summary and is not necessarily complete. The description set forth below is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Investment Management Agreement attached as an exhibit to this Registration Statement.

The Investment Manager will provide management services to us pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement. Under the terms of the Investment Management Agreement, the Investment Manager is responsible for the following:

 

   

originating and recommending investment opportunities, consistent with the investment objective and strategy of the Fund;

 

   

monitoring and evaluating our Investments;

 

   

analyzing and investigating potential Portfolio Entities, including their products, services, markets, management, financial situation, competitive position, market ranking and prospects for future performance and analyzing other Investments, including Primary and Secondary Investments in funds;

 

   

analyzing and investigating potential dispositions of Investments, including identification of potential acquirers and evaluations of offers made by such potential acquirers;

 

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structuring of acquisitions of Investments;

 

   

identifying bank and institutional sources of financing, arrangement of appropriate introductions and marketing of financial proposals;

 

   

supervising the preparation and review of all documents required in connection with the acquisition, disposition or financing of each Investment;

 

   

monitoring the performance of Portfolio Entities and, where appropriate, providing advice to the management of the Portfolio Entities at the policy level during the life of an Investment;

 

   

arranging and coordinating the services of other professionals and consultants, including Blackstone; and

 

   

providing us with such other services as the General Partner may, from time to time, appoint the Investment Manager to be responsible for and perform, consistent with the terms of the Investment Management Agreement.

The Investment Manager’s services under the Investment Management Agreement are not exclusive, and it is free to furnish similar services to other entities, and it intends to do so, so long as its services to us are not impaired. For the avoidance of doubt, the management, policies and operations of the Fund shall be the ultimate responsibility of the General Partner acting pursuant to and in accordance with the Partnership Agreement. See “—Partnership Agreement” below for further information.

Compensation of the Sponsor

Management Fee

In consideration for its investment management services, the Investment Manager will be entitled to receive a management fee (the “Management Fee”) payable by BXINFRA directly or indirectly through an Intermediate Entity (as defined below) equal to, in the aggregate, 1.25% of BXINFRA’s Transactional NAV per annum payable monthly, before giving effect to any accruals for the Management Fee, the Servicing Fee (as defined below), the Administration Fee (as defined below), the Performance Participation Allocation (as defined below), pending Aggregator Unit repurchases, any distributions and without taking into account accrued and unpaid taxes of any Intermediate Entity (including corporations) through which BXINFRA indirectly invests in an Investment or taxes paid by any such Intermediate Entity during the applicable month. The Fund, the Feeder and any Parallel Fund will each be obligated to pay (without duplication) its proportional share of the Management Fee paid based on its proportional interest in the Aggregator.

The Investment Manager may elect to receive the Management Fee in cash, Units and/or shares or units of Lower Entities. If the Management Fee is paid in Units, such Units may be repurchased at the Investment Manager’s request and will be subject to the volume limitations of the Repurchase Program but not the Early Repurchase Deduction (as defined below).

The Investment Manager has agreed to waive the Management Fee for the first six months following the date on which BXINFRA first accepts third-party investors and commences investment operations (the “Effective Date”).

Performance Participation Allocation

The General Partner will be allocated a performance participation (the “Performance Participation Allocation”) by BXINFRA directly or indirectly through an Intermediate Entity equal to 12.5% of Total Return subject to a 5% annual Hurdle Amount and a High Water Mark with 100% Catch-Up (each as defined below). Such allocation will be measured on a calendar year basis, be paid quarterly and accrue monthly (subject to pro-rating for partial periods). For the first calendar year of the Fund’s operations the allocation will be paid at

 

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the end of such first calendar year and thereafter the allocation will be paid quarterly. The Fund, the Feeder and any Parallel Fund will each bear (without duplication) its proportional share of the Performance Participation Allocation based on its proportional interest in the Aggregator. For further information regarding the Performance Participation Allocation (as defined herein), see “Item 2. Financial Information—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Expenses—Performance Participation Allocation” below.

Administration Fee

In consideration for its administrative services, the Investment Manager will be entitled to receive an administration fee (“Administration Fee”) payable by BXINFRA directly or indirectly through an Intermediate Entity, equal to, in the aggregate, 0.10% of BXINFRA’s NAV per annum payable monthly, before giving effect to any accruals for the Management Fee, the Servicing Fee, the Administration Fee and the Performance Participation Allocation, pending Unit repurchases, any distributions and without taking into account accrued and unpaid taxes of any Intermediate Entity (including corporations) through which BXINFRA indirectly invests in an Investment or taxes paid by any such Intermediate Entity during the applicable month. The Fund, the Feeder and any Parallel Fund will each be obligated to pay (without duplication) its proportional share of the Administration Fee based on its proportional interest in the Aggregator. The Administration Fee will be separate from and additional to the Management Fee and any Fund Expenses (including administrative expenses incurred in connection with Investments and Portfolio Entities).

From time to time, the Investment Manager may outsource certain administrative duties provided to the Fund with respect to the Administration Fee to third parties. The fees, costs and expenses of any such third-party service providers will be payable by the Investment Manager out of its Administration Fee.

For further information regarding the reimbursement of the costs and expenses incurred by the Sponsor, as applicable, see “Item 2. Financial Information—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Expenses—Fund Expenses” below for further information.

Partnership Agreement

The description below of the Partnership Agreement is only a summary and is not necessarily complete. The description set forth below is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Partnership Agreement attached as an exhibit to this Registration Statement.

Blackstone Infrastructure Strategies Associates L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, is our General Partner. Overall responsibility for BXINFRA oversight rests with the General Partner, subject to certain oversight rights held by the Fund’s Board of Directors with respect to our periodic reports under the Exchange Act and certain situations involving conflicts of interest. Without limitation, and subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, the General Partner is responsible for and authorized with the following, without any approval of any Unitholder or other person:

 

   

the management and operation of the Fund;

 

   

any and all of the objects and purposes of the Fund;

 

   

to perform all acts and enter into and perform all contracts, other documents and tasks as it may deem necessary or advisable for the Fund;

 

   

selecting, approving, making and managing Investments generally, including in or alongside any Other Blackstone Accounts;

 

   

making all decisions concerning the investigation, evaluation, selection, monitoring, acquisition, holding and disposition of Investments; and

 

   

directing the formulation of investment policies and strategies for the Fund.

 

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Additionally, if it considers it appropriate for any legal, tax, regulatory, accounting, compliance, structuring or other operational requirements of BXINFRA or of certain current or prospective Unitholders, the General Partner or any of its affiliates may, in its sole discretion, cause BXINFRA to hold certain investments directly or indirectly through (i) entities that may elect to be classified as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, whether formed in a U.S. or non-U.S. jurisdiction (each a “Corporation”) or (ii) one or more limited liability companies or limited partnerships (each, a “Lower Entity,” and together with any Corporation, “Intermediate Entities”). Management Fees, Administration Fees and Performance Participation Allocations (each as described herein) may be paid or allocated, as applicable, in whole or in part, at the level of BXINFRA or any such Intermediate Entity and will generally not take into account accrued and unpaid taxes of any Corporation during the applicable period.

The General Partner or any of its affiliates, in its sole discretion, may also establish one or more feeder vehicles (in addition to the Feeder or any Parallel Fund), to invest through the Fund (each, a “Feeder Vehicle”) if it considers it appropriate for any legal, tax, regulatory, accounting, compliance, structuring or other operational requirements of BXINFRA or of certain current or prospective Unitholders. The Unitholders in a Feeder Vehicle (including the Feeder or any Parallel Fund) will indirectly bear a portion of the Management Fee and Administration Fee paid by the Fund, but such expenses will not be duplicated at the Feeder or Parallel Fund level.

Investment Process Overview

BXINFRA benefits from an investment committee that is composed of some of the most senior and experienced investment professionals at Blackstone (the “BXINFRA Investment Committee”).

All Investments in which BXINFRA participates (other than certain Debt and Other Securities managed by the Sub-Investment Managers) are reviewed and approved by the BXINFRA Investment Committee or a subset thereof; the BXINFRA Investment Committee approves Primary Commitments and certain investment allocations to other strategies, including programmatic allocations, prior to BXINFRA’s participation. Central to BXINFRA’s investment strategy is the precondition that investments led by an Other Blackstone Account have been evaluated by the underlying investment business as well as the BXINFRA Investment Committee. Each of Blackstone’s investment businesses employs a thorough investment origination, diligence and selection process, and each investment must be approved by a group’s respective investment committee.

At the core of Blackstone’s investment strategy is a rigorous investment origination, selection and investment decision process with considerable emphasis on monitoring and reporting the performance of the ongoing investment portfolio. Our investment review and monitoring process—from the initial identification of an investment opportunity to the final investment decision, through to ultimate monetization—is a disciplined approach designed to screen out transactions with excessive risk, actively monitor investments and capitalize on opportunities to maximize valuation upon exit. The following is a general outline of our investment process:

 

 

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Sourcing

We believe that Blackstone sees significantly more deal flow than its competitors as a result of its position as one of the largest infrastructure platforms in the world today. We believe Blackstone’s access to proprietary information through the Infrastructure Platform coupled with the talent, breadth and experience of its team enables Blackstone to source and evaluate investment opportunities that others cannot.

Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform has developed a strong network of global relationships with infrastructure asset owners, leading financial institutions, operating partners, senior business executives and government officials. These relationships provide market knowledge and form the backbone of Blackstone’s investment-sourcing network. Primary sources of Blackstone’s infrastructure transactions include:

 

   

Relationships of Blackstone Senior Managing Directors and professionals;

 

   

Major corporations with which Blackstone has worked in the past and that wish to divest assets;

 

   

Investment / commercial banks;

 

   

Brokers / dealers; and

 

   

Borrowers.

Due Diligence

Blackstone’s investment review process, from initial identification of the investment opportunity to the final investment decision, is a disciplined approach designed to screen out transactions with excessive risk.

The investment team conducts initial due diligence, identifies any differentiated angles and sources of competitive advantage for Blackstone, composes an investment memorandum that summarizes the opportunity—including a preliminary investment thesis, key risks and a simple financial model, and may present the potential investment to a subset of the BXINFRA Investment Committee.

This group then provides feedback regarding valuation, key issues to be addressed in future due diligence, advice regarding transaction dynamics and makes a gating decision prior to the commitment of substantial resources and expense in the further evaluation of the opportunity. If the investment is approved for further consideration, the investment team and any advisors, technical consultants or managers involved in the specific investment conduct an in-depth due diligence analysis over the course of several weeks, during which time any material findings and new developments are discussed at regular group meetings. Important issues of a technical nature or a detailed review of a particularly complex topic of business due diligence may be addressed in “Workshop” sessions well ahead of any final decision on the deal.

Investment Committee

Across the Infrastructure Platform, the key findings of the underlying team’s due diligence, investment thesis, concerns, value-added business plan and corresponding detailed financial estimates and key sensitivities are compiled in a comprehensive memorandum that forms the basis for a discussion by the BXINFRA Investment Committee, which makes the final decision regarding each Investment, including the binding bid valuation, key terms and tactics. We believe the BXINFRA Investment Committee, which consists of some of the most experienced Blackstone investment professionals, is a critical factor in our success. This group assesses the quality of due diligence, business models, valuations and risks on both a deal-specific and comparative basis.

BXINFRA will leverage the various investment, asset management, portfolio operations, finance, and legal and compliance professionals located around the globe providing expertise to the Infrastructure Platform. For further information regarding the BXINFRA Investment Committee, see “Item 5. Directors and Executive Officers—Committees—Investment Committee.”

 

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Monitoring / Value Creation

Risk Management. A well-identified and controlled risk profile is a crucial part of our investment methodology. We seek to control risk in a number of ways that may include diversification across investment strategies, underlying instruments, geography and the expected maturity or holding periods of positions; hedging of foreign exchange, interest rate and credit spread exposure; selective use of leverage; risk analysis; and operational controls.

The asset management and investment teams supporting the Infrastructure Platform seek to continuously conduct risk analyses on the investments in its portfolios. Some of the types of analyses the teams expect to conduct include review of underwriting prior to investing, review of performance against underwriting assumptions, measurement of industry, asset class and geographic exposure and scenario analysis.

We believe that many of the risks borne by our business are likely to be idiosyncratic in nature, and investment outcomes may depend more on the quality of underwriting and strategy execution than broader market trends. As part of our risk management, we will seek to control the movement of cash and custody of assets, audit and due diligence of servicing partners and deal performance monitoring and rigorous financial reporting requirements.

The judgment and experience of the senior members of our asset management and investment teams, as well as the oversight of the BXINFRA Investment Committee will play a significant role in managing our risk profile.

Asset Management. For equity investments, Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform takes a “hands-on” approach to monitoring its portfolio companies, utilizing a number of processes designed to focus on and measure progress against the key components of the value-added business plan, and to clearly allocate decision-making authority and responsibility. Examples include, but are not limited to: (i) appointing experienced industry executives (including Blackstone Senior Advisors) to serve on the company’s board; (ii) putting in place a management compensation plan that is based upon achievement of the value-added business plan, which creates strong alignment of interests with BXINFRA and its investors; (iii) continuous performance monitoring through regular management updates, monthly performance reports and quarterly board meetings to measure performance against the investment case and enact early intervention initiatives if required and; (iv) regular global asset reviews and quarterly valuation meetings.

Furthermore, Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform will coordinate across Blackstone’s Portfolio Operations team to drive value across its portfolio companies. This team consists of more than 100 individuals with expertise spanning a range of capabilities including data science, capital markets, procurement, healthcare, IT and cybersecurity, accounting and tax, and sustainability.

Competition

Identifying, closing and realizing attractive infrastructure investments that fall within BXINFRA’s investment mandate is highly competitive and involves a high degree of uncertainty. In addition, developing and maintaining relationships with joint venture partners or management teams, on which some of BXINFRA’s strategy depends, is highly competitive. We believe that Blackstone’s successful track record across infrastructure investments, the ability to leverage Blackstone’s global deal sourcing network, Blackstone’s ability to navigate complex multi-stakeholder infrastructure processes, commitment scale, value-added, operations-intensive mindset and open-ended structure provide BXINFRA with a competitive edge. The Sponsor competes for investment opportunities and potential joint venture partners, clients and investors with other investment funds, corporations, individuals, companies, financial institutions (such as investment and mortgage banks and pension funds), hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and other investors. In addition, certain Other Blackstone Accounts that have investment objectives that are adjacent to or overlap with those of the BXINFRA Fund Program (whether now in existence or subsequently established), and Blackstone or such Other Blackstone

 

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Accounts may share and/or receive priority with respect to certain investment opportunities falling within the primary focus of such Other Blackstone Accounts or receive allocations of investments otherwise appropriate for the BXINFRA Fund Program (including, for example, Other Blackstone Accounts established to primarily pursue investments relating to specific geographic regions, sectors and/or asset classes). New competitors constantly enter the market, and in some cases existing competitors combine in a way that increases their strength in the market.

Allocation of Investment Opportunities

BXINFRA is expected to invest alongside one or more vehicles with substantially similar investment objectives and strategies that form part of the BXINFRA Fund Platform. While these vehicles will be operated as distinct investment structures, they are expected to have highly overlapping investment portfolios. As a result, certain conflicts may arise between BXINFRA and such other vehicle with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities. Investment opportunities will be allocated between BXINFRA and such other vehicles in accordance with Blackstone’s policies and procedures, which generally provide that allocations are determined on a basis that the Sponsor believes to be fair and reasonable in its sole discretion, which may be pro rata based on available capital, subject to the following considerations: (x) any applicable investment strategies, mandates, objectives, focus, parameters, guidelines, limitations, liquidity positions and requirements of BXINFRA and such other vehicles; (y) available capital of BXINFRA and such other vehicles; and (z) legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and any other considerations deemed relevant by the Sponsor, including, without limitation, the considerations described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Potential Conflicts of Interest—Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities.

Additionally, because the BXINFRA Fund Program invests across the Infrastructure Platform, it is expected that its investment strategy will overlap with that of Other Blackstone Accounts that are actively investing and similarly overlap with future Other Blackstone Accounts. Although the BXINFRA Fund Program may make unique investments that are not shared by Other Blackstone Accounts outside of the BXINFRA Fund Program, it is expected that investment opportunities will be shared with Other Blackstone Accounts outside of the BXINFRA Fund Program to the extent such opportunities fall within the narrower investment strategy of such Other Blackstone Account and our broader investment strategy across the BXINFRA Fund Program. This overlap will from time to time create conflicts of interest, which the Sponsor and its affiliates will seek to manage in a fair and reasonable manner in their sole discretion in accordance with their policies and procedures. Moreover, under certain circumstances, investment opportunities sourced and/or identified by the Sponsor and that fall within the BXINFRA Fund Program’s investment strategy and objective are expected to be allocated on a priority basis in whole or in part to Portfolio Entities, Other Blackstone Accounts, Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts, or Blackstone.

With respect to Other Blackstone Accounts outside of the BXINFRA Fund Program with investment objectives or guidelines that overlap with ours but that do not have contractual investment priorities, investment opportunities are allocated among the BXINFRA Fund Program and one or more Other Blackstone Accounts in accordance with Blackstone’s policies and procedures on a basis that the Sponsor and its affiliates believe to be fair and reasonable in their sole discretion, subject to the following considerations: (x) any applicable investment strategies, investment mandates, objectives, focus, parameters, guidelines, investor preferences, limitations and other contractual provisions, obligations and terms relating the BXINFRA Fund Program and such Other Blackstone Accounts and the duration of the investment periods and holding periods of such Other Blackstone Accounts (as applicable), (y) available capital of the BXINFRA Fund Program and such Other Blackstone Accounts, (z) legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and any other considerations deemed relevant by the Sponsor, including, without limitation, the considerations described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Potential Conflicts of Interest—Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities.” The allocation of investments to Other Blackstone Accounts, including as described above, will result in fewer investment opportunities for the BXINFRA Fund Program.

 

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Investment opportunities that the Sponsor makes a good faith determination are not expected to meet BXINFRA’s risk return profile or are otherwise inappropriate for BXINFRA given considerations described in this Registration Statement or as otherwise determined by the Sponsor, will generally not be allocated to BXINFRA.

Furthermore, certain Other Blackstone Accounts that are part of the Infrastructure Platform have contractual investment priorities with respect to investments that fall within their investment focus and/or are presented exclusively to or sourced exclusively by them, which means that such opportunities will be first offered to the applicable Other Blackstone Accounts. In certain circumstances, we expect to be able to participate in investment opportunities alongside Other Blackstone Accounts that have contractual investment priorities, including through the use of certain side-by-side investment rights held by Blackstone, through a vehicle that generally invests alongside such Other Blackstone Account or where an Other Blackstone Account determines that there is additional capacity available in an investment opportunity. Nevertheless, Other Blackstone Accounts having contractual investment priority over us will result in fewer investment opportunities being made available to us.

The Sponsor and its affiliates calculate available capital, weigh the factors described above, and take into account other factors further described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors—Potential Conflicts of Interest—Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities.” (which will not be weighted equally) and make other investment allocation decisions in accordance with their policies and procedures in their sole discretion, taking into account a variety of considerations, which may include, without limitation, net asset value, any actual or anticipated allocations, expected future fundraising and uses of capital, applicable investment guidelines, excuse rights and investor preferences, any or all reserves, vehicle sizes, targeted amounts of securities as determined by the Sponsor and its affiliates, geographic limitations and actual or anticipated capital needs or other factors determined by the Sponsor and its affiliates. The manner in which available capital of BXINFRA is determined may differ from, or subsequently change with respect to, Other Blackstone Accounts. The amounts and forms of leverage utilized for investments will also be determined by the Sponsor and its affiliates in their sole discretion. Any differences or adjustments with respect to the manner in which available capital is determined with respect to BXINFRA or Other Blackstone Accounts may adversely impact the allocation of particular investment opportunities. There is no assurance that any conflicts arising out of the foregoing will be resolved in favor of BXINFRA. Blackstone is entitled to amend its policies and procedures at any time without prior notice or BXINFRA’s consent.

Leverage

BXINFRA may utilize leverage, incur indebtedness and provide other credit support for any purpose, including to fund all or a portion of the capital necessary for an Investment and leverage may be used more heavily by certain investment strategies, such as Debt and Other Securities, particularly during the ramp up period. BXINFRA will not incur indebtedness, directly or indirectly, that would cause the Leverage Ratio (as defined below) to be in excess of 30% (the “Leverage Limit”); provided, that no remedial action will be required if the Leverage Limit is exceeded for any reason other than the incurrence of an increase in indebtedness (including the exercise of rights attached to an investment). Any indebtedness incurred at the investment level will be excluded in the calculation of the Leverage Limit. Additionally, BXINFRA may incur additional indebtedness for borrowed money that causes the Leverage Ratio to exceed 30% to the extent (a) the General Partner expects at the time of each such incurrence that the Leverage Ratio shall be reduced to less than or equal to 30% within nine months from the date the Leverage Ratio initially exceeded 30% and (b) a majority of the Independent Directors approve such additional indebtedness as being in the best interests of BXINFRA.

“Leverage Ratio” means, on any date of incurrence of any such indebtedness, the quotient obtained by dividing (a) Aggregate Net Leverage (as defined below) by (b) the aggregate month-end values of BXINFRA’s Investments (including Debt and Other Securities), plus the value of any other assets (such as cash on hand), as determined in accordance with BXINFRA’s valuation policy.

 

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“Aggregate Net Leverage” means (a) the aggregate amount of recourse indebtedness for borrowed money (e.g., bank debt) of BXINFRA minus (b) cash and cash equivalents of BXINFRA minus, without duplication, (c) cash used in connection with funding a deposit in advance of the closing of an investment and working capital advances.

For purposes of determining Aggregate Net Leverage, the General Partner shall use the principal amount of borrowings, and not the valuations of BXINFRA’s borrowings, and may, in its sole discretion, determine which securities and other instruments are deemed to be cash equivalents. BXINFRA’s assets or any part thereof, including any accounts of BXINFRA, may be pledged in connection with any credit facilities or borrowings. For the avoidance of doubt, the Leverage Limit does not apply to refinancings of existing borrowings, guarantees of indebtedness, “bad boy” guarantees or other related liabilities that are not recourse indebtedness for borrowed money.

BXINFRA may, but is not obligated to, engage in hedging transactions for the purpose of efficient portfolio management. The General Partner and/or Investment Manager may review the hedging policy of BXINFRA from time to time depending on movements and projected movements of the relevant currencies and interest rates and the availability of cost-effective hedging instruments for BXINFRA at the relevant time.

Term

BXINFRA has been established, and is expected to continue, for an indefinite period of time. As part of BXINFRA’s indefinite term structure, investors may request the repurchase of their Units on a quarterly basis (as further discussed below). See “—Repurchase Program” below for more information regarding repurchases.

Emerging Growth Company

We will be and we will remain an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act until the earlier of (a) the last day of the fiscal year (i) following the fifth anniversary of the date of an initial public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, (ii) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (iii) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Units that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the date of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and (b) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. For so long as we remain an “emerging growth company” we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). We cannot predict if investors will find our Units less attractive because we may rely on some or all of these exemptions.

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the 1933 Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We will take advantage of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, which may make it more difficult for investors and securities analysts to evaluate us since our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates and may result in less investor confidence.

Distribution Reinvestment Plan

BXINFRA intends to adopt an “opt out” distribution reinvestment plan for investors in which Unitholders can elect to “opt out” of the Fund’s distribution reinvestment plan in their subscription documents (other than

 

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clients of certain participating brokers that do not permit automatic enrollment in our distribution reinvestment plan). As a result, in the event of a declared cash distribution, each Unitholder that has not “opted out” of the distribution reinvestment plan will have their distributions automatically reinvested in additional Units rather than receive cash distributions. If a Unitholder elects to opt out of the distribution reinvestment plan, they will receive any distributions we declare in cash.

There will be no Subscription Fees (as defined below) charged to a Unitholder that participates in the distribution reinvestment plan for Units received pursuant to the distribution reinvestment plan. The purchase price for Units purchased under our distribution reinvestment plan will be equal to the most recent available NAV per share for such Units at the time the distribution is payable.

Repurchase Program

At the discretion of the General Partner, BXINFRA will implement a repurchase program (the “Repurchase Program”) in which it intends to offer to repurchase in each quarter up to 3% of Units outstanding (either by number of Units or aggregate NAV) as of the close of the previous calendar quarter. Repurchase offers are expected to commence following the Effective Date. BXINFRA intends to conduct such repurchase offers in accordance with the requirements of Rule 13e-4 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

Under the Repurchase Program, to the extent we offer to repurchase Units in any particular quarter, we expect to repurchase Units using a purchase price equal to our Transactional NAV per Unit as of the last calendar day of the applicable quarter (the “Repurchase Date”), subject to the Early Repurchase Deduction (as defined below).

Any repurchase requests of Units that have not been outstanding for at least two years will be subject to an early repurchase deduction equal to 5% of the value of the Transactional NAV of the Units being repurchased (calculated as of the Repurchase Date) (the “Early Repurchase Deduction”) for the benefit of BXINFRA and its Unitholders.

Material amendments to the Repurchase Program and a suspension thereof may be made by the Sponsor with the approval of the Independent Directors. As a result, Unit repurchases may not be available each quarter, such as when a repurchase offer would place an undue burden on BXINFRA’s liquidity, adversely affect its operations or risk having an adverse impact on BXINFRA that would outweigh the benefit of the repurchase offer.

In the event that we determine to repurchase some but not all of the Units submitted for repurchase during any quarter, Units submitted for repurchase during such quarter will be repurchased on a pro-rata basis after we have repurchased all Units for which repurchase has been requested due to death, disability or divorce and other limited exceptions. Unsatisfied repurchase requests will not be automatically carried over to the next repurchase period and, in order for a repurchase request to be reconsidered, Unitholders must resubmit their request in the next quarterly repurchase offer, or upon the recommencement of the Repurchase Program, as applicable. BXINFRA will have no obligation to repurchase Units. The limitations and restrictions described above may prevent BXINFRA from accommodating all repurchase requests made in any quarter.

Employees

We do not currently have any employees and do not expect to have any employees. Services necessary for our business are provided by individuals who are employees of the Sponsor or its affiliates pursuant to the terms of the Investment Management Agreement and the Partnership Agreement. See “Item 1(c). Description of Business—Investment Management Agreement” and “—Partnership Agreement.”

 

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The Offering

Subscriptions for Units may be made on an ongoing basis, but will only be accepted as of the first calendar day of each month (a “Subscription Date”), unless the General Partner determines otherwise. A prospective Unitholder generally must notify BXINFRA of its desire to subscribe for Units by 4 p.m. ET at least five business days prior to the first calendar day of the month (unless waived by the General Partner in its sole discretion).

To be accepted, a subscription amount request must be made with a completed and executed subscription document in good order, including (a) satisfying any additional requirements imposed by the subscriber’s placement agent or financial intermediary, (b) satisfying the know your client (KYC), terrorist financing and anti-money laundering (AML) checks carried out by BXINFRA or its agent, and (c) payment of the full purchase price of the Units being subscribed.

The purchase price per Unit of each Class is equal to the Transactional NAV per Unit for such Class as of the last calendar day of the immediately preceding month. Until BXINFRA has determined its first Transactional NAV, which is expected to be as of the end of the first full month after BXINFRA has accepted third-party investors and begun investment operations, the subscription price for Units will be $25.00 per unit plus applicable Subscription Fees. For example, if a prospective Unitholder wishes to make an initial subscription for Units in October, the initial subscription request must be received in good order at least five business days before November 1st. The offering price will equal the Transactional NAV per Unit of the applicable Class as of the last calendar day of October, plus applicable Subscription Fees. If accepted, the subscription will be effective on the first calendar day of November (based on the October 31st NAV). Late subscription orders will be automatically resubmitted for the next available Subscription Date, unless such subscription order is withdrawn or revoked before 4 p.m. ET on the last business day before such Subscription Date (subject to the General Partner’s discretion to accept after such time).

BXINFRA’s monthly Transactional NAV as of the last calendar day of each month (a “Valuation Date”) will generally be available by the 20th business day of the next month. See “Item 9. Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Unitholder Matters—Calculation of Net Asset Value” below. Prospective Unitholders will therefore not know the NAV per Unit of their investment until after the investment has been accepted. Prospective Unitholders are required to subscribe for a USD amount and the number of Units that such investor receives will subsequently be determined based on the NAV per Unit as of the time such investment was accepted by BXINFRA (e.g., a Unitholder admitted as of November 1st of a calendar year, whose investment is based on BXINFRA’s NAV as of October 31st of such year, will learn of such NAV and the corresponding number of Units represented by their subscription around November 30th of that year).

Fractions of Units to two decimal places will be issued. The timing of Subscription Dates, Valuation Dates and deadlines for subscribing may be modified from time to time by the General Partner in its sole discretion.

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act.

The SEC has adopted Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act (the “Rule”), which requires registered investment advisers that exercise voting authority over client securities to implement proxy voting policies. Because the Investment Manager may be deemed to have authority to vote proxies relating the companies in which BXINFRA invests, the Investment Manager has adopted a set of policies and procedures (together, the “Policy”) in compliance with the Rule. To the extent the Investment Manager exercises or is deemed to be exercising voting authority over BXINFRA securities, the Policy is designed and implemented in a manner reasonably expected to ensure that voting with respect to proxy proposals, amendments, consents or resolutions (collectively, “proxies”) is exercised in a manner that serves the best interest of BXINFRA, as determined by the

 

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Investment Manager in its discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, because proxy proposals and individual company facts and circumstances may vary, the Investment Manager may not always vote proxies in accordance with the Policy. In addition, many possible proxy matters are not covered in the Policy. Generally, the Investment Manager will vote proxies (i) in favor of management’s recommendation for the election of the board of directors and (ii) to approve the financial statements as presented by management.

Each proxy is voted on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration any relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote. In situations where the Investment Manager wishes to vote differently from what is recommended in the Policy, or where a potential material conflict of interest relating to the proxy vote exists, the Investment Manager will take such actions as are required by the Policy.

Unitholders may request a copy of the Policy and the voting records relating to proxies as provided by the Rule by contacting the Investment Manager.

Reporting Obligations

We will file our annual reports containing audited financial statements, quarterly reports, and such other periodic reports as we determine to be appropriate or as may be required by law. We are filing this Registration Statement with the SEC under the Exchange Act to provide current public information to the investment community in anticipation of being required to register under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act in the future, to comply with applicable requirements thereunder.

We intend to make available on our website, when available, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our current reports on Form 8-K. The SEC also maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains such information. Our website will contain additional information about our business, but the contents of the website are not incorporated by reference in or otherwise a part of this Registration Statement. From time to time, we may use our website as a distribution channel for material company information. Financial and other important information regarding us will be routinely accessible thorough and posted on our website.

Certain U.S. Tax Considerations

The discussion of tax matters set forth in this Registration Statement was not intended to be used, and cannot be used by any prospective investor, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed. Each prospective investor should seek advice based on its particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

This summary discusses certain U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to an investment in Units of BXINFRA. This discussion is based on provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), on the regulations promulgated thereunder, and on published administrative rulings and judicial decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change or different interpretation, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion is necessarily general and may not apply to all categories of investors, some of which, such as banks, thrifts, insurance companies, dealers and other investors that do not own their Units as capital assets and investors required to accelerate the recognition of any item of gross income with respect to the Fund or its investments as a result of such income being recognized on an applicable financial statement, may be subject to special rules. Tax-exempt Unitholders and Non-U.S. Unitholders (as defined below) are discussed separately below. The actual tax consequences of the purchase and ownership of Units in BXINFRA will vary depending upon the investor’s circumstances.

For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Person” or a “U.S. Unitholder” is an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a corporation or an entity treated as a corporation for such purposes that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or a trust if (1) it is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the

 

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United States and one or more U.S. Persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (2) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. Person. A “Non-U.S. Person” is a person that is not a U.S. Person, and a “Non-U.S. Unitholder” is a Unitholder (other than a partnership) that is not a U.S. Person. The “Feeder” shall mean a Delaware limited partnership formed by the General Partner in order to mitigate the incurrence of ECI and UBTI for Non-U.S. Unitholders and certain tax-exempt Unitholders. Such Feeder will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and will invest all or substantially all of its assets in the Fund indirectly through one or more U.S. and non-U.S. Corporations. An investment in the Feeder by a Unitholder is not generally expected give rise to either ECI or UBTI, subject to the discussions below in “—Taxation of U.S. Unitholders—Tax-Exempt Investors and —Taxation of Non-U.S. Unitholders—General.

If a partnership (or an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Units, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner in the partnership and the activities of the partnership. Partners of a partnership holding Units in BXINFRA should consult their own tax advisors. This discussion does not constitute tax advice and is not intended to substitute for tax planning.

EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE AND OWNERSHIP OF INTERESTS IN BXINFRA.

Partnership Status. Subject to the discussion of “publicly traded partnerships” set forth below, a domestic business entity (such as the Fund and the Feeder) that has two or more members and that is not organized as a corporation under federal or state law will generally be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The classification of an entity as a partnership for such purposes may not be respected for state or local tax purposes.

An entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a “publicly traded partnership.” The General Partner intends to operate each of the Fund and the Feeder so that it will not be a publicly traded partnership, although no assurances can be given. Subject to the discussion of partnership audits below under “Other Matters,” an organization that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes is generally not subject to U.S. federal income tax itself, although it must file an annual information return.

However, in the absence of a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) (which BXINFRA does not intend to obtain), there can be no assurance that the IRS will not attempt to recharacterize either the Fund or the Feeder as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If either the Fund or the Feeder were determined to be taxable as a corporation, it would be taxable on its earnings at the corporate income tax rate and any distributions to the partners would be taxable as dividends to the Unitholders to the extent of the earnings and profits of the Fund or the Feeder, as applicable. In any event, significant amounts of the assets of the Fund and the Feeder are expected to be held through entities taxable as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are expected to be subject to U.S. corporate federal (and applicable state and local) income tax. The remainder of this discussion assumes that each of the Fund and the Feeder will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Taxation of U.S. Unitholders

Each U.S. Unitholder will be required to take into account, as described below, its distributive share of each item of the Fund’s income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit for each taxable year of the Fund ending with or within the U.S. Unitholder’s taxable year. See “—Allocations of Income, Gain, Loss, and Deduction” below. Generally, each item will have the same character and the same source (either U.S. or foreign), as though the U.S. Unitholder realized the item directly. U.S. Unitholders must report those items regardless of the extent to which, or whether, they receive cash distributions from the Fund for such taxable year. Moreover, the Fund may

 

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invest (directly or indirectly) in certain securities, such as original issue discount obligations or preferred stock with repurchase or repayment premiums, or in stock of certain types of foreign corporations, such as a “controlled foreign corporation” or “passive foreign investment company” (each as defined below), that could cause the Fund, and consequently, the U.S. Unitholders, to recognize taxable income without receiving any cash. Thus, taxable income allocated to a U.S. Unitholder may exceed cash distributions, if any, made to such Unitholder, and no assurance can be given that the Fund will be able to make cash distributions to cover such tax liabilities as they arise, in which case such Unitholder would have to satisfy tax liabilities arising from any investment in the Fund from a Unitholder’s own funds. Accordingly, the Unitholders should ensure that they have sufficient cash flow from other sources to pay all tax liabilities resulting from the Unitholder’s ownership of Units in the Fund. Investment in a “passive foreign investment company” could also, in the absence of a specific election, cause a U.S. Unitholder to pay an interest charge on taxable income that is treated as having been deferred. If the Fund’s preparation of its return is delayed, it may be advisable for Unitholders to request extensions for filing their own income tax returns.

With respect to non-corporate Unitholders, certain dividends paid by a corporation, including certain qualified foreign corporations, may be subject to reduced rates of taxation (subject to holding period and other requirements). A qualified foreign corporation includes a non-U.S. corporation that is eligible for the benefits of specified income tax treaties with the United States. In addition, a non-U.S. corporation is treated as a qualified foreign corporation with respect to dividends received from that corporation on shares that are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Non-corporate Unitholders will not be eligible for reduced rates of taxation on any dividends if the payor is a “passive foreign investment company” in the taxable year in which such dividends are paid or in the preceding taxable year. Prospective Unitholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of the foregoing rules to their particular circumstances.

Medicare Tax. U.S. Unitholders that are individuals, estates, or trusts are subject to a Medicare tax of 3.8% on “net investment income” (or undistributed “net investment income,” in the case of estates and trusts) for each taxable year, with such tax applying to the lesser of such income or the excess of such person’s adjusted gross income (with certain adjustments) over a specified amount. Net investment income includes net income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents, and net gain attributable to the disposition of investment property. It is anticipated that net income and gain attributable to an investment in the Fund will be included in a U.S. Unitholder’s “net investment income” subject to this Medicare tax.

Fund Distributions. Distributions of cash (including, in certain circumstances, distributions of certain “marketable securities” treated as cash distributions) from the Fund to a U.S. Unitholder in any year will reduce the adjusted basis of the U.S. Unitholder’s partnership interest by the amount of such cash distribution. To the extent such distributions exceed the adjusted basis of a U.S. Unitholder’s partnership interest, such U.S. Unitholder will be treated as having recognized gain from the sale or exchange of such interest. In general, distributions (other than liquidating distributions) of property other than cash will reduce the adjusted basis (but not below zero) of a U.S. Unitholder’s partnership interest by the amount of the partnership’s adjusted basis in such property immediately before its distribution but will not result in the realization of taxable income to the Unitholder. For these purposes, a reduction in a U.S. Unitholder’s share of the Fund’s debt, including when a new Unitholder is admitted to the Fund, will result in a deemed cash distribution to the Unitholder in an amount equal to the reduction.

Basis. A U.S. Unitholder’s adjusted basis in its partnership interest is, in general, equal to the amount of cash the U.S. Unitholder has contributed to the Fund, increased by the U.S. Unitholder’s share of income and liabilities of the Fund and decreased by the U.S. Unitholder’s proportionate share of cash distributions, losses, and reductions in such liabilities. Each U.S. Unitholder will (subject to certain limits discussed below) be entitled to deduct its allocable share of the Fund losses to the extent of its tax basis in its Interest at the end of the tax year of the Fund in which such losses are recognized.

Allocations of Income, Gain, Loss, and Deduction. Pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, items of the Fund’s income, gain, loss, and deduction are allocated so as to take into account the varying interests of the

 

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Unitholders in the Fund. Treasury Regulations provide that allocations of items of partnership income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit will be respected for tax purposes if such allocations have “substantial economic effect” or are determined to be in accordance with the partners’ interests in a partnership. The Fund believes that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, allocations pursuant to the Partnership Agreement should be given effect, and the General Partner intends to prepare tax information returns based on such allocations. If the IRS were to re-determine the allocations to a particular U.S. Unitholder, such redetermination could be less favorable than the allocations set forth in the Partnership Agreement.

Deduction for Certain Qualified Business Income and Certain REIT Dividends. Non-corporate taxpayers may be allowed a deduction of 20% of certain domestic business income (excluding capital gains, dividend income, and certain types of compensation) received from partnerships engaged in business other than specified service businesses (i.e., businesses in the fields of law, health, accounting, financial services, brokerage services, or businesses where the principal asset of the business is the reputation or skill of its employees or owners or businesses which involve the performance of services consisting of investing and investment management). A high income taxpayer’s deduction is limited to the greater of (a) 50% of its pro-rata share of W-2 wages paid by such partnership, or (b) the sum of 25% of such W-2 wages plus 2.5% of the tax basis of certain depreciable property used in the trade or business. Ordinary dividends from REITs and certain allocations from publicly traded partnerships may also benefit from the 20% deduction, without the foregoing limitations. A substantial amount of income of BXINFRA may not be eligible for the deduction. This deduction will sunset after December 31, 2025.

Limitations on Deductions. While the Fund is not intended as a “tax shelter,” it is possible that losses and expenses could exceed the Fund’s income and gain in a given year. The ability of a Unitholder to deduct such a net loss from its taxable income from other sources may be subject to a number of limitations under the Code. For example, each U.S. Unitholder will not be entitled to deduct its share of the Fund’s losses in excess of its tax basis at the end of the tax year of the Fund in which such losses are recognized. Other limitations include the limitation on “tax-exempt use loss” under Section 470 of the Code, and for certain investors, such as individuals, the “at risk” rules of Section 465 of the Code and the limitations on, or for tax years beginning before January 1, 2026, disallowance of, miscellaneous itemized deductions under Section 67 of the Code, limitations on interest deductions under Section 163 of the Code, and the limitations on passive activity losses of Section 469 of the Code. Because of some of those limitations, it is possible that, if the Fund has losses and income from different types of activities, certain investors may not be able to use losses from the Fund to reduce income therefrom.

Organization, Management and Syndication Expenses. In general, neither the Fund nor any Unitholder may deduct organization or syndication expenses. An election may be made by a partnership to amortize organizational expenses over a 180-month period, although the Fund does not intend to make such election. Syndication fees (which would include any sales or placement fees or commissions), however, must be capitalized and cannot be amortized or otherwise deducted. The Management Fees paid to the Investment Manager (and similar fees paid to the investment advisers of the underlying investment funds in which the Fund holds interests) may not be deductible (or if deductible, may be subject to limitations on deductibility).

Limitations on Deduction of Business Interest. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2026, deductions for business interest expense (even if paid to third parties) in excess of the sum of a taxpayer’s business interest income and 30% of the adjusted taxable income of the business, which is its taxable income computed without regard to business interest income or expense, net operating losses, or the pass-through income deduction described above, are disallowed. Business interest includes any interest on indebtedness related to a trade or business, but excludes investment interest, to which separate limitations apply.

Sale or Disposition of BXINFRA Units. A U.S. Unitholder that sells or otherwise disposes of an interest in the Fund in a taxable transaction generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the adjusted basis of the interest and the amount realized from the sale or disposition. The amount realized will include the Unitholder’s share of the Fund’s liabilities outstanding at the time of the sale or disposition. If the

 

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Unitholder holds the interest as a capital asset, such gain or loss will generally be treated as capital gain or loss to the extent a sale of assets by the Fund would qualify for such treatment and will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the Unitholder had held the interest for more than one year on the date of such sale or disposition, provided, that a capital contribution by the Unitholder within the one-year period ending on such date will cause part of such gain or loss to be short-term. In addition, if the capital contribution of a new Unitholder is distributed to the Unitholders (other than such new Unitholder), for U.S. federal income tax purposes such distributions may be treated as a taxable sale of a portion of their interests by Unitholders receiving such distributions. In the event of a sale or other transfer of an interest at any time other than the end of the Fund’s taxable year, the share of income and losses of the Fund for the year of transfer attributable to the interest transferred will be allocated for U.S. federal income tax purposes between the transferor and the transferee on an interim closing-of-the-books basis, pro rata basis, or other reasonable method determined by the General Partner reflecting the respective periods during such year that each of the transferor and the transferee owned the interest. The Code provides for an election whereby the Fund could adjust the basis of its property upon distributions of partnership property to a Limited Partner and upon transfers of the Interests (including by reason of death). The General Partner has the discretion to determine whether or not to implement such election.

Foreign Tax Credit Limitations. U.S. Unitholders may be entitled to a foreign tax credit with respect to creditable foreign taxes paid on the income and gains of the Fund (or from such Unitholder’s share of income and gains of an investment fund in which the Fund holds interests). Complex rules may, however, depending on each U.S. Unitholder’s circumstances, limit the availability or use of foreign tax credits. In particular, gain recognized on the sale of a non-U.S. investment will generally be treated as U.S. source gain with respect to a U.S. Unitholder for foreign tax credit purposes and therefore a U.S. Unitholder may not be able to claim a credit for any foreign taxes imposed upon such sale unless such credit can be applied against tax due on other income treated as derived from foreign sources. Further, U.S. Unitholders will generally not be entitled to an indirect foreign tax credit with respect to foreign taxes paid by an entity in which the Fund invests that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Capital gains realized by the Fund may be considered to be from sources within the U.S., which may effectively limit the amount of foreign tax credit allowed to the U.S. Unitholder. Certain losses arising from the Fund may be treated as foreign source losses, which could reduce the amount of foreign tax credits otherwise available.

Non-U.S. Currency Gain or Loss. The Fund may engage in transactions involving non-U.S. currencies, including non-U.S. currency hedging transactions, and the Fund and the U.S. Unitholders may experience foreign currency gain or loss with respect to the Fund’s investments. In general, subject to certain exceptions, non-U.S. currency gain or loss is treated as ordinary income or loss. U.S. Unitholders should consult with their individual tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of non-U.S. currency gain or loss.

Issues Relating to Foreign Corporations. U.S. Unitholders may be subject to special rules applicable to indirect investments in foreign corporations, including those discussed below.

Controlled Foreign Corporations. If a United States Person, including any U.S. Unitholder, owns actually or constructively at least 10% of the voting stock or value of a foreign corporation, such United States Person is considered a “United States Shareholder” with respect to the foreign corporation. If United States Shareholders in the aggregate own more than 50% of the voting power or value of the stock of such corporation, the foreign corporation will be classified as a “controlled foreign corporation” (a “CFC”). For this purpose, each non-U.S. investment fund in which the Fund invests generally will be regarded as transparent, and the Fund will be deemed to own its proportionate share of any stock of a non-U.S. corporation that is owned directly or indirectly by such non-U.S. investment fund. If the Fund or a U.S. investment fund in which the Fund invests, as the case may be, owns an interest in a non-U.S. corporation, the Fund or such U.S. investment fund, as the case may be, will be treated as a United States Shareholder of any non-U.S. corporation in which its share ownership reaches this 10% threshold. If the corporation qualifies as a CFC at any time during the taxable year, the United States Shareholders of the CFC may be subject to current U.S. tax on certain types of income of the foreign corporation (e.g., dividends, interest, certain rents and royalties, gain from the sale of property producing such income,

 

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certain income from sales and services and certain low-taxed foreign income), regardless of cash distributions from the CFC. In addition, gain on the sale of the CFC’s stock by a United States Shareholder (during the period that the corporation is a CFC and thereafter for a five-year period) would be classified in whole or in part as a dividend. It is possible that one or more of the foreign corporations in which the Fund invests (directly or indirectly) may be classified as CFCs and that the Fund or an investment fund in which the Fund invests may be treated as a United States Shareholder. Proposed regulations would allow United States Persons to look through the Fund for purposes of determining any current inclusions under the CFC rules, but would still require a portion of gain on sale to be classified in whole or in part as dividend income.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies. U.S. tax law contains special provisions dealing with “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”). A PFIC is defined as any foreign corporation in which either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for the taxable year is “passive income” or (ii) 50% or more of its assets (by value) produce “passive income.” There are no minimum stock ownership requirements for PFICs. Once a corporation qualifies as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. shareholder, it is, subject to certain exceptions, always treated as a PFIC with respect to such shareholder, regardless of whether it satisfies either of the qualification tests in subsequent years. If the Fund were to invest in a PFIC, any gain on disposition of stock of the PFIC as well as income realized on certain “excess distributions” by the PFIC, would be treated as though realized ratably over the shorter of a U.S. Unitholder’s holding period of its Units or the Fund’s holding period for the PFIC. Such gain or income would be taxed as ordinary income. In addition, an interest charge would be imposed on the U.S. Unitholder based on the tax treated as deferred from prior years. If the Fund were to invest in a PFIC and the Fund elected to treat its interest in the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” (a “QEF”) under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing treatment, such U.S. Unitholder would be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified fund, even if not distributed to the Fund or the Unitholders. In order to make such election, the PFIC must, among other things, supply the IRS with an information statement. If a non-U.S. portfolio company is indirectly held by the Fund through its ownership in a U.S. investment fund in which the Fund holds interests, that U.S. investment fund (and not the Fund) must make a QEF election in order for the Fund’s U.S. Unitholders to be subject to the tax treatment described immediately above. Recently proposed U.S. Treasury Regulations would require that a U.S. Unitholder, rather than the Fund, make the QEF election. These proposed regulations would generally apply prospectively to taxable years beginning on or after the date the proposed regulations are finalized, and any pre-existing QEF election made by the Fund (or any U.S. alternative investment vehicle treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) prior to that date would continue for any U.S. Unitholder that owns an interest in a PFIC through the Fund on the date the proposed regulations are finalized. Alternatively, an election may be made in the case of certain “marketable stock” to “mark to market” the stock of a PFIC on an annual basis. Pursuant to such an election, a U.S. Unitholder would include in income each year as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the stock at the end of the taxable year over the Fund’s adjusted basis and will be permitted an ordinary loss deduction in respect of the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of the stock over its fair market value at the end of the taxable year (but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the election). There can be no assurance that a company in which the Fund or an investment fund in which the Fund holds interests invests will not qualify as a PFIC, that a PFIC in which the Fund or an investment fund in which the Fund holds interests does invest will provide the information necessary for a QEF election to be made or that stock of a PFIC will qualify as “marketable stock.”

Certain Reporting Requirements. U.S. Unitholders may be subject to substantial penalties if they fail to comply with special information reporting requirements with respect to their investments in the Fund or the Feeder. In addition, United States Persons that own stock in foreign corporations, including CFCs and PFICs, are subject to special reporting requirements under the Code.

Taxpayers engaging in certain transactions, including certain loss transactions above a threshold, may be required to include tax shelter disclosure information with their annual U.S. federal income tax return. It is possible that the Fund or the Feeder may engage in transactions that subject the Fund or the Feeder and

 

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potentially its Unitholders to such disclosure. A Unitholder disposing of an interest in the Fund or the Feeder at a taxable loss may also be subject to such disclosure.

U.S. individuals (and possibly certain entities) must file certain information with their annual U.S. federal income tax return regarding interests they hold in foreign entities or accounts worth more than $50,000 at any time during the year. If the General Partner were to offer a structure where U.S. Unitholders own their investment in BXINFRA through a non-U.S. entity, it is possible any such U.S. Unitholders would be subject to such information reporting. In addition, a separate obligation to file an annual Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (an “FBAR”) applies to any United States person who has a financial interest in, or signature or other authority over, non-U.S. financial accounts worth more than $10,000 at any time during the year. The FBAR regulations continue to reserve on the application of the FBAR rules to ownership by a United States Person of an interest in a foreign private fund entity. Depending on the nature of future guidance, if the General Partner were to offer a structure where U.S. Unitholders own their investment in BXINFRA through a non-U.S. entity, it is possible any such U.S. Unitholders would also be subject to the FBAR filing requirements. Potential investors should discuss the application of the above rules with their own advisers in light of their individual circumstances.

Prospective U.S. Unitholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the above reporting requirements.

Tax-Exempt Investors. Qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, educational institutions, and other tax-exempt entities (including private foundations as discussed below) are generally subject to U.S. federal income taxation on their “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”). Subject to certain exceptions described below, UBTI is defined as the gross income derived by such a tax-exempt entity from an unrelated trade or business (including a trade or business conducted by a partnership of which the tax-exempt entity is a partner), less the deductions directly connected with that trade or business. UBTI generally does not include dividends, interest, certain types of rents from real property, and gain or loss derived from the sale of property (other than gain or loss derived from the sale of inventory and property sold to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business). UBTI does include operating income from certain asset categories owned directly or through entities treated as transparent for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, fee income actually received or deemed to be received by the Fund or the Unitholders (including any fee income that might be deemed to be received because, although paid to the Investment Manager, or its affiliates, such income results in a reduction in the Management Fee) may be treated as UBTI in certain circumstances. The Fund intends to take the position that Unitholders do not share in fee income by virtue of such a reduction in Management Fee. The IRS may take a contrary view, however. If that view were ultimately sustained, tax-exempt U.S. Unitholders could be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on that income as UBTI.

If a tax-exempt entity’s acquisition of an interest in a partnership is debt-financed, or a partnership incurs “acquisition indebtedness” that is allocated to the acquisition of a partnership investment, then UBTI may include a percentage of gross income (less the same percentage of deductions) derived from such investment regardless of whether such income would otherwise be excluded as dividends, interest, rents, gain or loss from sale of eligible property, or similar income. The Fund expects to incur debt either directly or through the investment funds in which the Fund invests, which could generate UBTI for U.S. tax-exempt Unitholders (given that generally debt incurred by a partnership is attributed to its partners). In addition, the Fund or the entities through which it invests may earn operating income that would be UBTI if earned by a U.S. tax-exempt Unitholder directly. Due to the anticipated operations of the Fund, it is possible that the Fund will incur income treated as UBTI. In addition, U.S. tax-exempt Unitholders are not permitted to offset losses from one trade or business against the income or gain from another trade or business (even if those trades or businesses are both conducted by the Fund). Each tax-exempt investor is urged to consult with its own tax counsel as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences as a result of incurring UBTI.

In order to mitigate the incurrence of UBTI for U.S. tax-exempt investors (and ECI for Non-U.S. Unitholders), the General Partner has formed the Feeder, which will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal

 

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income tax purposes and will invest in the Fund indirectly through one or more U.S. and non-U.S. Corporations. As a result, investors that invest through the Feeder will generally derive returns from such investments in the form of dividends or capital gain, which are generally excluded from UBTI so long as such investors’ acquisition of interests in a Feeder is not debt-financed. Moreover, debt incurred by the Fund would generally be allocated to the Feeder and not to its owners. Although it is possible that the IRS could seek to disregard the Feeder and apply the debt-financed property or other UBTI rules to tax-exempt investors, the Fund believes such treatment should not apply. A tax-exempt investor is not expected to incur UBTI solely by reason of an investment in the Feeder.

A non-U.S. Corporation through which the Feeder invests will generally be subject to the U.S. federal income tax treatment described below under “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Unitholders.” Thus, gains from the sale of stock or securities generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax and the exemption of interest income under the portfolio interest rules would apply to a non-U.S. Corporation to the extent so described below. However, dividends and effectively connected income (including gains from the sale of United States real property interest) are subject to U.S. federal income tax. Significant amounts of the assets of the Feeder are expected to be held through one or more Corporations and significant incremental tax may be incurred from the use of such Corporations. When determining whether to invest in Fund through the Feeder, U.S. tax-exempt Unitholders (and Non-U.S. Unitholders) should consider the taxes imposed on the Feeder as compared to any tax on UBTI (or ECI) that may arise from the Investments.

If a U.S. tax-exempt Unitholder is not otherwise taxable under the UBTI provisions with respect to its Units in the Feeder (for example, as debt-financed income), it would not generally be subject to tax under the PFIC rules or the CFC rules. U.S. tax-exempt Unitholders should consult their own tax advisors as to the application of the above rules to their particular situations.

Certain Issues Pertaining to Private Foundations. In some instances, an investment in the Fund by a private foundation could be subject to an excise tax to the extent that it constitutes an “excess business holding” within the meaning of the Code. For example, if a private foundation (either directly or after taking into account the holdings of its disqualified persons) acquires more than 20% of the profits interest of the Fund (or 35%, if the private foundation does not directly or indirectly “control” the Fund), the private foundation may be considered to have an excess business holding unless at least 95% of the Fund’s gross income is from passive sources within the meaning of Section 4943(d)(3)(B) of the Code and the private foundation does not own, through the Fund, an excess amount of the voting stock or equivalent in any business enterprise owned by the Fund.

Additionally, if a private foundation generates a substantial amount of UBTI, it may risk losing its tax-exempt status. Private foundations should consult their own tax advisors regarding the excess business holdings provisions and all other aspects of Chapter 42 of the Code as they relate to an investment in the Fund, including the level of UBTI that a private foundation may generate as a result of an investment in the Fund. Private foundations should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.

Certain tax-exempt investors may be subject to an excise tax if the Fund engages in a “prohibited tax shelter transaction” or a “subsequently listed transaction” within the meaning of Section 4965 of the Code. In addition, if the Fund engages in a “prohibited tax shelter transaction,” tax-exempt investors may be subject to substantial penalties if they fail to comply with special disclosure requirements and managers of such tax-exempt investors may also be subject to substantial penalties. Although the Fund does not expect to engage in any such transaction, the rules are subject to interpretation and therefore there can be no assurance that the rules of Section 4965 of the Code will not apply to a tax-exempt Unitholder. Tax-exempt Unitholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding these rules.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Unitholders

General. Investments made by the Fund in the United States may constitute a U.S. trade or business. In general, in that event, Non-U.S. Unitholders would themselves be considered engaged in a trade or business in

 

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the United States through a permanent establishment. Thus, Non-U.S. Unitholders that invest in the Fund directly or through an entity that is transparent for U.S. federal income tax purposes should be aware that the Fund’s income and gain from (as well as gain on the sale of Units in the Fund that is attributable to) U.S. Investments may be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business through a permanent establishment and thus be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and possibly state and local income tax), even though such investor has no other contact with the United States. In addition, it is likely that one or more investment funds that the Fund holds interests in are engaged in a U.S. trade or business. Any U.S. trade or business income allocated to the Fund by such investment funds will be allocated to the Unitholders.

To the extent the Fund or an investment fund the Fund holds interests in is engaged in a U.S. trade or business for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund would be required to withhold and pay over to the U.S. tax authorities a percentage equal to the highest applicable U.S. tax rate of each Non-U.S. Unitholder’s distributive share of Fund’s income that is effectively connected with such trade or business, and each Non-U.S. Unitholder would be required to file U.S. tax returns and pay U.S. tax on its share of the Fund’s net effectively connected income. In such a case, all or a portion of the gain on the disposition (including by repurchase) by a Non-U.S. Unitholder of its interests may be taxed as effectively connected income to the extent such gain is attributable to assets of the Fund that generate effectively connected income. Furthermore, the transferee of an interest in a partnership engaged in a U.S. trade or business may also be required to withhold up to 10% of the amount realized (and such partnership would be required to withhold from future distributions to the transferee if the transferee fails to properly withhold). In addition, a Unitholder which is a non-U.S. corporation may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax of 30% on its share of the Fund’s effectively connected earnings and profits, adjusted as provided by law (subject to reduction by any applicable tax treaty).

Further, it is likely that the Fund will recognize gain from the sale of assets that are United States real property interests. Regardless of whether the Fund’s activities constitute a trade or business giving rise to U.S. “effectively connected” income, under provisions added to the Code by the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (“FIRPTA”), Non-U.S. Unitholders (other than certain qualified foreign pension funds and entities wholly owned by qualified foreign pension funds) are taxed on the gain derived from the dispositions of U.S. real property interests (including gain allocated to a Non-U.S. Unitholder upon a sale of such property interests by the Fund). A U.S. real property interest includes an interest in a U.S. real property holding corporation. Under FIRPTA, Non-U.S. Unitholders treat gain or loss from dispositions of U.S. real property interests as if the gain or loss were “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business and, therefore, are required to pay U.S. taxes at regular U.S. rates on such gain or loss. As a result, Non-U.S. Unitholders that receive income allocations from the sale of a U.S. real property interest may be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and may be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular U.S. rates on a sale, exchange, or other disposition of such U.S. real property interest. Generally with respect to gain attributable to the Fund’s sale of a U.S. real property interest that is allocated to a Non-U.S. Unitholder, the Fund will be required to withhold at the highest rate of income tax applicable to each Non-U.S. Unitholder based on the status of such Non-U.S. Unitholder. As a result, a Unitholder which is a non-U.S. corporation may bear significant U.S. tax. Also, gain attributable to the Fund’s sale of a U.S. real property interest may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax (as discussed above).

Each non-U.S. Unitholder is expected to participate in the Fund through the Feeder, as defined above. Such Feeder will invest in the Fund through one or more Corporations, which will be subject to corporate income tax and branch profits tax on ECI, and dividend withholding on non-ECI, as applicable. Significant amounts of the assets of the Feeder are expected to be held through one or more Corporations and significant incremental tax may be incurred from the use of such Corporations including any income that is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (including the sale of a U.S. real property interest) that is allocated to a non-U.S. Corporation through which the Feeder invests. Consequently, an investment through a Feeder will not reduce the U.S. federal income tax liability associated with an investment in the Fund but it is expected to reduce the administrative burdens associated with filing U.S. tax returns with respect to such an investment.

 

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In general, neither the Fund nor the Non-U.S. Unitholders who are not themselves engaged in a U.S. trade or business (or deemed to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business through an investment fund in which the Fund holds interests) will be subject to any U.S. tax with respect to gains from the sale of stock or debt securities held for investment, provided that such gains are not effectively connected to the conduct of a U.S. trade or business by the Fund. However, a non-resident individual present in the U.S. for 183 or more days in the taxable year of the sale, calculated by taking account a portion of the days such individual was present in the United States in the preceding two years, would be taxed by the U.S. on any such gain if either (a) such individual’s tax home for U.S. federal income tax purposes is in the U.S., or (b) the gain is attributable to an office or other fixed place of business maintained in the U.S. by such individual. In addition, special rules would apply to dispositions of “United States real property interests” which include stock in a U.S. corporation 50% or more of the assets of which consist of U.S. real property. Special rules may also apply in the case of non-U.S. investors: (i) that have an office or fixed place of business in the U.S.; or (ii) that are former citizens of the U.S., CFCs, PFICs, and corporations which accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax. Such persons are urged to consult their U.S. tax advisors before investing in the Fund.

The Fund will make investments that generate U.S. source interest or dividends. The Fund would not generally be required to withhold tax on portfolio interest income. Portfolio interest generally includes (with certain exceptions) interest paid on registered obligations with respect to which the beneficial owner provides a statement that it is not a United States Person. The portfolio interest exemption is not available with respect to interest paid to a 10% shareholder of the issuer of the indebtedness and is subject to certain other limitations. In addition, certain types of “contingent interest” (generally, interest the amount of which is determined by the receipts, sales, cash flow, income or profits of the debtor or a related person, or by dividends or partnership distributions made by the debtor or related person) are excluded from portfolio interest income. The Fund would be required to withhold at the rate of 30% on U.S. source interest (other than portfolio interest), dividends, and certain other U.S. source income, including certain dividend equivalent amounts governed by Section 871(m) of the Code. A Non-U.S. Unitholder who is resident for tax purposes in a country with respect to which the U.S. has an income tax treaty may be eligible for a reduced rate of withholding in respect of U.S. source dividend and interest income pursuant to such treaty.

Other Matters

Indemnity; Reserves. Each Unitholder will be required to indemnify BXINFRA for any withholding or other tax obligations imposed on BXINFRA with respect to such Unitholder. BXINFRA may reserve certain amounts otherwise distributable to Unitholders in light of such potential obligations. The amount of any taxes paid by BXINFRA or entities in which BXINFRA holds a direct or indirect interest and amounts withheld for taxes will be treated as distributions to such Unitholder to the extent determined by the General Partner to be appropriate.

Partnership Representative. The General Partner will act as or appoint the “partnership representative” of the Fund and the Feeder, with the authority, subject to certain restrictions, to act on behalf of the Fund and the Feeder in connection with any administrative or judicial review of items of BXINFRA’s income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit of the Fund and the Feeder, as applicable.

U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships are conducted at the partnership level, and, unless a partnership qualifies for and affirmatively elects an alternative procedure, any adjustments to the amount of tax due (including interest and penalties) will be payable by the partnership. Under such alternative procedure, if elected, a partnership would issue information returns to persons who were partners in the audited year, who would then be required to take the adjustments into account in calculating their own tax liability, and the partnership would not be liable for the adjustments. If the Fund or the Feeder is able to and in fact elects this alternative procedure for a given adjustment, the amount of taxes for which such persons will be liable will be increased by any applicable penalties and a special interest charge.

 

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There can be no assurance that the Fund or the Feeder will be eligible to make such an election or that it will, in fact, make such an election for any given adjustment. If the Fund or the Feeder does not or is not able to make such an election, then (1) the then-current Unitholders, in the aggregate, could indirectly bear income tax liabilities in excess of the aggregate amount of taxes that would have been due had the Fund or the Feeder elected the alternative procedure, and (2) a given Unitholder may indirectly bear taxes attributable to income allocable to other Unitholders or former Unitholders, including taxes (as well as interest and penalties) with respect to periods prior to such Unitholder’s ownership of interests in the Fund or the Feeder. Accordingly, it is possible that a Unitholder will bear tax liabilities unrelated to its ownership of interests in the Fund or the Feeder. Amounts available for distribution to the Unitholders may be reduced as a result of BXINFRA’s obligations to pay any taxes associated with an adjustment.

The partnership representative of the Fund or the Feeder will be the only person with the authority to act on behalf BXINFRA with respect to audits and certain other tax matters and may decide not to elect (or may be unable to elect) the alternative procedure for any particular adjustment. In addition, the Fund, the Feeder and each Unitholder will be bound by the actions taken by the partnership representative on behalf of the Fund or the Feeder, as applicable, during any audit or litigation proceeding concerning U.S. federal income taxes.

Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding all aspects of these rules as they affect their particular circumstances.

A tax return preparer may not sign a return without itself incurring a penalty unless either in its view each position taken on such return is more likely than not to be sustained if challenged by the IRS or such position is separately disclosed on the return. The Fund may adopt positions that require such disclosure, which may increase the likelihood the IRS will examine BXINFRA’s tax returns, or may forego otherwise valid reporting positions to avoid such disclosure, which may increase the tax payable by a Unitholder.

Taxes in Other Jurisdictions. In addition to U.S. federal income tax consequences, prospective investors should consider potential U.S. state and local and non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in BXINFRA in the state or locality in which they are a resident for tax purposes. A Unitholder may be subject to tax return filing obligations and income, franchise, or other taxes, including withholding taxes, in jurisdictions in which BXINFRA or the investment funds in which BXINFRA holds interests operate. Income or gains from investments held by BXINFRA or investment funds in which BXINFRA holds interests may be subject to withholding or other taxes in jurisdictions outside the United States, subject to the possibility of reduction under applicable treaties. Unitholders that wish to claim the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty may be required to submit information to tax authorities in such jurisdictions. Potential investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. state and local and non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in BXINFRA.

FATCA. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) requires all entities in a broadly defined class of Foreign Financial Institutions (“FFIs”) to comply with a complicated and expansive reporting regime or be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax on certain U.S. payments, and require non-U.S. entities which are not FFIs to either certify they have no substantial U.S. beneficial ownership or to report certain information with respect to certain U.S. beneficial ownership or be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax on certain U.S. payments. FATCA also contains complex provisions requiring participating FFIs to withhold on certain “foreign passthru payments” made to nonparticipating FFIs and to holders that fail to provide the required information. The definition of a “foreign passthru payment” is still reserved under current regulations; however, the term generally refers to payments that are from non-U.S. sources but that are “attributable to” certain U.S. payments. Withholding on these payments is not set to apply until two years after the publication of final regulations defining “foreign passthru payment” in the Federal Register. In general, non-U.S. investment funds, such as underlying entities in which BXINFRA may invest, are expected to be considered FFIs. The reporting obligations imposed under FATCA require FFIs to enter into agreements with the IRS to obtain and disclose information about certain investors to the IRS, or, if subject to an IGA (as defined below), register with the IRS and comply with the reporting regime of the FATCA Intergovernmental Agreement (“IGA”) and any implementing

 

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legislation enacted hereunder. IGAs are generally intended to result in the automatic exchange of tax information through reporting by an FFI to the government or tax authorities of the country in which such FFI is domiciled, followed by the automatic exchange of the reported information with the IRS. In the event FFIs are unable to do comply with the preceding reporting requirements, certain payments made to FFIs may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax, which would reduce the cash available to investors in BXINFRA. These reporting requirements may apply to investors who are FFIs, or to underlying funds in which BXINFRA invests, and Blackstone will have no control over whether any underlying fund complies with the reporting regime. Such withheld amounts that are allocable to a Unitholder may, in accordance with the Partnership Agreement, be deemed to have been distributed to such Unitholder to the extent the taxes reduce the amount otherwise distributable to such Unitholder. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding all aspects of FATCA as it affects their particular circumstances.

Certain Proposed United States Federal Income Tax Legislation. A number of items of legislation are currently proposed, or have been proposed in the past, that could significantly alter certain of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Fund or the Feeder. It currently is uncertain whether any such proposed legislation (or similar legislation) will be enacted into law. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding proposed legislation.

Certain ERISA Considerations

The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with an investment in BXINFRA by (i) “employee benefit plans” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that are subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) “plans” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (including, without limitation, individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and “Keogh” plans), (iii) plans, accounts and other arrangements that are subject to the provisions of any other U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state, local or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code (collectively, “Other Plan Laws”), and (iv) entities whose underlying assets are considered to include the assets of any of the foregoing described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) (each of the foregoing described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) referred to herein as a “Plan”).

General Fiduciary Matters

ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Benefit Plan Investor (defined below) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of a Benefit Plan Investor and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of a Benefit Plan Investor or the management or disposition of the assets of a Benefit Plan Investor, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to a Benefit Plan Investor, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the Benefit Plan Investor. The term “benefit plan investor” (“Benefit Plan Investor”) is generally defined to include (a) “include employee benefit plans” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA which are subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) “plans” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code (including “Keogh” plans and IRAs), to which Section 4975 of the Code applies and (c) entities whose underlying assets include the assets of any of the foregoing described in clauses (a) and (b) by reason of an employee benefit plan or plan’s investment in such entity (e.g., an entity of which 25% or more of the total value of any class of equity interests is held by Benefit Plan Investors and which does not satisfy another exception under ERISA).

In considering an investment in BXINFRA of a portion of the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should determine, particularly in light of the risks and lack of liquidity inherent in an investment in BXINFRA, whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Other Plan Law relating to a fiduciary’s duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable Other Plan Laws. Furthermore, absent an exemption, the fiduciaries of

 

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a Plan should not invest in BXINFRA with the assets of any Plan if the General Partner, the BX Managers, or any of their respective affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to such assets of the Plan. Each prospective investor that is or is acting on behalf of any Plan must independently determine that our Units are an appropriate investment for the Plan, taking into account its obligations under ERISA, the Code and applicable Other Plan Laws, and the facts and circumstances of each investing Plan.

Prohibited Transaction Issues

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Benefit Plan Investors from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code. The acquisition and/or ownership of Units by a Benefit Plan Investor with respect to which BXINFRA is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor (the “DOL”) has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions (“PTCEs”) that may apply to the acquisition and holding of investments in BXINFRA. These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 84-14 respecting transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1 respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38 respecting bank collective investment funds, PTCE 95-60 respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23 respecting transactions determined by in-house asset managers. Each of the above-noted exemptions contains conditions and limitations on its application. Fiduciaries of Benefit Plan Investors considering acquiring Units in reliance on these or any other exemption should carefully review the exemption in consultation with its legal advisors to assure it is applicable. There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.

Plan Assets

Under ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the DOL, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA (the “Plan Asset Regulations”), when a Benefit Plan Investor acquires an equity interest in an entity that is neither a “publicly-offered security” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) nor a security issued by an investment company registered under the 1940 Act, the Benefit Plan Investor’s assets include both the equity interest in such entity and an undivided interest in each of the underlying assets of the entity unless it is established either that (i) less than 25% of the total value of each class of equity interests in the entity is held by Benefit Plan Investors (the “25% Test”) or (ii) the entity is an “operating company,” (each within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations). For purposes of the 25% Test, the assets of an entity will not be treated as “plan assets” if, immediately after the most recent acquisition of any equity interest in the entity, less than 25% of the total value of each class of equity interest in the entity is held by Benefit Plan Investors, excluding equity interests held by persons (other than Benefit Plan Investors) with discretionary authority or control over the assets of the entity or who provide investment advice for a fee (direct or indirect) with respect to such assets, and any affiliates thereof. Thus, absent satisfaction of another exception under ERISA, if 25% or more of the total value of any class of equity interests of BXINFRA were held by Benefit Plan Investors, an undivided interest in each of the underlying assets of BXINFRA would be deemed to be “plan assets” of any Benefit Plan Investor that invested in BXINFRA.

Under the Plan Asset Regulations, a “publicly-offered security” is a security that is (a) “freely transferable,” (b) part of a class of securities that is “widely held,” and (c) (i) sold to the plan as part of an offering of securities to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, and the class of securities to which such security is a part is registered under the Exchange Act within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year of the issuer during which the offering of such securities to the public has occurred, or (ii) is part of a class of securities that is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The definition of an “operating company” in the Plan Asset Regulations includes, among other things, a venture capital operating company (“VCOC”).

 

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Generally, in order to qualify as a VCOC, an entity must demonstrate on its “initial valuation date” (as defined in the Plan Asset Regulations) and annually thereafter that at least 50% of its assets, valued at cost (other than short-term investments pending long-term commitment or distribution to investors) are invested in operating companies (other than VCOCs) (i.e., operating entities that (i) are primarily engaged directly, or through a majority owned subsidiary or subsidiaries, in the production or sale of a product or service other than the investment of capital or (ii) qualify as “real estate operating companies” as defined in the Plan Asset Regulations) in which such entity has direct contractual management rights. In addition, to qualify as a VCOC an entity must, in the ordinary course of its business, actually exercise such management rights with respect to at least one of the operating companies in which it invests. The Plan Asset Regulations do not provide specific guidance regarding what rights will qualify as management rights, and the DOL has consistently taken the position that such determination can only be made in light of the surrounding facts and circumstances of each particular case, substantially limiting the degree to which it can be determined with certainty whether particular rights will satisfy this requirement.

We will not be an investment company under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, to the extent BXINFRA does not qualify as a VCOC, the Sponsor intends to rely on the “publicly offered security” exception or another exception under ERISA, such as the 25% Test, however no assurance can be given in this regard.

Plan Asset Consequences

If the assets of BXINFRA were deemed to be “plan assets” of one or more Benefit Plan Investors within the meaning of ERISA and the Plan Asset Regulations, this would result, among other things, in (i) the application of the prudence and other fiduciary responsibility standards of ERISA to investments made by BXINFRA, and (ii) the possibility that certain transactions in which BXINFRA might seek to engage could constitute “prohibited transactions” under ERISA and the Code. If a prohibited transaction occurs for which no exemption is available, the General Partner, the Investment Manager and/or any other fiduciary that has engaged in the prohibited transaction could be required to (i) restore to the Benefit Plan Investor any profit realized on the transaction and (ii) reimburse the Benefit Plan Investor for any losses suffered by the Benefit Plan Investor as a result of the investment. In addition, each disqualified person (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code) involved could be subject to an excise tax equal to 15% of the amount involved in the prohibited transaction for each year the transaction continues and, unless the transaction is corrected within statutorily required periods, to an additional tax of 100%. Fiduciaries of Benefit Plan Investors who decide to invest in BXINFRA could, under certain circumstances, be liable for prohibited transactions or other violations as a result of their investment in BXINFRA or as co-fiduciaries for actions taken by or on behalf of BXINFRA or the General Partner. With respect to an IRA that invests in BXINFRA, the occurrence of a prohibited transaction involving the individual who established the IRA, or his or her beneficiaries, would cause the IRA to lose its tax-exempt status. Under the Partnership Agreement, the General Partner will have the power to take certain actions to avoid having the assets of BXINFRA characterized as “plan assets,” including, without limitation, the right to cause a Unitholder that is a Plan to withdraw from BXINFRA. While the General Partner and BXINFRA do not expect that the General Partner will need to exercise such power, neither the General Partner nor BXINFRA can give any assurance that such power will not be exercised.

The Units issued by the Feeder are not expected to qualify as “publicly-offered securities” and it is possible that the Feeder may not satisfy the 25% Test, in which case the assets of the Feeder will constitute “plan assets” for purposes of the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code or applicable Other Plan Laws. However, the Feeder is intended to be structured as an intermediate vehicle for purposes of an investment in BXINFRA with limited discretion with respect to the investment, management and disposition of assets of Feeder. In this regard, when investing in BXINFRA through the Feeder, each unitholder will, by making a capital contribution to the Feeder, be deemed to (i) direct the general partner (or similar managing entity) of the Feeder to the amount of such capital contribution in BXINFRA and acknowledge that during any period when the underlying assets of the Feeder are deemed to constitute “plan assets” for purposes of the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I

 

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of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or applicable Other Plan Law, the general partner (or similar managing entity) of the Feeder will act as a custodian with respect to the assets of such unitholder but is not intended to be a fiduciary with respect to any such unitholder for purposes of the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or any applicable Other Plan Law, (ii) represent that such capital contribution, and the transactions contemplated by such direction, will not result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or a violation of any applicable Other Plan Law and (iii) acknowledge and agree that during any period when the underlying assets of the Feeder are deemed to constitute “plan assets” subject to Title I of ERISA, in satisfaction of any “indicia of ownership” requirements under ERISA, the general partner (or similar managing entity) of the Feeder will, or will cause an affiliate of the general partner (or similar managing entity) of the Feeder to, hold the counterpart of the signature page of the Feeder partnership agreement (or similar constituent document) in the United States. However, there can be no assurance that the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or applicable Other Plan Laws will not be applicable to activities of the Feeder.

Other Plans

Certain Plans, such as governmental plans and non-U.S. plans, may not be subject to ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, but may be subject to provisions of Other Plan Laws which may restrict the type of investments such a Plan may make or otherwise have an impact on such a Plan’s ability to invest BXINFRA. Accordingly, each Plan, including governmental and foreign plans, considering an investment in our common shares should consult with their legal advisors regarding their proposed investment in our Units.

Independent Fiduciaries with Financial Expertise

This Registration Statement and the Partnership Agreement do not constitute an undertaking to provide impartial investment advice and it is not our intention to act in a fiduciary capacity with respect to any Plan. The General Partner, Investment Manager and their respective affiliates (the “Relevant Entities”) have a financial interest in investors’ investment in Units on account of the fees and other compensation they expect to receive (as the case may be) from BXINFRA and their other relationships with BXINFRA as contemplated hereunder. Any such fees and compensation do not constitute fees or compensation rendered for the provision of investment advice to any Plan. Each Plan will be deemed to represent and warrant that it is advised by a fiduciary that is (a) independent of the Relevant Entities; (b) capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with respect to particular transactions and investment strategies contemplated in this Registration Statement; and (c) a fiduciary (under ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or applicable Other Plan Law) with respect to the Plan’s investment in the Units who is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the Plan’s investment in the Units and any related transactions.

Representation

By acceptance of any Units, each Unitholder will be deemed to have represented and warranted that either (i) it is not, and it is not investing on behalf of, any Plan or (ii) the purchase and holding of our Units by such Unitholder will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or similar violation under any applicable Other Plan Laws.

Reporting of Indirect Compensation

Under ERISA’s general reporting and disclosure rules, certain Benefit Plan Investors subject to Title I of ERISA are required to file annual reports (Form 5500) with the U.S. Department of Labor regarding their assets, liabilities and expenses. To facilitate a plan administrator’s compliance with these requirements it is noted that the descriptions contained in this Registration Statement of fees and compensation, including the Management Fee payable to the Investment Manager and the Performance Participation Allocation allocable to the General Partner, are intended to satisfy the disclosure requirements for “eligible indirect compensation” for which the alternative reporting option on Schedule C of Form 5500 may be available.

 

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The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Each Plan fiduciary should consult with its legal advisor concerning the considerations discussed above before making an investment in the Fund or the Feeder. As indicated above, Other Plan Laws governing the investment and management of the assets of Plans such as governmental and non-U.S. plans may contain fiduciary and responsibility and prohibited transaction requirements similar to those under ERISA and the Code. Accordingly, fiduciaries of such Plans, in consultation with their advisors, should consider the impact of their respective laws and regulations on an investment in BXINFRA and the considerations discussed above, if applicable.

Each Plan fiduciary should consult its legal advisor concerning the potential consequences under ERISA, the Code and any applicable Other Plan Laws before making an investment in BXINFRA directly or indirectly through the Feeder.

 

ITEM 1A

RISK FACTORS

The purchase of Units in BXINFRA entails a high degree of risk and is suitable for sophisticated investors for whom an investment in BXINFRA does not represent a complete investment program, and who fully understand BXINFRA’s strategy, characteristics and risks, including the use of borrowings to leverage Investments, and are capable of bearing the risk of an investment in BXINFRA. Potential Unitholders in BXINFRA should carefully consider the following risk factors before making a decision to invest in BXINFRA. If any of the risks described or contemplated below occurs, there could be a material adverse effect on the results and operations of BXINFRA or its Portfolio Entities, and the Unitholders may experience a total loss on their investment in BXINFRA. The following considerations are not a complete summary or explanation of the various risks involved in an investment in BXINFRA, and the interplay of risks can have additional effects not described below. Most of the following risk factors apply both to BXINFRA and to any relevant Other Blackstone Accounts in which BXINFRA has invested (directly or indirectly). Therefore, potential Unitholders should assume references to BXINFRA herein include references to Other Blackstone Accounts as well, to the extent BXINFRA is invested in such Other Blackstone Accounts, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Capitalized terms used but not defined in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” have the meanings given to such terms elsewhere in this Registration Statement. The term “Sponsor” as used in this “Item 1A. Risk Factors” is used to generally describe, as the context or applicable law requires, individually and collectively, the General Partner and the BX Managers and all references herein to the Sponsor or to any rights, powers, responsibilities, or activities of the Sponsor are qualified in all respects by the terms contained elsewhere in this Registration Statement, in the Partnership Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement, all of which should be carefully reviewed by each potential investor for, among other things, a more detailed description of the relative rights, powers, responsibilities, and activities of each of the General Partner and the BX Managers.

Market Conditions

Highly Competitive Market for Investment Opportunities; Operators and Other Investors. Identifying, closing and realizing attractive infrastructure investments that fall within our investment mandate is highly competitive and involves a high degree of uncertainty. In addition, developing and maintaining relationships with founders, joint venture partners or management teams, on which some of our strategy depends, is highly competitive. A failure by the Sponsor to identify attractive investment opportunities, develop new relationships and maintain existing relationships with founders, joint venture partners and other industry participants would adversely impact our Fund. The Sponsor competes for investment opportunities and potential joint venture partners, clients and investors with other investment funds, corporations, individuals, companies, financial institutions (such as investment and mortgage banks and pension funds), hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and other investors. In addition, certain Other Blackstone Accounts that have investment objectives that are adjacent to or overlap with those of the BXINFRA Fund Program (whether now in existence or subsequently established) may share and/or receive priority with respect to certain investment opportunities falling within the primary focus of such Other Blackstone Accounts or otherwise receive allocations of investments otherwise

 

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appropriate for the BXINFRA Fund Program (including, for example, Other Blackstone Accounts established to primarily pursue investments relating to specific geographic regions, sectors and/or asset classes). The BXINFRA Fund Program has no priority with respect to such investment opportunities and any conflicts that arise regarding allocation of investments may not be resolved in favor of the BXINFRA Fund Program. New competitors constantly enter the market, and in some cases existing competitors combine in a way that increases their strength in the market. It is possible that competition for appropriate investment opportunities may increase, which may also require the BXINFRA Fund Program to participate in auctions more frequently. The outcome of these auctions cannot be guaranteed, thus potentially reducing the number of investment opportunities available to the BXINFRA Fund Program and potentially adversely affecting the terms, including price, upon which investments can be made. The BXINFRA Fund Program intends to be selective in its approach to targeting investments, and there is no guarantee that investments meeting the BXINFRA Fund Program’s investment criteria will be available or that all of the BXINFRA Fund Program’s Investments will meet such criteria.

General Economic and Market Conditions. The infrastructure industry generally, and our investment activities in particular, are affected by general economic and market conditions, as well as a number of other economic factors that are likewise out of the Sponsor’s control, such as interest rates, availability and spreads of credit, credit defaults, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in tax, currency control and other applicable laws and regulations (including laws and rates relating to the taxation of Investments), trade barriers, general economic and market conditions and activity (such as consumer spending patterns), technological developments and national and international political, environmental and socioeconomic circumstances (including wars, terrorist acts or security operations) and foreign ownership restrictions. Market disruptions in a single country could cause a worsening of conditions on a regional and even global level. General fluctuations in the market prices of securities and interest rates or worsening of general economic and market conditions would likely affect the level and volatility of securities prices and the liquidity of our Investments, which could impair our profitability, result in losses and impact the Unitholders’ investment returns and limit our ability to satisfy repurchase requests. The Sponsor’s financial condition may be adversely affected by a significant general economic downturn, and it may be subject to legal, regulatory, reputational and other unforeseen risks that could have a material adverse effect on the Sponsor’s business and operations and thereby could impact us. A depression, recession, slowdown and/or sustained slowdown in the global economy or one or more regional infrastructure markets (or any particular segment thereof), a weakening of credit markets (including a perceived increase in counterparty default risk) or an adverse development in prevailing market trends would have a pronounced impact on our Fund, the Sponsor, and Portfolio Entities (which would likely be exacerbated by the presence of leverage in a particular Portfolio Entity’s capital structure) and could adversely affect our/their profitability, creditworthiness and ability to effectively consummate and exit Investments successfully and on favorable terms, execute on our/their business plans, sell assets, satisfy existing obligations and repurchases, and may have an adverse impact on the availability of credit to businesses generally, including impairing our ability to make and realize Investments successfully and originate or refinance credit or draw on existing financings and commitments, which in turn may have an adverse impact on our business and operations.

Recent volatility in the global financial markets and political systems of certain countries may have adverse spill-over effects into the global financial markets generally and U.S. markets in particular. Moreover, a recession, slowdown and/or sustained downturn in the global economies (or any particular segment thereof) or weakening of credit markets will adversely affect our profitability, impede the ability of Portfolio Entities to perform under or refinance their existing obligations, and impair our ability to effectively exit Investments on favorable terms. In addition, there has in the past and may in the future exist material uncertainty in the global banking markets, and there can be no assurance that banks (including banks with which we, Portfolio Entities or Blackstone have business relationships) will not suffer adverse effects. Any of the foregoing events could result in substantial or total losses to us in respect of certain Investments, which losses will likely be exacerbated by the presence of leverage in a particular Portfolio Entity’s capital structure. Blackstone itself could also be affected by difficult conditions in the capital markets and any overall weakening of the financial services industry in particular or of the United States and/or global economies generally.

 

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Financial Market Fluctuations; Availability of Financing. Declines or volatility in financial markets, including the securities and derivatives markets, would adversely affect the value of our Investments. A significant market fluctuation often decreases tolerance for counterparty risks, which can negatively impact financial institutions, even causing their failure, as occurred in the most recent economic downturn. We and our Portfolio Entities expect to regularly seek to obtain new debt and refinance existing debt, including in the liquid debt markets, and significant declines in pricing of debt securities or increases in interest rates, or other disruptions in the credit markets, would make it difficult to carry on normal financing activities, such as obtaining committed debt financing for acquisitions, bridge financings or permanent financings. Tightening of loan underwriting standards, which often occur during market disruptions, can have a negative impact including through reduction of permitted leverage levels and increased requirements for borrower quality. Our ability to generate attractive investment returns will be adversely affected by any worsening of financing terms and availability.

Inflation. The United States and other developed economies are experiencing higher-than-normal inflation rates. It remains uncertain whether substantial inflation in the United States and other developed economies will be sustained over an extended period of time and how significantly it will impact the United States or other economies. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have recently had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and financial markets (including securities markets) of various countries, including those with emerging economies. For example, if a Portfolio Entity is unable to increase its revenue in times of higher inflation, its profitability may be adversely affected, including, without limitation, significant increase to such Portfolio Entity’s operating cost. Portfolio Entities may have revenues linked to some extent to inflation, including, without limitation, by government regulations and contractual arrangements. As inflation rises, a Portfolio Entity may earn more revenue but may incur higher expenses. As inflation declines, a Portfolio Entity may not be able to reduce expenses commensurate with any resulting reduction in revenue. Furthermore, wages and prices of inputs increase during periods of inflation, which can negatively impact returns on Investments. In an attempt to stabilize inflation, certain countries have imposed and may continue to impose wage and price controls or otherwise intervene in the economy and certain central banks have raised and may continue to raise interest rates.

Past governmental efforts to curb inflation have also involved more drastic economic measures that have had a materially adverse effect on the level of economic activity in the countries where such measures were employed, and similar governmental efforts could be taken in the future to curb inflation and could have similar effects. Certain countries, including the United States, have recently seen increased levels of inflation and there can be no assurance that inflation will not become a more serious problem in the future and have an adverse impact on our returns.

Recent Developments in the Banking Sector. Events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance of contractual obligations or other adverse developments that affect financial institutions, transactional counterparties or other companies in the financial services industry or that affect the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, have in the past led and could in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems. Notably, recent bank closures in the United States and Europe have caused uncertainty for financial services companies and fear of instability in the global financial system generally. Recent developments, such as the UBS Group AG’s acquisition of Credit Suisse Group AG and JPMorgan Chase Bank’s assumption of all of First Republic Bank’s deposits and substantially all of its assets, and any similar future developments, can be expected to also have other implications for broader economic and monetary policy, including interest rate policy, and could impact the financial condition of banks and other financial institutions outside globally. In addition, certain financial institutions – in particular smaller and/or regional banks but also certain global, systematically important banks – have experienced volatile stock prices and significant losses in their equity value, and there is concern that depositors at these institutions have withdrawn, or will withdraw in the future, significant sums from their accounts at these institutions. Notwithstanding intervention by U.S. governmental agencies to stabilize the banking sector and to protect the uninsured depositors of banks that have recently closed, there is no guarantee that the uninsured depositors of a

 

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financial institution that closes (which depositors could include us and/or our Portfolio Entities) will be made whole or, even if made whole, that such deposits will become available for withdrawal in short order. There is a risk that other banks, or other financial institutions, will be similarly impacted, and it is uncertain what steps (if any) financial regulators and central banks would take in such circumstances. As a consequence, for example, our Fund and/or our Portfolio Entities could be delayed or prevented from accessing money, making any required payments under our/their own debt or other contractual obligations (including making payroll obligations) or pursuing key strategic initiatives, and limited partners could be impacted in their ability to receive distributions. In addition, such bank failures or instability could affect, in certain circumstances, the ability of both affiliated and unaffiliated joint venture partners, lenders, co-lenders, syndicate lenders or other parties to undertake and/or execute transactions with us, which in turn would result in fewer investment opportunities being made available to us, result in shortfalls or defaults under existing investments, or impact our ability to provide additional follow-on support to Portfolio Entities. In addition, in the event that a financial institution that provides credit facilities and/or other financing to our Fund or our Portfolio Entities closes or experiences distress, there can be no assurance that such financial institution will honor its obligations or that our Fund or such Portfolio Entities will be able to secure replacement financing or capabilities at all or on similar terms and/or in a timely manner. See “Custody and Banking Risks” below. Uncertainty caused by recent bank failures – and general concern regarding the financial health and outlook for other financial institutions – could have an overall negative effect on banking systems and financial markets generally. For the foregoing reasons, there can be no assurances that conditions in the banking sector and in global financial markets will not worsen and/or adversely affect our Fund, our Portfolio Entities or our/their respective financial performance.

Custody and Banking Risks. We will maintain funds with one or more banks or other depository institutions (“Banking Institutions”), which include US and non-US Banking Institutions, and we will enter into credit facilities or have other financial relationships with Banking Institutions. The distress, impairment or failure of one or more Banking Institutions with whom our Fund, our Portfolio Entities, the General Partner and/or the Investment Manager transact could inhibit the ability of our Fund or our Portfolio Entities to access depository accounts or lines of credit at all or in a timely manner. In such cases, it is possible that we would be forced to delay or forgo investments when it is not desirable to do so, resulting in lower performance for us. In the event of such a failure of a Banking Institution where our Fund or one or more of our Portfolio Entities holds depository accounts (including accounts used for depositing principal and interest payments from borrowers on loans owned by our Fund), access to certain such accounts could be restricted and U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) protection could not be available for balances in excess of amounts insured by the FDIC (and similar considerations could apply to Banking Institutions in other jurisdictions not subject to FDIC protection). In such instances, it is possible that our Fund and our affected Portfolio Entities would not recover such excess, uninsured amounts and instead, would only have an unsecured claim against the Banking Institution and participate pro-rata with other unsecured creditors in the residual value of the Banking Institution’s assets. The loss of amounts maintained with a Banking Institution or the inability to access such amounts for a period of time, even if ultimately recovered, could be materially adverse to our Fund or our Portfolio Entities. In addition, the General Partner will not always be able to identify all potential solvency or stress concerns with respect to a Banking Institution or to transfer assets from one bank to another in a timely manner in the event a Banking Institution comes under stress or fails.

Region Related Risks

Economic, Political and Social Risks. Certain countries have in the past, and may in the future, experience religious, political and social instability that could adversely affect us. Such instability could result from, among other things, popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic, or social conditions or government policies. Governments of many countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector, and certain industries may be subject to significant government regulation. Additionally, exchange control regulations, expropriation, confiscatory taxation or the imposition of withholding or other taxes on dividends, interest, capital gains, other income or gross sale or disposition proceeds, nationalization, restrictions on foreign capital inflows, repatriation of investment income or capital,

 

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renunciation of foreign debt, political, economic or social instability, or other economic or political developments could adversely affect our assets. See also “—United Kingdom Relations with the European Union” herein. Additionally, the availability of attractive investment opportunities for us is expected to depend in part on governments in certain countries continuing to liberalize their policies regarding foreign investment and, in some cases, further encourage private sector initiatives. In addition, countries may be in the initial stages of their industrial development and have a lower per capita gross national product or a low income economy as compared to the more developed economies. Markets for investments in such countries are not as developed and may be less liquid than markets in more developed countries. Investments in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to potentially higher risks as compared to the average among investments in more developed countries. Additionally, we may be less influential than other market participants in jurisdictions where it or Blackstone does not have a significant presence. See also “—United Kingdom Relations with the European Union” herein.

Regional Risk; Interdependence of Markets. Economic problems in a single country are increasingly affecting other markets and economies. A continuation of this trend could result in problems in one country adversely affecting regional and even global economic conditions and markets. The market and the economy of a particular country in which we invest is influenced by economic and market conditions in other countries in the same region or elsewhere in the world. For example, financial turmoil in certain countries in the Asia Pacific region in the late 1990s adversely affected Asian economies generally. Similarly, concerns about the fiscal stability and growth prospects of certain European countries in the economic downturn starting in 2007 had a negative impact on most economies of the Eurozone and global markets. A repeat of either of these circumstances or the occurrence of similar circumstances in the future could cause increased volatility in the economies and financial markets of countries throughout a region, or even globally. See also “—United Kingdom Relations with the European Union” herein.

Epidemics / Pandemics. Certain countries have been susceptible to epidemics, which may be designated as pandemics by world health authorities, which most recently included the novel and highly contagious form of coronavirus (“COVID-19”). The outbreak of such epidemics, together with any resulting restrictions on travel or quarantines imposed, has had and could continue to have a negative impact on the economy and business activity globally (including in the countries in which we invest), and therefore adversely affect the performance of our Investments and our ability to achieve our investment objectives. Furthermore, the rapid development of epidemics or pandemics could preclude prediction as to the ultimate adverse impact on economic and market conditions, and, as a result, presents us with material uncertainty and risk with respect to the performance of our Investments or operations. See also “—Risks Related to Outside Events—Force Majeure Risk” and “—Coronavirus and Public Health Emergencies; Legislative and Regulatory Enactments” herein.

Coronavirus and Public Health Emergencies; Legislative and Regulatory Enactments. From 2020 to 2022, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries instituted quarantine restrictions and took other measures to limit the spread of the virus. This resulted in labor shortages and disruption of supply chains and contributed to prolonged disruption of the global economy. A widespread reoccurrence of another pandemic or global health crisis could increase the possibility of periods of increased restrictions on business operations, which may adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and prospects materially and exacerbate many of the other risks discussed in this “Risk Factors” section.

In the event of another pandemic or global health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, our Portfolio Entities may experience decreased revenues and earnings, which may adversely impact our ability to realize value from such investments and in turn reduce our performance revenues. Investments in certain sectors and in certain geographies could be particularly negatively impacted, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Portfolio Entities may also face increased credit and liquidity risk due to volatility in financial markets, reduced revenue streams and limited access or higher cost of financing, which may result in potential impairment of our Investments. In addition, borrowers of loans, notes and other credit instruments in our credit funds’ portfolios may be unable to meet their principal or interest payment obligations or satisfy financial covenants, and tenants

 

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leasing real estate properties owned by us may not be able to pay rents in a timely manner or at all, resulting in a decrease in value of our credit and real estate investments. In the event of significant credit market contraction as a result of a pandemic or similar global health crisis, we may be limited in our ability to sell assets at attractive prices or in a timely manner in order to avoid losses and margin calls from credit providers. Such a contraction could cause investors to seek liquidity in the form of repurchase of interests from us, adversely impacting our operations.

A pandemic or global health crisis may also pose enhanced operational risks. For example, Blackstone’s and/or its affiliates’ employees may become sick or otherwise unable to perform their duties for an extended period, and extended public health restrictions and remote working arrangements may impact employee morale, integration of new employees and preservation of Blackstone’s and/or its affiliates’ culture. Remote working environments may also be less secure and more susceptible to hacking attacks, including phishing and social engineering attempts. Moreover, our third-party service providers could be impacted by an inability to perform due to pandemic-related restrictions or by failures of, or attacks on, their technology platforms.

Natural Disasters. Certain regions in which we invest or conduct activities related to Investments are susceptible to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and disease outbreaks that could have a severe impact on the value of, and even destroy, assets in those regions. Health or other government regulations adopted in response to natural calamities may require temporary closure of corporate and governmental offices upon a disaster, which would severely disrupt our operations in the affected area. Catastrophic losses may either be uninsurable or insurable at such high rates as to make coverage impracticable. If a major uninsured loss were to occur with respect to any of our Investments, we could lose both invested capital and anticipated profits.

Weather and Climatological Risks. Certain regions in which we invest or conduct activities related to Investments may be particularly sensitive to weather and climate conditions. Climate change may cause more extreme weather conditions and increased volatility in seasonal temperatures, which can interfere with operations and increase operating costs, and damage resulting from extreme weather may not be fully insured.

Trade Policy. Political leaders in certain jurisdictions have in the past and may in the future be elected on protectionist platforms, fueling doubts about the future of global free trade. The U.S. government has in the past indicated an intent to alter its approach to international trade policy, including in some cases renegotiating, or terminating, certain bilateral or multi-lateral trade agreements and treaties with foreign countries existing at that time, and made proposals and taken actions related thereto. In addition, the U.S. government has in the past imposed tariffs on certain foreign goods, including steel and aluminum, and has indicated a willingness to impose tariffs on imports of other products with some foreign governments instituting retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. goods as a result. There are no guarantees that such actions and retaliatory measures will not occur in the future between governments. Global trade disruption, significant introductions of trade barriers and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy resulting therefrom, could adversely affect our financial performance and the financial performance of our Investments and be an ongoing source of instability, potentially resulting in significant currency fluctuations and/or have other adverse effects on international markets, international trade agreements and/or other existing cross-border cooperation arrangements (whether economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory or otherwise). See “—United Kingdom Relations with the European Union” herein.

Hong Kong National Security Law. The Chinese government has continued to increase its control over the historically autonomous administrative region of Hong Kong. In June 2019, protests began in connection with an amendment to Hong Kong’s extradition law and continued with increased size and intensity through the end of 2019 and into 2020. These protests resulted in disruptions to businesses in major business and tourist areas of Hong Kong and pushed Hong Kong’s economy into a recession for the first time since the global financial crisis in 2008. On June 30, 2020, the National People’s Congress of China passed a national security law (the “National Security Law”), which criminalizes certain offenses including secession, subversion of the Chinese government, terrorism and collusion with foreign entities. The National Security Law also applies to non-permanent residents.

 

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Although the extra-territorial reach of the National Security Law remains unclear, there is a risk that the application of the National Security Law to conduct outside Hong Kong by non-permanent residents of Hong Kong could limit the activities of or negatively affect Blackstone, us or the Portfolio Entities.

The National Security Law has been condemned by the United States, the UK and several European Union (“EU”) countries. On July 14, 2020, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act was signed into law, which introduces sanctions on foreign persons who have “materially contributed” to the Chinese government’s recent actions in Hong Kong as well as on certain foreign financial institutions. Simultaneously, an executive order was issued declaring a national emergency with respect to the threat posed by the Chinese government’s actions in Hong Kong, formally suspending or eliminating any differential treatment of Hong Kong under U.S. law, including export control law, and authorizing sanctions on persons determined to be engaged in a broad array of anti-democratic or repressive activity. The United States has also imposed sanctions on senior Chinese officials and certain employees of Chinese technology companies that it believes have contributed to the Chinese government’s activities in Hong Kong, adding a number of new Chinese companies to the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. In mid-July 2020, the UK also suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extended its arms embargo on China to Hong Kong. Escalation of tensions resulting from the National Security Law and the response of the international community, including conflict between China and other countries like the United States and UK, protests and other government measures, as well as other economic, social or political unrest in the future, could adversely impact the security and stability of the region and may have a material adverse effect on countries in which we, Blackstone, the Portfolio Entities or any of our/their respective personnel or assets are located. In addition, any downturn in Hong Kong’s economy could adversely affect our financial performance, or could have a significant impact on the industries in which we participate, and may adversely affect the operations of Blackstone, us and the Portfolio Entities, including the retention of investment professionals located in Hong Kong.

October 7th Attacks on Israel; Aftermath. On October 7, 2023, Hamas (an organization which governs Gaza, and which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia and other nations), committed a terrorist attack within Israel (the “October 7th Attacks”). As of the date of this report, Israel and Hamas remain in active armed conflict. The ongoing conflict and rapidly evolving measures in response could have a negative impact on the economy and business activity globally (including in countries in which we invest), and therefore could adversely affect the performance of the Investments. The severity and duration of the conflict and its future impact on global economic and market conditions (including, for example, oil prices) are impossible to predict, and as a result, present material uncertainty and risk with respect to our Fund and the performance of its Investments and operations, and our ability to achieve its investment objectives. For example, the armed conflict may expand and may ultimately more actively involve the United States, Lebanon (and/or Hezbollah), Syria, Iran and/or other countries or terrorist organizations, any of which may exacerbate the risks described above. Similar risks exist to the extent that any Portfolio Entities, service providers, vendor or certain other parties have material operations or assets in the Middle East, or the immediate surrounding areas. The United States has announced sanctions and other measures against Hamas-related persons and organizations in response to the October 7th Attacks, and the United States (and/or other countries) may announce further sanctions related to the ongoing conflict in the future. Risks related to sanctions described elsewhere herein (including “—OFAC and Sanctions Considerations” and “—Russian Invasion of Ukraine”) apply to such sanctions as well. See also “—Terrorist Activities” herein. The enactment of these reforms and/or other similar legislation could have an adverse effect on the private investment funds industry generally and on Blackstone and/or our Fund specifically, and may impede our ability to effectively achieve our investment objectives.

Terrorist Activities. The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and subsequently in Paris, London, Madrid and elsewhere, together with the military response by the United States, the UK, Australia and various other allied countries in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere and other terrorist attacks (including cyber sabotage or similar attacks) globally of unprecedented scope have caused instability in the world financial markets and, in particular, have resulted in substantial and continuing economic volatility and social unrest in

 

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various regions of the world. Further terrorist attacks (including cyber sabotage or similar attacks) in some countries in the intervening years have exacerbated this volatility, and further developments stemming from these events or other similar events could cause further volatility. Any additional significant military or other response by the United States or other countries and their allies or any further terrorist activities (including the October 7th Attacks and the subsequent military response by Israel) could materially and adversely affect international financial markets and local economies alike. Any terrorist attacks, including biological or chemical warfare or cyber sabotage or similar attacks, that occur at or near significant strategic assets of our Investments that have a national or regional profile would likely cause significant harm to employees, property and, potentially, the surrounding community, and may result in losses far in excess of available insurance coverage. As a result of global events similar to those described above and continued terrorism concerns, insurers significantly reduced the amount of insurance coverage available for liability to persons other than employees for claims resulting from acts of terrorism, war or similar events. In the current environment, there is a risk that one or more of our assets will be directly or indirectly affected by terrorist attack, including biological or chemical warfare or cyber sabotage or similar attacks, and premier, high-profile assets in 24-hour urban markets may be particularly attractive targets. Such an attack could have a variety of adverse consequences for us, including risks and costs related to the destruction of property, inability to use one or more assets for their intended uses for an extended period, decline in rents achievable or asset values, injury or loss of life and litigation related to the attack. Such risks may or may not be insurable at rates that the Sponsor deems sensible at all times. As a result of a terrorist attack or terrorist activities in general, we may not be able to obtain insurance coverage and other endorsements at commercially reasonable prices or at all. Recourse to our service providers and other counterparties in the event of losses may be limited, and such losses may be borne by us. See also “—Insurance—Availability of Insurance Against Certain Catastrophic Losses” and “—Cyber Security Breaches, Identity Theft, Denial of Service Attacks, Ransomware Attacks, and Social Engineering Attempts” herein.

Corruption Risk; FCPA. Corruption can result in huge economic losses due to fraud, theft and waste. Moreover, corruption can corrode critical public institutions, such as the courts, law enforcement and public pension administration, thereby undermining property rights, public confidence and social stability. As a result, corruption dramatically increases the systemic risks that exist in some of the jurisdictions in which we invest. Corruption scandals are common and likely to remain so going forward. Our Unitholders are thus exposed to the increased costs and risks of corruption where we invest, and there can be no assurance that any reform efforts will have a meaningful effect during our term. The United States and the UK have the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and the UK Bribery Act of 2010 (the “UK Bribery Act”), respectively, and other jurisdictions (including in Luxembourg) have adopted similar anti-corruption laws. Many of these laws have extraterritorial application. In recent years, the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC have devoted greater resources to enforcement of the FCPA. In addition, the UK Bribery Act is broader in scope than the FCPA and applies to private and public sector corruption and holds companies liable for failure to prevent bribery unless they have adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery. Other countries (including Luxembourg) have also adopted or improved their anti-corruption legal regimes in recent years. The Sponsor, its professionals and we are committed, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to complying with the FCPA and the UK Bribery Act and other anti-corruption laws and regulations (including in Luxembourg), anti-bribery laws and regulations, as well as anti-boycott regulations (including in Luxembourg), to which they/we are subject. As a result, we may be adversely affected because of our unwillingness to participate in transactions that violate such laws or regulations. Such laws and regulations may make it difficult in certain circumstances for us to act successfully on investment opportunities and for Portfolio Entities to obtain or retain business. Although the Sponsor conducts FCPA due diligence on all targets with operations, we may acquire an Investment with risks related to prior non-compliance with one or more of these statutes. Furthermore, although the Sponsor has robust compliance programs designed to ensure strict compliance by Blackstone and its personnel with the FCPA and UK Bribery Act and other similar laws, even reasonable compliance programs may not be effective in all instances at preventing violations. In addition, in spite of Blackstone’s policies and procedures, Portfolio Entities, particularly in cases where we or an Other Blackstone Account does not control such Portfolio Entity, and persons acting on behalf of us or any Portfolio Entity and third-party consultants, managers and advisors, including related persons of the Sponsor, may engage in conduct and activities that could result in a violation of one or more of the FCPA,

 

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UK Bribery Act or other similar laws. Any determination that a related entity not controlled by Blackstone or us, or Blackstone itself or us ourselves, or their/our controlled entities have violated the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act or other applicable anti-corruption laws or anti-bribery laws could subject Blackstone and us to, among other things, civil and criminal penalties, material fines, profit disgorgement, injunctions on future conduct, securities litigation, reputational harm, and/or a general loss of investor confidence. We may incur costs and expenses associated with engaging external counsel or other third-party consultants or professionals in connection with inquiries or investigations relating to FCPA or other applicable anti-corruption laws or anti-bribery laws. In these cases, we could suffer significant losses from the cost of defense, interruption to ordinary operations and fines and penalties.

Privatization. We may invest in state-owned enterprises or assets that have been or will be transferred from government to private ownership. It is impossible to predict whether any further privatizations will take place or what the terms or effects of such privatizations may be. There can be no assurance that any privatizations will be undertaken or, if undertaken, will be successfully completed or completed on favorable terms. There can also be no assurance that, if a privatization is undertaken on a private placement basis, we will have the opportunity to participate in the investing consortium. Furthermore, if we have the opportunity to participate in a privatization, it is possible the privatization could be re-examined subsequently by local or international regulatory bodies, exposing us to criticism or investigation. Unitholders should be aware that changes in governments or economic factors could result in a change in a country’s policies on privatization. Should these policies change in the future, it is possible that governments may determine to return projects and companies to state ownership. In such a situation, the level of compensation that would be provided to the owners of the private companies concerned cannot be accurately predicted, but could be substantially less than the amount invested in such companies.

Foreign Investment Controls. Foreign investment in securities of companies in certain countries where we will or could from time to time invest is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment above certain ownership levels or in certain assets, asset classes or sectors of the country’s economy and increase our costs and expenses. We may utilize investment structures to comply with such restrictions, but there can be no assurance that a foreign government will not challenge the validity of these structures or change laws in a way that reduces their effectiveness, imposes additional governmental approvals, restricts or prohibits our Investments or taxes, or restricts or otherwise prohibits repatriation of proceeds. Some countries require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales by foreign investors and foreign currency. Accordingly, deteriorations in a country’s balance of payments or a number of other circumstances, could cause governments to impose temporary restrictions on capital remittances abroad. These restrictions or controls may limit the potential universe of buyers of an asset, thereby reducing the demand for assets we seek to sell. For example, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States may determine a foreign entity cannot buy an asset being sold by us in the United States. Such securities may also be subject to brokerage taxes levied by governments, which has the effect of increasing the cost of such investment and reducing the realized gain or increasing the realized loss on such securities at the time of sale.

Foreign Capital Controls. Countries may require government approval for contributions of foreign capital to the country and distributions of investment income or capital out of the country. Countries may also place limitations on holding their currency abroad. Countries can change capital controls to increase or decrease overall levels of foreign direct investment or currency pricing, to manage the country’s balance of payments and for a number of other reasons outside the control of the Sponsor. We could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for payment of dividends and repatriation of capital interests.

CFIUS and other Similar Non-U.S. Investment Regimes. Current laws and regulations in various jurisdictions give heads of state and regulatory bodies the authority to block or impose conditions with respect to acquisitions of, and investments in, local entities by foreign persons if that acquisition or investment threatens to

 

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impair national or economic security or is otherwise deemed undesirable. In addition, many jurisdictions restrict foreign investment by taking steps, including, but not limited to, placing limitations on foreign investment, implementing investment screening or approval mechanisms, and restricting the employment of foreigners as key personnel. In addition, a number of U.S. states are passing and implementing state laws prohibiting or otherwise restricting the acquisition of interests in real property located in the state by foreign persons (“Foreign Ownership Laws”).

In some cases, our investments involving a U.S. business (including a U.S. branch or subsidiary of a company domiciled outside of the United States) may be subject to review and approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”). In the event that CFIUS or any non-U.S. equivalent thereof reviews one or more investments or in the event that Foreign Ownership Laws or the Outbound Investment Screening Regime (as defined below) applies to a particular investment, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain or proceed with such investments on terms that are acceptable to the Sponsor.

CFIUS may recommend that the President of the United States block such transactions, or CFIUS may impose conditions on such transactions, certain of which may materially and adversely affect our ability to execute its investment strategy. Additionally, CFIUS or any non-U.S. equivalent thereof may seek to impose limitations on one or more such investments that may prevent us from maintaining or pursuing investment opportunities that we otherwise would have maintained or pursued which could adversely affect the performance of our investment in such portfolio investments and thus our performance. Legislation to reform CFIUS was signed into law on August 13, 2018, and final regulations implementing this legislation were enacted in 2020. The legislation and its implementing regulations, among other things, expand the scope of CFIUS’s jurisdiction to cover more types of transactions and empower CFIUS to scrutinize more closely investments in U.S. “critical infrastructure,” “critical technology,” and “sensitive personal data” companies, including investments involving foreign limited partners that may be deemed “non-passive.” These reforms could impact the ability of non-U.S. Unitholders to participate in our investments to the extent CFIUS has jurisdiction, which may impair our ability to execute its investment strategy. They could also increase the number of transactions involving us that would be subject to CFIUS review and investigation as well as the timing and substantive risks described above. The outcome of CFIUS’s and other foreign direct investment processes may be difficult to predict, and there is no guarantee that, if applicable to a Portfolio Entity, the decisions of CFIUS would not adversely impact our investment in such entity. The General Partner may compulsorily redeem (in whole or in part) Units if the beneficial owner of such Units is a Prohibited Person, which shall include, without limitation, any person who is not eligible as an investor for a class of Units or if in the sole opinion of the General Partner the holding of such Units may be detrimental to the interests of the existing Unitholders or the Sponsor, for example where their participation in our Fund is at risk of jeopardizing our ability to successfully acquire, hold, operate, sell, transfer, exchange, pledge or dispose of a prospective portfolio investment in light of legal, regulatory or other similar considerations. Further, state regulatory agencies may impose restrictions on private funds’ investments in certain types of assets, which could affect our ability to find attractive and diversified investments and to complete such investments in a timely manner.

In response to mounting national security concerns regarding foreign ownership of U.S. land, several U.S. states have recently enacted or proposed Foreign Ownership Laws in an effort to limit foreign ownership of real property. These Foreign Ownership Laws may impact the ability of non-U.S. limited partners to participate in our Investments to the extent CFIUS has jurisdiction, which may impair our ability to execute our investment strategy. Across the United States, additional proposals to limit foreign ownership of real property are currently working their way through the legislative process, and it is expected that many such proposals will become law in the near future.

Further, the U.S. President signed an Executive Order in August 2023 which establishes an outbound investment screening regime that is intended to regulate investment by U.S. persons into a “country of concern” relating to certain advanced technology sectors (the “Outbound Investment Screening Regime”). The Outbound Investment Screening Regime is currently undergoing a rulemaking process by the U.S. Department of

 

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the Treasury and is not expected to be implemented until final rules are promulgated. As initially proposed, the Outbound Investment Screening Regime would restrict or impose notification requirements with respect to certain investments in certain companies that are engaged in certain advanced technology sectors (initial proposals include semiconductors and microelectronics; quantum information technologies; and certain artificial intelligence systems). As a result of the Outbound Investment Screening Regime, we may incur significant delays and costs, be altogether prohibited from making a particular investment, or impede or restrict the syndication or sale of our assets to certain buyers, all of which could adversely affect our ability to meet our investment objectives.

These laws could limit our ability to invest in certain entities or could impose burdensome notification requirements, operational restrictions, or delays in pursuing and consummating transactions. Our investments outside of the United States may also face delays, limitations, or restrictions as a result of notifications made under, and/or compliance with, these legal regimes and rapidly-changing agency practices. Other countries continue to establish and/or strengthen their own national security investment clearance regimes, including in response to U.S. encouragement of other countries to impose CFIUS-like regulations on foreign investment in certain sectors and assets on national security grounds. These regulatory regimes could have a corresponding effect of limiting our ability to make investments in such countries. Examples include:

 

   

India: In April 2020, the Government of India issued Press Note No. 3 (2020 Series), which updated the country’s existing national security regime such that any foreign investment (a) by or from an entity of any country that shares its land border with India or (b) whose beneficial owner of an investment into India is situated in, or is a citizen of, any country that shares its land border with India, can only be made with prior approval of the Government of India. Further clarity is awaited from the Government of India on what constitutes beneficial ownership, but the application of this rule may inhibit our ability to consummate investments involving India. As a result, we may incur significant delays and costs or be altogether prohibited from making a particular investment, all of which could adversely affect our ability to meet our investment objectives. Uncertainty resulting from the application of these rules may also lead to us borrowing higher amounts or for longer durations.

 

   

EU: Following the EU’s implementation of an EU-wide mechanism to coordinate the screening of foreign investment on national security grounds across EU Member States in October 2020, the majority of EU Member States have now introduced foreign investment screening regimes which could impede, restrict, and/or delay our investments that have a nexus with the European Union.

 

   

Australia: Legislation passed in 2020 expands the criteria used to determine whether a transaction must be formally identified to the country’s Foreign Investment Review Board and affords the government new call-in powers to review transactions that may pose a national security risk.

 

   

New Zealand: New Zealand’s foreign investment regime requires prior approval for certain inbound foreign investments. This creates a higher risk that our Investments in New Zealand will require New Zealand regulatory approval prior to the acquisition.

 

   

UK: A new national security regime was implemented in January 2022, which requires the prior approval for certain transactions and affords the government call-in powers to review certain transactions that pose a national security risk.

Other jurisdictions are similarly in the midst of ongoing reform that may establish further restrictions and increase risk by enhancing governments’ powers to scrutinize, impose conditions on, and potentially block mergers, acquisitions, and other transactions. These requirements and the disclosure process may delay or otherwise impact our acceptance of subscriptions from certain prospective Unitholders and approval of transfers by or to certain Unitholders and/or prospective Unitholders. Delays in our ability to accept subscriptions may adversely impact our ability to make investments in countries such as India, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK and the timing of such investments. The foregoing requirements may also result in circumstances in which we determine not to pursue certain potential investment opportunities in these countries.

 

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Heightened scrutiny of foreign direct investment worldwide may also make it more difficult for us to identify suitable buyers for investments upon exit and may constrain the universe of exit opportunities for an investment in an issuer. Further, as a result of such regimes, we may incur significant delays and costs, be altogether prohibited from making a particular investment or impede or restrict syndication or sale of certain assets to certain buyers, all of which could adversely affect our performance or the performance of a Portfolio Entity. Complying with these laws imposes potentially significant costs and complex additional burdens, and any failure by us or a Portfolio Entity to comply with them could expose us to significant penalties, sanctions, loss of future investment opportunities, additional regulatory scrutiny, and reputational harm.

Asset Manager in Certain Jurisdictions. Certain local regulatory controls and tax considerations may cause us to appoint one or more third parties to manage some or all of our Investments in certain jurisdictions. Although typically the Sponsor oversees the operations of our Investments, such third parties will be delegated responsibilities and may have influence over the affairs and operations of the applicable Investments. The costs and expenses of any such third party will be borne by us and will not offset the Management Fee, Administration Fee and the Performance Participation Allocation (collectively, the “Fund Fees”).

Legal Framework and Corporate Governance. Because the integrity and independence of the judicial systems in some of the countries in which we could invest varies, we may have difficulty in successfully pursuing claims in the courts of such countries. For example, it is more difficult to enforce contracts in some countries, especially against governmental entities, which could materially and adversely affect our revenue and earnings or the revenue and earnings of our Portfolio Entities. See also “—Investments in Emerging Markets and the Asia Pacific Region” herein. If counterparties repudiate contracts or default on their obligations, there may not be adequate remedies available. Any regulatory supervision which is in place may be subject to manipulation or control. Some emerging and developing market countries do not have mature legal systems comparable to those of more developed countries. Moreover, the process of legal and regulatory reform may not be proceeding at the same pace as market developments, which could result in investment risk. Legislation to safeguard the rights of private ownership may not yet be in place in certain areas, and there may be the risk of conflict among local, regional and national requirements. In certain cases, the laws and regulations governing investments in financial instruments may not exist or may be subject to inconsistent or arbitrary appreciation or interpretation. We may also encounter difficulties in pursuing legal remedies or in obtaining and enforcing judgments in non-U.S. courts. For example, many emerging countries provide inadequate legal remedies for breaches of contract.

Furthermore, to the extent we or a Portfolio Entity obtains a judgment in a country with a strong judiciary but is required to seek its enforcement in the courts of a country with a weak judiciary, there can be no assurance that we or such Portfolio Entity will be able to enforce the judgment. Both the independence of judicial systems and their immunity from economic, political or nationalistic influences remain largely untested in many countries. Due to the foregoing risks and complications, the costs associated with Investments in emerging markets are generally higher than in developed countries.

Certain markets do not have well-developed shareholder rights, which could adversely affect our minority Investments. In these markets, there is often less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices, stock exchanges, over-the-counter markets, brokers, dealers, counterparties and issuers than in other more established markets. Any regulatory supervision which is in place may be subject to manipulation or control. Legislation to safeguard the rights of private ownership may not exist in certain areas, and there may be the risk of conflict among local, regional and national requirements. In certain cases, the laws and regulations governing investments in financial instruments may not exist or may be subject to inconsistent or arbitrary interpretation.

Accounting, Disclosure and Regulatory Standards. We are using accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for the calculation of our net asset value for financial reporting purposes, our valuation of our Investments and the establishment of our audited annual report. The calculation of

 

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our Transactional NAV for purposes of subscriptions, repurchases, calculation of Fund Fees and other purposes described herein (including with respect to the calculation of Organizational and Offering Expenses (as defined below) and servicing fees) shall be made in accordance with the methodology set forth in the Valuation Policy, which may differ in certain respects from the methodology required pursuant to GAAP. Our accounting standards may not correspond to the accounting standards of other underlying entities, resulting in different financial information appearing on their respective financial statements. Information available to Unitholders in our audited annual report may differ from information available in the financial statements of underlying entities, including operations, financial results, capitalization and financial obligations, earnings and securities. Accounting, financial, auditing and other reporting standards, practices and disclosure requirements that are not equivalent to GAAP, may differ in fundamental ways. Differences may arise in areas such as valuation of assets, deferred taxation, contingent liabilities and foreign exchange transactions. Accordingly, information available to us that is not consistent with GAAP including both general economic and commercial information and information concerning specific Investments, may be less reliable and less detailed than information available in more financially sophisticated countries, which could adversely impact, among other things, the Sponsor’s due diligence and reporting activities and less information may be available to Unitholders. Assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a company (including, for example, a Chinese company) may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Even for financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, the accounting entries and adjustments may not reflect economic reality and actual value.

In addition, when making Investments in less developed countries, we may not have access to all available information to determine fully the origination and underwriting practices utilized for the Investment or the manner in which the target company has been serviced and/or operated. As a result, the Sponsor’s due diligence activities may provide less information than due diligence reviews conducted in more developed countries. Although we will endeavor to conduct appropriate due diligence in connection with each Investment, in the case of Investments in less developed countries, no guarantee can be given that it will obtain the information or assurances that an investor in a more sophisticated economy would obtain before proceeding with an Investment.

Furthermore, for a company that keeps accounting records in a currency other than U.S. dollars, inflation accounting rules in certain markets require, for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and liabilities be restated on the company’s balance sheet in order to express items in terms of a currency of constant purchasing power. As a result, financial data of prospective investments may be materially affected by restatements for inflation and may not accurately reflect actual value. Accordingly, our ability to conduct due diligence in connection with an investment and to monitor the investment may be adversely affected by these factors.

Potential Collapse of the Euro. We may undertake or expect to undertake Investments in countries within the EU, a significant number of which use the euro as their national currency (such countries, the “Eurozone”). During the economic downturn that started in 2007, the stability of certain European financial markets deteriorated and expectations centered on potential defaults by sovereign states in Europe. There is a risk that in the future certain member states of the Eurozone default, or expectations of such a default increase, which may lead to the collapse of the Eurozone as it is constituted today or that certain member states of the Eurozone may cease to use the euro as their national currency. This could have an adverse effect on the performance of Investments both in countries that experience the default and in other countries within the EU and/or the Eurozone, as well as other countries globally in which we hold Investments. A potential primary effect would be an immediate reduction of liquidity for particular Investments in the affected countries, thereby impairing the value of such Investments. Further, a deteriorating economic environment caused directly or indirectly by such a default or related expectations could have a direct effect on the general economic environment.

Risks Associated with the Euro. The functioning of the euro as a single currency across the diverse economies comprising the Eurozone has sustained considerable pressure as the result of the global financial crisis and other subsequent macroeconomic events. The situation, particularly in those countries where sovereign

 

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default is perceived to be most likely, may continue to deteriorate. It is therefore possible that the euro may cease to be the national currency of some or even all of the countries comprising the Eurozone. If this were to occur, fluctuations in currency exchange rates of the new local currencies may cause borrowers in such countries to find it more difficult to meet their euro repayment obligations and investors in such countries may find that the cost of meeting their commitment to us increases by virtue of a comparatively valuable euro. These events are unprecedented and it is difficult to predict with any certainty the consequences of such events on us and our Investments.

Data Protection. Regulations related to privacy, data protection and information security could increase costs, and a failure to comply could result in fines, sanctions or other penalties which could materially and adversely affect the results or operations of an investment, a Portfolio Entity or a Blackstone entity, each of which could have an adverse impact on us. As privacy, data protection and information security laws are implemented, interpreted and applied, compliance costs may increase.

The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“EU GDPR”) entered into force on May 25, 2018. The UK is no longer a member of the EU, but has retained and transposed the EU GDPR into its domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the body of law retained in the UK referred to here as the “UK GDPR”). The EU GDPR, UK GDPR and similar privacy and data protection regulations impose stringent obligations on the processing of personal data of data subjects (natural persons), and such obligations can apply on an extraterritorial basis. The EU GDPR applies to the processing of personal data of data subjects (natural persons) (a) in the context of the activities of an establishment in the EEA and (b) by organizations outside the EEA that offer goods or services to data subjects in the EEA, or that monitor the behavior of data subjects in the EEA. The UK GDPR applies to the processing of personal data (a) in the context of the activities of an establishment in the UK and (b) by organizations outside the UK that offer goods or services to data subjects in the UK, or that monitor the behavior of data subjects in the UK.

Personal data, personal information and similar terms can be broadly construed under data privacy and data protection laws. For the purposes of the EU GDPR and the UK GDPR, personal data is information that can be used to identify a natural person, including a name, a photo, an email address, or a computer IP address. The EU GDPR, the UK GDPR and other similar data protection laws provide greater protection for data subjects by requiring, amongst other things, personal data to be processed lawfully in a fair and transparent manner, to be collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes, and to be limited to what is adequate or necessary in relation to those purposes. Data controllers must be able to respond to the rights of data subjects, which includes the right of individuals to access their personal data, to seek to rectify inaccurate data, to have personal data erased where processing is no longer required, to seek to restrict the processing of their personal data, and to object to the processing of their personal data.

Data privacy laws, including regulations still in proposed or draft form, also impose restrictions on the transfers of data (both personal and non-personal data) internationally. The EEA and U.S. governments have recently concluded a data privacy framework (the “Data Privacy Framework”) for transatlantic transfers of personal data, which has been separately extended to transfers of personal data from the UK to the U.S. Although optional, if a Blackstone entity, Portfolio Entity or their respective affiliates choose to participate in the Data Privacy Framework, it will require a certification process and may involve operational changes. Data privacy laws, including certain regulations still in proposed or draft form, impose other restrictions on international transfers of data (both personal and non-personal data) which may result in additional costs for Blackstone and the Portfolio Entities, and therefore us.

Monitoring and complying with the above and other data privacy obligations, certain of which continue to be subject to ongoing judicial and regulatory interpretation, may require the dedication of substantial time and financial resources which may also increase over time, thus affecting returns that would otherwise be available to investors.

 

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Certain violations of these data protection laws may result in penalties and losses such as significant administrative fines, e.g., in the case of the EU GDPR, up to 20,000,000 euro, or in the case of an undertaking, up to four percent of the total worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. Any failure by a controller of personal data to comply with its privacy and data protection related obligations may result in significant liability, which could have an adverse effect on the reputation of that party and its business, thereby potentially having an adverse effect on our investors. The costs of compliance with, and/or other burdens imposed by, the EU GDPR, the UK GDPR and other applicable data protection laws will be borne (whether directly or indirectly) by us and may, therefore, affect any returns that would otherwise be available to our investors.

Further legislative evolution in the field of data protection and privacy is expected. For example, the EU Commission’s Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications (the “ePrivacy Regulation”) will replace the current “ePrivacy Directive.” The ePrivacy Regulation will update the legal framework regarding privacy in electronic communications and will likely apply to providers of such services to end users in the EU. The ePrivacy Regulation is in the process of being discussed and finalized and is expected to come into force within the next few years. There is also likely to be further divergence between EEA and UK data protection laws in the future, as the UK has proposed amendments to the UK GDPR via the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill. This may create a greater dual regulatory compliance burden on organizations that are subject to both regimes, and a diverging UK regime may result in the UK re-evaluating the adequacy of the UK data protection framework, resulting in additional compliance costs when sending data from the EEA to the UK. The UK and EEA are considering or have enacted a variety of other laws and regulations relating to data such as the NIS 2 Directive (EEA), the Digital Operational Resilience Act (EEA), the Data Act (EEA), Data Governance Act (EEA), Financial Data Access Regulation (EEA), Digital Services Act (EEA), Online Safety Act (UK) and the Artificial Intelligence Act (EEA) (the latter of which is discussed under “—Artificial Intelligence Developments” herein), all of which could have a material impact on us and the operations of a Portfolio Entity. Blackstone cannot predict how these and other data protection laws may develop, or how they will be applied or interpreted by regulators and courts, and it may result in the business practices of Blackstone or a Portfolio Entity changing in a manner which adversely affects us.

United Kingdom Relations with the European Union. The UK formally left the EU on January 31, 2020. There followed an implementation period, during which EU law continued to apply in the UK and the UK maintained its EU single market access rights and EU customs union membership. The implementation period expired on December 31, 2020. Consequently, the UK has become a third country vis-à-vis the EU, without access to the single market or membership of the EU customs union.

On December 30, 2020, the UK and the EU signed a trade and cooperation agreement (the “TCA”) to govern their ongoing relationship. The TCA was officially ratified by the UK Parliament on December 30, 2020 and by the EU Parliament and Council on April 29, 2021. It is anticipated that further details of the relationship between the UK and the EU will continue to be negotiated even now that the TCA has been formally ratified.

Over time, UK regulated firms and other UK businesses may be adversely affected by the terms of the TCA, as compared with the position prior to the expiration of the implementation period on December 31, 2020. For example, the TCA introduces new customs checks, as well as new restrictions on the provision of cross-border services and on the free movement of employees. These changes have the potential to materially impair the profitability of a business, and to require it to adapt or even relocate.

Although it is probable that any adverse effects flowing from the UK’s withdrawal from the EU will principally affect the UK (and those having an economic interest in, or connected to, the UK), given the size and global significance of the UK’s economy, the effect of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is also likely to be an ongoing source of instability for the EU (and countries outside the EU), produce significant currency fluctuations, and/or have other adverse effects on international markets, international trade agreements and/or other existing cross-border cooperation arrangements (whether economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory or

 

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otherwise). The withdrawal of the UK from the EU could therefore adversely affect us and our Portfolio Entities. In addition, the withdrawal of the UK from the EU could have a further destabilizing effect if any other member states were to consider withdrawing from the EU, presenting similar and/or additional potential risks and consequences to us and our Portfolio Entities.

Non-U.S. and non-OECD Investments. We may invest a portion of our aggregate capital outside of the United States and outside of OECD countries. The legal systems of some countries lack transparency or could limit the protections available to foreign investors, and our Investments may be subject to nationalization and confiscation without fair compensation. Investments in non-U.S. and non-OECD securities and instruments involve certain factors not typically associated with investing in U.S. securities or instruments, including risks relating to (a) currency exchange matters, including fluctuations in the rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the various non-U.S. currencies in which our non-U.S. Investments are denominated, fluctuations and costs associated with conversion of investment principal and income from one currency into another; (b) exposure to fluctuations in interest rates payable with respect to the instruments in which we invest; (c) differences in conventions relating to documentation, settlement, corporate actions, stakeholder rights and other matters; (d) differences between the United States and non-U.S. securities markets, including potentially higher price volatility, different interest rates and relative illiquidity of some non-U.S. securities markets, the absence of uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, practices and disclosure requirements, and differences in government supervision and regulation; (e) certain economic, social and political risks, including potential exchange-control regulations, potential restrictions on non-U.S. investment by U.S. firms and repatriation of capital, the risks associated with political, economic, or social instability, including the risk of sovereign defaults, regulatory change, and the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation or the imposition of withholding or other taxes on dividends, interest, capital gains, other income or gross sale or disposition proceeds, and adverse economic and political developments; (f) the possible imposition of non-U.S. taxes on income, gains and gross sales or other proceeds recognized with respect to such securities or instruments; and (g) differing and potentially less well-developed or well-tested corporate and intellectual property laws, including those regarding stakeholder rights, creditors’ rights (including the rights of secured parties), fiduciary duties, investor protections and intellectual property owner protections; (h) differences in the legal and regulatory environment or enhanced legal and regulatory compliance, including potential currency control regulations, and potential restrictions on investment and repatriation of capital; (i) political hostility to investments by foreign or private equity investors; (j) less publicly available information; (k) governmental decisions to discontinue support of economic reform programs generally and impose centrally planned economies; (l) longer settlement periods for securities transactions; and (m) less reliable judicial systems to enforce contracts and applicable law. There can be no assurance that adverse developments with respect to such risks will not adversely affect our Investments that are held in certain countries. Additionally, we may be less influential than other market participants in jurisdictions where it or Blackstone does not have a significant presence.

Furthermore, Portfolio Entities located outside the U.S. may be involved in restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings or reorganizations that are not subject to laws and regulations that are similar to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and the rights of debtors or creditors afforded in U.S. jurisdictions. To the extent such non-U.S. laws and regulations do not provide us with equivalent rights and privileges necessary to promote and protect our interest in any such proceeding, our Investments in any such Portfolio Entity may be adversely affected. See “—Legal Framework and Corporate Governance” herein for more information.

The effectiveness of the judicial system in countries in which we may invest varies; consequently, we may find it difficult to effectively protect our interests or pursue claims in the courts of countries with less-developed legal systems or commercial markets, as compared to the U.S. and other developed countries. The lack of sophistication and consistency with respect to foreclosure, bankruptcy, corporate reorganization or creditors’ rights in certain countries in which we invest, as compared with the U.S., may adversely impact our ability to achieve our investment objectives.

 

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While the Sponsor intends, where deemed appropriate, to manage us in a manner that will minimize exposure to the foregoing risks, there can be no assurance that adverse developments with respect to such risks will not adversely affect our assets that are in or subject to the laws of those countries or the value or realization of our Investments.

Investments in Emerging Markets and the Asia Pacific Region. Although not our primary strategy, a portion of our capital may be deployed in emerging market countries, which may heighten the risks described above as emerging markets tend to be more prone to various risks as compared to more developed countries or regions. Risks associated with the following are particularly material in emerging markets: political affairs, corporate governance, judicial independence, political corruption, exchange controls, and changes in rules and regulations and interpretation of them. Accordingly, emerging markets are more volatile and the costs and risks associated with investments in them are generally higher than for investments in other countries.

We expect to invest in companies and assets organized in or subject to the laws of one or more countries in the Asia Pacific region, including countries with emerging economies, which may lack social, political and economic stability. The legal systems of some countries in this region may lack transparency or could limit the protections available to foreign investors, and our Investments may be subject to nationalization and confiscation without fair compensation. In addition, Portfolio Entities located in jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region may be involved in restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings and/or reorganizations that are not subject to laws and regulations that are similar to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and the rights of creditors afforded in the United States and other more developed jurisdictions.

China. In addition to the onshore considerations for investments in China, the increased scrutiny by the SEC of companies listing publicly in the United States that have a nexus or are otherwise associated with China-based operating companies will likely limit the availability of listing such companies in the United States as a potential exit strategy. The SEC has indicated that such increased scrutiny will focus on the relationship between the entity that is to be listed in the United States and such China-based operating company, particularly around the lack of actual equity ownership in such China-based operating company, uncertainty around changes in applicable regulations by the relevant Chinese authorities (which may be a result of sudden shifts in policy by the government of China) and information around receipt or denial of permission from the relevant Chinese authorities to list such entity in the United States. In addition, the Chinese government recently proposed rules that would require Chinese tech companies that hold data on over one million users to apply for special cybersecurity approval before pursuing an overseas listing. In any event, even if such companies are listed in the United States, if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is unable to inspect such publicly listed company’s public accounting firm for three consecutive years, such company may be delisted as a result.

India. India is an exchange controlled economy. Foreign investments in India, through certain investment routes, are subject to regulations that set out valuation guidelines for the sale and purchase of shares and other securities in India which could restrict the foreign investor’s ability to earn agreed investment returns. Acquisition of voting rights, equity shares or control of listed Indian companies beyond certain specified thresholds would require the acquirer to make an open offer to purchase the shares of other existing shareholders subject to and in accordance with applicable regulations. Certain types of mergers and amalgamations of companies may require sanction of the appropriate authorities in India, such as the National Company Law Tribunal or the ‘Regional Director’, thus causing delays and uncertainty to completing transactions. Furthermore, while foreign investment in India is prohibited in certain sectors (such as the lottery business, gambling, etc.), foreign investment is permitted only up to a specific percentage threshold in certain other sectors, or subject to prior approval of the Government of India and/or may have certain foreign investment linked conditions. The restricted ability of foreign investors to directly hold assets in India could decrease our flexibility in structuring transactions, increase costs, and foreclose otherwise advantageous investment opportunities. On April 22, 2020, the Ministry of Finance notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Amendment Rules, 2020 (“Press Note 3”) which states that any foreign investment by or from an entity of any country which shares its land border with India or where the beneficial owner of an investment into India is situated in, or is a citizen

 

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of, any country which shares its land border with India, can only be made with prior approval of the Government of India. To date, the Government of India or RBI has not provided further clarity on what precise ownership percentages would constitute beneficial ownership. As such, there is significant uncertainty of the impact on Investments with Press Note 3.

Chinese Growth Slowdown; Chinese Economy. China is the world’s largest economy (measured based on purchasing power parity), and the largest trading partner for many countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia and Korea. The Chinese government has in recent years implemented a number of measures to control financial risks which may adversely affect the rate of economic growth, including by raising interest rates and adjusting deposit reserve ratios for commercial banks, and through other measures designed to tighten credit and liquidity. A slowing of China’s GDP growth rate could have a systemic impact on the global economy, including throughout the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore, in response to China’s slowing GDP growth rates that began in 2011, the Chinese government has implemented stimulus measures but the overall impact of such measures remains uncertain. In addition, Chinese stock markets experienced high levels of volatility and a serious collapse in recent years, including the Shanghai Composite Index falling by approximately 30% in less than a month in 2015. A slower, or especially negative, Chinese GDP growth, could have spillover effects in many countries in the Asia Pacific region and globally. These spillover effects may have a material negative impact on our ability to source and execute new investment opportunities and may cause impairment to or losses in our investment portfolio.

The Chinese economy differs from the economies of more developed countries in many respects, including the extent of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the Chinese government has implemented measures since the late 1970s emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of the productive assets in China is still owned by the Chinese government. In addition, the Chinese government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The Chinese government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth by allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. In the past, certain measures, including interest rate increases and certain economic reforms, had the effect of slowing down economic growth in China. Recent debt default by Chinese real estate companies may also have a spillover effect on the financial industry in China, which could also result in a systemic impact on the global economy.

Bankruptcy. We will, both directly and through Portfolio Entities, be a borrower, and we could be a creditor through debt or other structured Investments that we may hold. Bankruptcy laws may delay our ability to realize on collateral for debt held by it, or may adversely affect the priority of debt through equitable subordination and other rules. In addition, a borrower may be involved in restructurings, insolvency proceedings or reorganizations under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and the laws and regulations of one or more jurisdictions that may or may not be similar to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Certain non-U.S. bankruptcy laws and regulations may provide inferior protections to creditors than in the U.S. bankruptcy laws and regulations. U.S. and certain non-U.S. bankruptcy laws may result in a restructuring of debt without the creditor’s consent under the “cramdown” provisions of applicable bankruptcy laws and may result in a discharge of all or part of a debt Investment that we hold without payment to us. On the other hand, we as a borrower may be adversely affected by bankruptcy or other similar proceedings initiated against us or a Portfolio Entity; we may not be able to restructure our own debt and instead be forced to sell assets to repay debt, including at inopportune moments, due to laws that afford creditors rights. To the extent such laws and regulations do not provide us with equivalent rights and privileges necessary to promote and protect our interest in any such proceeding, our Investments in any such Portfolio Entity may be adversely affected. While the Sponsor intends, where deemed appropriate, to manage our Fund in a manner that will minimize exposure to the foregoing risks (although the Sponsor is not under any obligation to hedge currency risks), there can be no assurance that adverse developments with respect to such risks will not adversely affect our Investments that are in or subject to the laws of those countries.

 

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RISKS RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

Nature of Our Investments Generally. Investment in infrastructure assets and infrastructure-related securities or instruments, properties and other assets involves many relatively unique and acute risks. Project revenues can be affected by a number of factors, including economic and market conditions, political events, competition, regulation and the financial position and business strategy of customers. Unanticipated changes in the availability or price of inputs necessary for the operation of infrastructure assets may adversely affect the overall profitability of the Investment or related project. Events outside the control of a Portfolio Entity, such as political action, governmental regulation, demographic changes, economic conditions, increasing fuel prices, government macroeconomic policies, political events, toll rates, social stability, competition from untolled or other forms of transportation, natural disasters (such as fire, floods, earthquakes and typhoons), changes in weather, epidemics/pandemics, changes in demand for products or services, bankruptcy, or financial difficulty of a major customer and acts of war or terrorism and other unforeseen circumstances and incidents, could significantly reduce the revenues generated or significantly increase the expense of constructing, operating, maintaining or restoring infrastructure facilities. In turn, this may impair a Portfolio Entity’s ability to repay its debt, make distributions to us or even result in termination of an applicable concession or other agreement. As a general matter, the operation and maintenance of infrastructure assets or businesses and infrastructure-related securities, properties and other assets involve various risks and are subject to substantial regulation (as described below), many of which may not be under the control of the owner/operator, including labor issues, failure of technology to perform as anticipated, structural failures and accidents and the need to comply with the directives of government authorities.

To help mitigate such risks, we will seek to make infrastructure investments principally in the “Core+” or “Core” space in businesses or projects that typically have some or all of the following investment characteristics: regulated or substantially contracted revenue streams; immediate access to cash yield; long-term expected hold periods; limited demand or usage risk, or usage risk driven primarily by favorable demographic factors; a low level of exposure to market competition due to natural monopoly characteristics, government regulation or contractual protections, natural geographic restrictions or high capital investment costs; businesses, securities, properties or other assets that provide essential services that are less dependent on market conditions; investments that exhibit barriers to entry or completion, investments in long-life real assets; investments that can be financed with long-term, fixed rate debt (often investment grade); investments that exhibit stable cash flows and relatively high cash distributions; and investments with potential opportunities for exit. Whether and to what extent such characteristics exist with respect to a Portfolio Entity is a matter of opinion and judgment, which may prove incorrect. While such characteristics are expected to help mitigate the risks associated with the Investments, there can be no assurance that perceived or expected mitigating characteristics associated with the Investments will be achieved or realized, and the our Investments may not exhibit the forgoing characteristics. We may invest in any type of infrastructure investments (including infrastructure-related “opportunistic” investments), which may differ in form and structure (and may not have the characteristics described above) on a case-by-case basis, as the Sponsor may determine are appropriate for us in a given context based on prevailing economic and market conditions and other factors deemed relevant by the Sponsor. In particular, we expect to participate alongside Other Blackstone Accounts in certain opportunistic infrastructure-related investments. While we expect that such investments will, over time, become less opportunistic, opportunistic investments inherently carry a higher degree of risk when compared to Core or Core+ investments and there is no guarantee that such investments will be successful or that we will not be adversely affected by such investments.

Additionally, although Portfolio Entities may maintain insurance to protect against certain risks, where available on reasonable commercial terms (such as business interruption insurance that is intended to partially or completely offset loss of revenues during an operational interruption), such insurance is subject to customary deductibles and coverage limits and may not be sufficient to recoup all of a Portfolio Entity’s losses. Furthermore, once infrastructure assets of Investments become operational, they may face competition from other infrastructure assets in the vicinity of the assets they operate, the presence of which depends in part on governmental plans and policies.

 

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Governmental & Regulatory Risks Generally. Infrastructure investments are subject to substantial government regulation and governments have considerable discretion to implement regulations that could affect the business of infrastructure investing. In many instances, the operation or acquisition of infrastructure assets involves an ongoing commitment to or from a governmental agency, and the operation of infrastructure assets often relies on government permits, licenses, concessions, leases or contracts. The nature of these obligations and dependencies expose the owners of infrastructure assets to a higher level of regulatory control or impact than is typically imposed on other businesses, resulting in government entities having significant influence over such owners and entities.

Where a Portfolio Entity holds a concession or lease from the government, the concession or lease may restrict the Portfolio Entity’s ability to operate the business in a way that maximizes cash flows and profitability. The lease or concession may also contain clauses more favorable to the government counterparty than a typical commercial contract. For instance, the lease or concession may enable the government to terminate the lease or concession in certain circumstances without requiring payment of adequate compensation.

In addition, governmental entities may exercise their discretion to change or increase regulation of the operations of Portfolio Entities or to implement laws, regulations, or policies affecting their operations, separate from any contractual rights that the government counterparties may have, in a manner that causes delays or adversely affects the operation of the business of such Portfolio Entities and/or our ability to effectively achieve our investment objectives. See also “—CFIUS and other Similar Non-U.S. Investment Regimes” herein.

Furthermore, the Investments may become subject to condemnation, seizure, eminent domain or other similar actions by governmental authorities. Such an action could have a material adverse effect on the financial viability and marketability of the Investments and there can be no assurance that we will have, or be able to effectively enforce, any rights to prevent such action. In addition, we may not be able to anticipate and/or insure against any such losses of property and ultimately may not receive adequate or timely compensation for the cost of its investment and any improvements or other costs relating thereto.

Energy and Natural Resources Regulatory Risk. The energy and natural resource sectors are subject to comprehensive United States and non-U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations. Present, as well as future, statutes and regulations could cause additional expenditures, decreased revenues, restrictions and delays that could materially and adversely affect the Investments and our prospects. There can be no assurance that (i) existing regulations applicable to Investments generally or the Portfolio Entities will not be revised or reinterpreted, (ii) new laws and regulations will not be adopted or become applicable to Portfolio Entities, (iii) the technology, equipment, processes and procedures selected by Portfolio Entities to comply with current and future regulatory requirements will meet such requirements, (iv) such Portfolio Entities’ business and financial conditions will not be materially and adversely affected by such future changes in, or reinterpretation of, laws and regulations (including the possible loss of exemptions from laws and regulations) or any failure to comply with such current and future laws and regulations or (v) regulatory agencies or other third parties will not bring enforcement actions in which they disagree with regulatory decisions made by other regulatory agencies. In addition, in many instances, the operation or acquisition of energy infrastructure assets may involve an ongoing commitment to or from a government agency. The nature of these obligations exposes the owners of infrastructure investments to a higher level of regulatory control than that typically imposed on other businesses. See also “—Regulatory Approvals/Consents” herein.

Regulatory changes in a jurisdiction where a project or Portfolio Entity is located or operates may make the continued operation of such project or company unfeasible or economically disadvantageous and any expenditures made to date with respect to such Investment may be wholly or partially written off. The location of a project or Portfolio Entity may also be subject to government exercise of eminent domain power, expropriation or similar events. Similarly, regulatory differences between jurisdictions where a project or Portfolio Entity is located or operates may make the commencement and/or continued operation of a project or company in a particular jurisdiction less feasible and/or less profitable than projects in other jurisdictions. Our and/or our

 

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Portfolio Entities inability to obtain and maintain regulatory permits or right-of-way or rental agreements on acceptable terms could adversely impact us and/or our Portfolio Entities, including by impeding their ability to complete construction projects on time, on budget, or at all. Any of these factors could significantly increase the regulatory-related compliance and other expenses incurred with respect to Investments and could significantly reduce or entirely eliminate any potential revenues generated by one or more of the Investments, which could materially and adversely affect returns to us.

Governmental Budgetary Constraints; Reforms. The success of public infrastructure projects is often dependent on governmental funding or subsidies. Governments typically have considerable discretion in determining the amount of funding or subsidies to allocate to such public infrastructure projects. Lack of governmental funding or subsidies due to governmental budgetary constraints could adversely impact the overall development and availability of public infrastructure projects, result in privatization of certain types of assets and / or otherwise result in an increase in competition among other providers of capital (e.g., private infrastructure investors) for such infrastructure assets, which may make it more difficult for us to effectively consummate investments in or relating to such infrastructure projects. Despite ongoing underinvestment in infrastructure in target geographies, the government may elect not to fund such underinvestment with private capital. Alternatively, our success will also be driven in part, by its ability to source and invest in private infrastructure projects. The availability of such private infrastructure projects may be highly dependent on governmental determinations to continue with, or implement, announced reforms regarding the means by which infrastructure construction is regulated or financed. As such, there can be no assurance that such private infrastructure projects will be available for investment on terms which we deem favorable.

Regulatory Approvals/Consents. We may not receive the initial regulatory approval or license needed to acquire or otherwise operate an Investment, including after substantial costs have been incurred pursuing such Investment. Additional or unanticipated regulatory approvals, including, without limitation, renewals, extensions, transfers, assignments, reissuances or similar actions, may be required to acquire or operate infrastructure assets, and additional approvals may become applicable in the future due to a change in laws and regulations, a change in the Portfolio Entity’s customer(s), change in investor composition in us or for other reasons. Furthermore, permits or special rulings may be required on taxation, financial and regulatory related issues. Additionally, a Portfolio Entity could be materially and adversely affected as a result of statutory or regulatory changes or judicial or administrative interpretations of existing laws and regulations that impose more comprehensive or stringent requirements on such company. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio Entity will be able to (i) obtain all required regulatory approvals that it does not yet have or that it may require in the future, (ii) obtain any necessary modifications to existing regulatory approvals or (iii) maintain required regulatory approvals. Delay in obtaining or failure to obtain and maintain in full force and effect any regulatory approvals, or amendments thereto, or delay or failure to satisfy any regulatory conditions or other applicable requirements could prevent operation of a facility or sales to third parties or could result in additional costs to a Portfolio Entity and us.

A Portfolio Entity’s operations may rely on government licenses, concessions, leases or contracts that are generally complex and may result in a dispute over interpretation or enforceability. Even though most permits and licenses are obtained prior to the commencement of full project operations, many of these licenses and permits are required to be maintained over the project’s life. If a Portfolio Entity fails to comply with these regulations or contractual obligations, it could be subject to monetary penalties or we may lose its right to operate the affected Portfolio Entity, or both.

Governments and other regulators may impose conditions on the operations and activities of Portfolio Entities as a condition to granting its approval or to satisfy regulatory requirements. These conditions, which may be statutory in nature or may be tailored to a particular project, may affect revenues and limit or provide a disincentive for Portfolio Entities to invest in competing industries or to acquire anticompetitive market power in a particular market. The relevant governmental agency may impose conditions of ongoing ownership or equivalent restrictions on us in respect of the underlying infrastructure assets. This may include a requirement

 

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and/or restrictions that may limit our ability to admit new investors to the Fund, satisfy repurchase requests, consent to transfers of Units, dispose of Investments at opportune times or require that such assets remain managed by Blackstone.

Zoning, Siting and Permitting Risks. We and our Portfolio Entities may have exposure to assets that are subject to zoning, siting, permitting and other requirements, which may be time-consuming, burdensome and costly, and may subject us and our Portfolio Entities to governmental and public scrutiny. Zoning and permitting processes vary depending on the nature and location of the assets in question and, depending on the asset and activity to be conducted, the approval of multiple federal, state, local and other authorities may be required. Obtaining these approvals may be outside of our control. In addition, zoning, siting and permitting processes often face local opposition and may be challenged by a number of parties, including non-governmental organizations and special interest groups based on alleged security concerns, broad environmental or social impact, disturbances to natural habitats for wildlife and adverse aesthetic impacts. Beyond the time-consuming process of applying for the necessary permits, we and our Portfolio Entities may be required to undergo public hearings at which local communities will decide whether or not to grant the proper land use designations. Highly motivated citizens in many local communities often oppose plans to develop new properties or to expand existing properties, in many cases demonstrating the “Not in My Backyard” phenomenon. Such factors could make it difficult to develop new development sites and to expand existing assets. The failure to receive, renew or maintain any required permits or approvals may result in the loss of project development-related investments, increased compliance costs, the need for additional capital expenditures or a suspension or termination of a Portfolio Entity’s operations.

Political and Societal Challenges. Large-scale infrastructure projects may be particularly susceptible to political and societal challenges, which may, in turn, affect a project’s ability to receive, renew or maintain required permits or approvals and may result in increased compliance costs, the need for additional capital expenditures or a suspension or termination of project operations. For example, proposals to site a particular infrastructure project, such as a bridge, airport or energy plant, or engage in activities relating to a project, such as construction activities in a particular location, may be challenged by a number of parties, including non-governmental organizations and special interest groups based on alleged security concerns, disturbances to natural habitats for wildlife and adverse aesthetic impacts. Concerns can also arise regarding some of the techniques used in the extraction of natural resources relating to an infrastructure project, such as the extraction of shale gas in order to enhance recovery, such as the use of natural gas hydraulic fracturing (also known as “fracking”), which may require governmental permits or approvals and which have recently been the subject of heightened environmental concerns and public opposition in some jurisdictions.

Governmental Action Risk. Our Investments may become subject to nationalization, condemnation, seizure, eminent domain or other similar actions by governmental authorities. Such an action could have a material adverse effect on the financial viability and marketability of our Investment and there can be no assurance that we will have, or be able to effectively enforce, any rights to prevent such action. In addition, we may not be able to anticipate and/or insure against any such losses of property and ultimately may not receive adequate or timely compensation for the cost of our Investment and any improvements or other costs relating thereto.

Volatility of Commodity Prices. The performance of certain of the Investments may be substantially dependent upon prevailing prices of oil, natural gas, coal, metals (including rare earths) and other commodities, and the differential between prices of specific commodities that are a primary factor in the profitability of certain conversion activities such as petroleum refining (“crack spread”) and power generation (“spark spread”). For example, the operation and cash flows of certain Investments may depend, in some cases to a significant extent, upon prevailing or improving market prices for energy and other commodities. Commodity prices have been, and may in the future be, volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to uncertain market factors that are beyond the control of the Sponsor, including (i) relatively minor changes in the supply of and demand for such commodities; (ii) market uncertainty and the condition of various economies (including interest rates, levels of economic activity, the price of securities and the participation by other investors in the financial markets);

 

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(iii) political conditions in international commodity producing regions; (iv) the extent of domestic production and importation of oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, coal or metals in certain relevant markets; (v) the foreign supply of oil, natural gas and metals; (vi) the price of foreign imports; (vii) the price and availability of alternative fuels; (viii) the level of consumer demand; (ix) the price of steel and the outlook for steel production; (x) weather conditions; (xi) the competitive position of energy-related commodities as compared with other energy sources; (xii) the industry-wide refining or processing capacity for energy-related commodities; (xiii) weather conditions; (xiv) the effect of U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state and local regulation on the production, transportation and sale of commodities; (xv) overall economic conditions; (xix) the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies; (xx) the impact of federal, state and local policies on various forms of power generation facilities (including both renewable and conventional) and battery storage; (xxi) terrorist acts and the impact of military and other action; and (xxii) a variety of additional factors that are beyond the control of the Sponsor. These factors may affect the level and volatility of commodities prices and the liquidity of the Investments, as evidenced by oil price shocks resulting from disputes among members of OPEC, which could impair our performance or result in losses, potentially materially.

Demand/Usage Risk. Demand, usage and throughput risk can affect the performance of infrastructure assets. Demand, usage and throughput depend on, and may be affected by, a wide variety of factors, such as demographic changes, economic conditions, fuel prices, government macroeconomic and environmental policies and regulation, tolls, tariffs, other usage or throughput-related fees, social stability, political or local opposition, technical obsolescence, competition from untolled or other forms of transportation, acts of God, war, terrorism, changes in demand for products or services, slower than projected construction progress and adverse weather conditions. To the extent that our assumptions regarding demand, usage and throughput prove incorrect, our returns could be adversely affected. Some investments may be subject to seasonal variations, including greater revenues and profitability during different seasons of the year. Accordingly, our operating results for any particular investment in any particular quarter may not be indicative of the results that can be expected for that investment throughout the year.

Rate Regulation. Infrastructure assets may be subject to rate regulation because of their unique position as the sole or predominant provider of services that are essential to the community. As a result, Portfolio Entities might be subject to unfavorable price regulation by government agencies, which could adversely affect the overall profitability of any particular infrastructure project subject to such rate regulation. For instance, some Portfolio Entities may derive substantially all their revenues from collecting tolls from vehicles using roads, tunnels or bridges or from fares relating to subways or other forms of public transportation.

Toll rates are typically set by the relevant concession company and the relevant government entity. Adverse public opinion, socioeconomic changes and/or lobbying efforts by specific interest groups, could result in governmental pressure on Investments to reduce their toll rates, or to forego planned rate increases. The relevant government entities may seek to limit our ability to increase, or may seek to reduce, toll rates and fares as a result of factors such as general economic conditions in the country, negative consumer perceptions, the prevailing rate of inflation, traffic volume and general public sentiment. If public pressure and/or government action forces Portfolio Entities to restrict their toll rate increases or reduce their toll rates, and they are not able to secure adequate compensation to restore the economic balance of the relevant concession agreement, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Portfolio Entities may be subject to rate regulation that determines or limits the prices it may charge, particularly if the Portfolio Entity is the sole or predominant service provider in its service area or provides services that are essential to the community. In addition, Portfolio Entities may be subject to unfavorable price determinations that may be final with no right of appeal or that, despite a right of appeal, could result in its profits being negatively affected and Investments not meeting initial return expectations.

Purchases from Distressed Developers or Owners. A portion of our investment strategy includes potentially purchasing infrastructure and infrastructure-related assets from financially distressed developers or

 

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owners, which may include government sponsored and/or managed assets. In certain circumstances, the competition for such investment opportunities may be particularly acute to the extent such assets are provided for sale in connection with auction proceedings being conducted by a court in accordance with local bankruptcy proceedings. In such bankruptcy court-supervised auctions, we may incur significant expenses identifying, investigating and attempting to acquire potential investments which are ultimately not consummated, including expenses relating to due diligence, transportation, extended competitive bidding processes, legal expenses and the fees of other third-party advisors. The inability to consummate any such transactions and the incurrence of broken deal expenses with any such transactions not consummated may adversely affect our investment performance.

Investments Acquired from Financial Institutions. We may acquire investments previously held by financial institutions, which involve specific risks. The financial institution that sold the investment could become insolvent, experience serious financial difficulty, or cease to exist, which may have a negative impact on the investment and us. Furthermore, if the financial institution that originated the investment inappropriately exercised control over the management and policies of a debtor, the related note acquired by us may be subordinated to other claims or disallowed, or we may be found liable for damages suffered by parties as a result of the actions taken by the financial institution. In addition, under certain circumstances under U.S. law, payments to us and distributions by us to the Unitholders may be required to be returned if any such payment or distribution is later determined to have been a fraudulent conveyance or a preferential payment. Non-U.S. jurisdictions may present analogous or different credit issues.

Operations and Maintenance Risk. As a general matter, the operation and maintenance of infrastructure assets involve significant capital expenditures and various risks, many of which may not be under the control of the owner/operator, including labor issues, political or local opposition, failure of technology to perform as anticipated, technical obsolescence, increasing fuel prices, structural failures and accidents, environment-related issues, counterparty non-performance and the need to comply with the directives of government authorities. Optional or mandatory improvements, upgrades or rehabilitation of infrastructure assets may cause delays or result in closures or other disruptions subjecting the Investment to various risks including lower revenues. The operations of infrastructure projects are exposed to unplanned interruptions caused by significant catastrophic events, such as cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, floods, explosions, fires, terrorist attacks, major plant breakdowns, pipeline, or electricity line ruptures or other disasters. Operational disruption and capital expenditures relating thereto, as well as supply disruption, could adversely impact the cash flows available from these assets. In addition, the cost of repairing or replacing damaged assets could be considerable. Repeated or prolonged interruption may result in permanent loss of customers, substantial litigation, or penalties for regulatory or contractual non-compliance. Moreover, any loss from such events may not be recoverable under relevant insurance policies. Business interruption insurance is not always available, or economic, to protect the business from these risks.

Health and Safety Risk. The employees and staff of infrastructure assets and businesses are exposed to health and safety risks that could result in death, permanent disability or other serious injury that may disrupt the operations of Investments, lead to economic loss, litigation or penalties for regulatory or contractual non-compliance, and may also adversely impact the reputation of Investments, us, our Portfolio Entities and Unitholders . Moreover, any loss from such events may not be recoverable under relevant insurance policies.

Construction Risk. In connection with any new development project (i.e., a “greenfield” project), expansion of a facility or acquisition of a facility in late-stage development, a Portfolio Entity may also face construction risks typical for infrastructure businesses, including, without limitation, (i) labor disputes, shortages of material and skilled labor or work stoppages, (ii) slower than projected construction progress and the unavailability or late delivery of necessary equipment, (iii) less than optimal coordination with public utilities in the relocation of their facilities, (iv) adverse weather conditions and unexpected construction conditions, (v) accidents or the breakdown or failure of construction equipment or processes and (vi) catastrophic events such as explosions, fires and terrorist activities and other similar events beyond our control. These risks could result in substantial

 

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unanticipated delays or expenses and, under certain circumstances, could prevent completion of construction activities once undertaken, any of which could have an adverse effect on us. Construction costs may exceed estimates for various reasons, including inaccurate engineering and planning, labor and building material costs in excess of expectations and unanticipated problems with project start-up. In certain circumstances, joint venture partners or other local agents may cause or otherwise impact such delays and/or costs (which, for the avoidance of doubt, such costs can be expected to be covered by us). Delays in project completion can result in an increase in total project construction costs through higher capitalized interest charges and additional labor and material expenses and, consequently, an increase in debt, service costs and insufficient funds to complete construction. Delays may also result in an adverse effect on the scheduled flow of project revenues necessary to cover the scheduled operations phase debt service costs, lost opportunities, increased operations and maintenance expenses, and damage payments for late delivery. Investments under development or Investments acquired to be developed may receive little or no cash flow from the date of acquisition through the date of completion of development and may experience operating deficits after the date of completion. In addition, market conditions may change during the course of development that make such development less attractive than at the time it was commenced. In addition, there are risks inherent in the construction work that may give rise to claims or demands against a Portfolio Entity from time to time.

Development Risk. Successful development of new or expansion investment projects, including infrastructure-related “opportunistic” investments, will likely require the involvement of a broad and diverse group of stakeholders that will directly influence, or potentially be capable of influencing, the nature and outcome of such investment projects. Some of the various stakeholders may include, without limitation, political or local opposition parties, regulatory or other governmental authorities and non-governmental organizations and special interest groups. Such stakeholders could influence the approval process for, among other things, certain permits, site or land procurement and environmental assessment studies. Furthermore, additional risks around construction delays, labor disputes, counterparty non-performance, project feasibility assessment, and dealings with and reliance on third-party consultants could negatively impact our investments. Additionally, certain development projects inherently carry a higher degree of risk when compared to Core or Core+ investments and there is no guarantee that such investments will be successful or that we will not be adversely affected by such investments. See “—Nature of Our Investments Generally” herein. When making an Investment, value may be ascribed to potential development projects that do not achieve successful implementation, potentially resulting in a lower than expected returns to us.

Interest Groups & Legal Risk. Infrastructure assets, businesses and projects often involve a significant impact on local communities and the surrounding environment. It is not uncommon for infrastructure assets to be exposed to a variety of legal risks including, but not limited to, legal action from special interest groups. For example, interest groups may use legal processes to seek to impede particular projects to which they are opposed. See “—Broken Deal Expenses” herein.

Real Estate Risks Generally. We may make Investments in or relating to real estate, including investments in commercial real estate development projects, commercial properties, residential real estate and/or real estate-related debt investments. As such, some of the Investments will be subject to the risks inherent in the ownership and operation of real estate and real estate-related businesses and assets. Deterioration of real estate fundamentals generally, and in the U.S. and Canada in particular, would negatively impact our performance. These risks include, but are not limited to, those associated with the burdens of ownership of real property, general and local economic conditions, changes in environmental and zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, decreases in asset values, changes in the appeal of assets to tenants, changes in supply of and demand for competing assets in an area (as a result, for instance, of overbuilding), fluctuations in the average occupancy, operating income and room rates for hotel assets, the financial resources of tenants, changes in availability of debt financing which may render the sale or refinancing of investments difficult or impracticable, changes in building, environmental and other laws, energy and supply shortages, various uninsured or uninsurable risks, natural disasters, political events, changes in government regulations (such as rent control), changes in real property tax rates and operating expenses, changes in interest rates, and the availability of

 

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mortgage funds, which may render the sale or refinancing of investments difficult or impracticable, increased mortgage defaults, increases in borrowing rates, negative developments in the economy or political climate that depress travel activity, environmental liabilities, contingent liabilities on disposition of assets, acts of God, terrorist attacks, war and other factors that are beyond the control of the Sponsor. In addition, in acquiring an asset or stock, we may agree to lock-out provisions that materially restrict it from selling that asset or stock for a period of time or that impose other restrictions, such as a limitation on the amount of debt that can be placed on that asset. There can be no assurance that there will be a ready market for the resale of Investments. Illiquidity may result from the absence of an established market for Investments or a disruption in the market.

Real Estate Title. Certain Investments may require large areas of land to install and operate their equipment and associated infrastructure. Disputes over ownership of land sometimes occur. In certain jurisdictions such as the United States, title insurance is readily available to cover this risk, though typical exclusions from policies may render them ineffective in certain cases. Alternatively, we could rely on opinions of title from lawyers or other professionals, which may prove inaccurate. Furthermore, in some jurisdictions, certain social groups may have claims against property that otherwise appears to be properly entitled in the real estate registries, which may encumber title of property acquired by us or our Portfolio Entities. In other jurisdictions, the real estate registry commonly does not reflect the true holder of the real estate title, which complicates title research and may result in title problems. Finally, in some jurisdictions, a purchase of real property can be attacked as not meeting “true sale” requirements and recharacterized as secured financing in the event the seller becomes insolvent. If any of these events occurs in relation to any of our interests or properties, we could lose value or certain of its rights in relation thereto.

Documentation and Other Legal Risk. Infrastructure investments are typically governed by other complex legal agreements. As a result, there is a higher risk of dispute over interpretation or enforceability of the agreements.

Technical Risk. Investments in the infrastructure industry may be subject to technical risks, including the risk of mechanical breakdown, spare parts shortages, failure to perform according to design specifications and other unanticipated events that adversely affect operations. While we intend to seek Investments in which creditworthy and appropriately bonded and insured third parties bear much of these risks, there can be no assurance that any or all such risks can be mitigated or that such parties, if present, will perform their obligations.

Investments in the Transportation Sector. We expect to make investments in infrastructure opportunities relating to the transportation sector, which may include investments relating to airports, toll roads, bridges and tunnels, port terminals, railroads, municipal transport, parking facilities and other public or private transportation-related infrastructure investments. Our ability to make attractive transportation-related infrastructure investments may be subject to a variety of considerations, including general supply / demand trends, overall economic development and growth in the jurisdictions in which we may make investments, general market conditions, socioeconomic changes and changes relating to governmental spending, regulation and related policies. Any adverse or unexpected changes in such conditions, such as a prolonged economic downturn or increased regulatory scrutiny, could adversely affect our ability to consummate attractive transportation-related infrastructure investments and / or the performance of any Investments in the transportation sector.

Investments in the Digital Infrastructure Sector. We expect to make investments in the digital infrastructure sector (e.g., media broadcasting assets, cellular and other similar investments) or in other businesses that are dependent on the demand for mobile and internet infrastructure, including data centers, macro cell towers, fiber networks and small cell networks. Investment opportunities in the digital infrastructure sector are driven largely by consumer demand, technological advances and improvements in data collection and storage. Changes in the development and proliferation of new technologies (including improvements in the efficiency, architecture, and design of wireless or cloud networks), data transmission and / or consumer demand, as well as changes in the prevailing global economy, may adversely affect our ability to identify and consummate

 

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attractive investments in the digital infrastructure sector. The digital infrastructure sector is increasingly subject to regulatory oversight and scrutiny (including the potential need for government issued licenses, permits or otherwise) which can be expected to influence our investment opportunities.

Demand for and Return Profile of Digital Infrastructure. We may invest in businesses that are dependent on the demand for digital infrastructure, including data centers, macro cell towers, consumer and enterprise fiber networks, small cell networks, distributed antenna systems (“DAS”) and other related assets and businesses, which may include, but not be limited to, digital billboards, indoor CBRS infrastructure, cable systems, satellites and subsea cables. The revenue of digital infrastructure businesses is often supported by rapidly increasing consumer or enterprise demand and may be adversely affected by any slowdown in such demand growth; however, consumer and enterprise demand growth is generally dependent on factors that are primarily outside our control. Technological advances and improvements in data collection and storage, changes in the development and proliferation of new technologies (including improvements in the efficiency, architecture and design of wireless or cloud), data transmission and/or consumer demand, as well as changes in the prevailing global economy or the amount of capital being invested in digital infrastructure and the associated impact on development yields and overall pricing, may reduce current and/or anticipated demand or returns for digital infrastructure, and may adversely affect our ability to identify and consummate attractive digital infrastructure-related investments.

Investments in the Energy Sector. The operations of energy companies are subject to many risks inherent in the producing, transporting, processing, storing, distributing, or marketing of electricity, natural gas, natural gas liquids, hydrogen, crude oil, coal, refined petroleum products or other hydrocarbons, or in the exploring, managing or producing of such commodities, including, without limitation: damage to pipelines, transmission lines, storage tanks or related equipment and surrounding properties caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires and other natural disasters or by acts of terrorism (including cyber sabotage or similar attacks); inadvertent damage from construction and other equipment; leaks of natural gas, natural gas liquids, hydrogen, crude oil, refined petroleum products or other hydrocarbons; and fires and explosions. These risks could result in substantial losses due to personal injury or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment and pollution or other environmental damage, and may result in the curtailment or suspension of their related operations, any and all of which could result in lower than expected returns to us. See also “—Cyber Security Breaches, Identity Theft, Denial of Service Attacks, Ransomware Attacks, and Social Engineering Attempts” herein.

Hydrologic Events Risk. We may invest in hydropower assets and projects. There can be no assurance that the long-term historical water availability will remain unchanged or that no material hydrologic event will impact the conditions and amount of water flow in the rivers on which any such investments are located. Annual deviations in water availability from the long-term average and periods of relatively inactive hydrological conditions may constrain such investments’ overall level of power generation and adversely impact their revenues and cash flows.

Weather and Climatological Risks – Energy Companies. Certain energy companies may be particularly sensitive to weather and climate conditions. For example, solar power generators rely on the frequency and intensity of sunlight, wind turbines rely on the frequency and intensity of the wind, hydro power generators may depend on precipitation-driven water flows, and companies focused on biomass rely on the production of crops, which can be adversely affected by droughts and other weather conditions. Furthermore, climate change may cause more extreme weather conditions and increased volatility in seasonal temperatures. Extreme weather conditions can interfere with operations and increase operating costs, and damage resulting from extreme weather may not be fully insured. See also “—Weather and Climatological Risks” above.

Reductions in precipitation levels, wind or sunlight could materially adversely affect the revenues and cash flows of renewable energy-related assets that depend on the capture of waterflow, wind or sunlight to derive revenues. If such reductions are significant, any such assets could be rendered inoperable. Conversely, significant

 

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increases in precipitation or wind velocity could cause damage to such assets or create periods when such assets are not able to function. In the event that climate change causes sea levels to rise, certain Portfolio Entities might be forced to incur expenses to prevent infrastructure assets from being damaged or rendered unusable by such rising sea levels. Moreover, if pressure from stakeholders continues, various regulatory agencies might enact more restrictive environmental regulations. These more restrictive regulations could materially impact the revenues and expenses of a portfolio company.

Logistics Investments. We may invest in logistics assets in connection with infrastructure investments (including storage and warehouse facilities and distribution centers), which subjects us to particular economic and operating risks. These risks relate to supply of and demand for such facilities in the local market, the impact of economic conditions on the local market and the building’s tenants (including such tenants’ products and inventories), tenant quality, diversification and the physical attributes of the building (e.g., age, condition, availability of electricity and/or refrigeration required to store certain products, among others). Declines in demand for the products stored in, or distributed through, such facilities could result in increased vacancies and lower rents, which would adversely affect the value of such assets.

Shipping Investments. We may make Investments in the shipping sector, which may include investments in shipping assets, and other public or private shipping-related investments. Our ability to make attractive shipping-related investments may be subject to a variety of considerations, including general supply/demand trends, overall economic development and growth, general market conditions, socioeconomic changes, and changes relating to governmental spending and related policies. Any adverse or unexpected changes in such conditions could adversely affect our ability to consummate attractive shipping-related investments and/or the performance of any underlying Portfolio Entities in the shipping sector.

Uncertainty of Renewable Energy Market. The market for renewable energy assets and businesses continues to evolve rapidly. Diverse factors, including the cost-effectiveness, performance and reliability of renewable energy technology, changes in weather and climate and availability of government subsidies and incentives, as well as the potential for unforeseeable disruptive technology and innovations, present potential challenges to investments in renewable assets. Renewable resources (e.g., wind, solar, hydro, geothermal) are inherently variable. Variability may arise from site-specific factors, daily and seasonal trends, long-term impact of climatic factors, or other changes to the surrounding environment. Variations in renewable resource levels impact the amount of electricity generated, and therefore cash flow generated, by renewable energy investments. Renewable power generation sources currently benefit from various incentives in the form of feed-in-tariffs, rebates, tax credits, Renewable Portfolio Standard regulations and other incentives. The reduction, elimination or expiration of government subsidies and economic incentives could adversely affect the cash flows and value of a particular portfolio investment, the flow of potential future investment opportunities and the value of any platform in the sector. In addition, the development and operation of renewable assets may at times be subject to public opposition. For example, with respect to the development and operation of wind projects, public concerns and objections often center around the noise generated by wind turbines and the impact such turbines have on wildlife. While public opposition is usually of greatest concern during the development stage of renewable assets, continued opposition could have an impact on ongoing operations.

Regulatory Approvals; Government Support. Investments in infrastructure projects and related businesses and/or assets may face government involvement and various levels of scrutiny in connection with any required approval process. For example, investments in renewable energy currently enjoy support from national, state and local governments and regulatory agencies designed to finance or support the financing development thereof, such as the U.S. federal investment tax credit and federal production tax credit, U.S. Department of the Treasury grants, various renewable and alternative portfolio standard requirements enacted by several states, renewable energy credits and state-level utility programs, such as system benefits charge and customer choice programs. The combined effect of these programs is to subsidize in part the development, ownership and operation of certain renewable energy projects, particularly in an environment where the low cost of fossil fuel may otherwise make the cost of producing energy from renewable sources uneconomic.

 

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There can be no assurance that government support for any particular infrastructure project will continue, that favorable legislation will pass or that the project will continue to qualify for support throughout our investment. The elimination of, or reduction in, government policies that support a particular project could have a material adverse effect on a particular Investment’s financial condition or results of operation. To the extent any tax credits, other favorable tax treatment or other forms of support for a particular type of infrastructure project are changed, the Investments therein may be negatively impacted. In this regard, U.S. tax reform legislation enacted in 2017 (the “Tax Reform Bill”) eliminated the deduction for certain qualified domestic production activities, including the production of electricity, natural gas, and potable water.

Effects of Ongoing Changes in the Utility Industry. We may make certain Investments in utility industries both in the United States and abroad. In many regions, including the United States, the market dynamics of the utility industry may change, primarily in wholesale markets, as a result of consumer demands, technological advances, greater availability of natural gas and other factors. As a result, additional significant competitors could become active in parts of the utility industry. In addition, utility asset owners may find it increasingly difficult to negotiate long-term procurement or sales agreements with counterparties, which may affect our profitability and financial stability. To the extent competitive pressures increase and the pricing and sale of electricity assume more characteristics of a commodity business, the economics of independent power generation projects into which we may invest may come under increasing pressure.

Electricity generation and related infrastructure investments may be subject to extensive non-U.S. and U.S. federal, state and local energy laws and regulations in the U.S. and other jurisdictions where Portfolio Entities are located, including without limitation, in the U.S. the Federal Power Act (“FPA”), the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. Changes in applicable energy laws or regulations, or in the interpretations or administration of these laws and regulations, could result in increased compliance costs, reduced revenues and/or the need for additional capital expenditures. If a Portfolio Entity fails to comply with these requirements, it could also be subject to civil or criminal liability and the imposition of fines.

Under the FPA, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) regulates wholesale sales of electricity and the transmission of electricity in interstate commerce by “public utilities” as defined under the FPA and places constraints on the conduct of their business, including, among other things, rate and corporate regulation including ownership and disposition of jurisdictional assets. In addition, state public utility commissions in U.S. states (“PUCs”) have historically had broad authority to regulate both the rates charged by, and the financial activities of, electric utilities that sell electricity at retail and other public utilities that provide utility service to the public such as water utilities and telecommunication service providers, and a number of other matters relating to electric and other public utilities. State laws may also impose certain regulatory and reporting requirements on other owners and operators of generation facilities and other public utilities. Independent power producers are considered to be public utilities in some states and are subject to varying degrees of regulation by PUCs, ranging from a requirement to obtain a “certificate of public convenience and necessity” to regulation of organizational, accounting, financial and other corporate matters. States may assert jurisdiction over the location and construction of electric generating facilities and other public utility facilities, and in certain situations, over the issuance of securities and the sale or other transfer of assets by these facilities. State jurisdictional natural gas transportation and storage rates are also frequently subject to regulation by local PUCs. Similar regulation may also apply in other non-U.S. jurisdictions where Investments are made. In addition, certain policies of FERC or PUCs could reduce revenues of public utilities.

Power Purchase or Other Long-Term Agreement Risk. Portfolio Entities may enter into power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) or other long-term supply agreements. Payments by counterparties to such entities pursuant to their respective PPAs may provide the majority of such entities’ cash flows. There can be no assurance that any or all of the counterparties will fulfill their obligations under their PPAs or other long-term agreements or that a counterparty will not become bankrupt or that upon any such bankruptcy its obligations under its respective PPA or other longterm agreement will not be rejected by a bankruptcy trustee. There are additional

 

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risks relating to the PPAs and other long-term agreements, including the occurrence of events beyond the control of a counterparty that may excuse it from its obligation to accept and pay for delivery or supply of a product created or generated by an entity. The failure of a counterparty to fulfill its obligations under any PPA or other long-term agreement may have a material adverse effect on an Investment.

Waste Management Risks. The waste management industry is subject to extensive and evolving federal, state or provincial and local environmental, health, safety and transportation laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada and various other federal, state, provincial and local environmental, zoning, transportation, land use, health and safety agencies. Many of these agencies regularly examine a Portfolio Entity’s operations to monitor compliance with these laws and regulations and have the power to enforce compliance, obtain injunctions or impose civil or criminal penalties in case of violations. There has been an increase in both the amount of government regulation and the number of enforcement actions being brought by regulatory entities against operations in the waste services industry. There are significant capital expenditures in connection with environmental protection measures, including compliance with federal, state or provincial and local rules. There are costs associated with siting, design, permitting, operations, monitoring, site maintenance, corrective actions, financial assurance and facility closure and post-closure obligations. The acquisition, development or expansion of a waste management or disposal facility or transfer station involves considerable time, effort and cost to obtain or maintain required permits and approvals. There are no assurances that the Portfolio Entity will be able to obtain or maintain required governmental approvals. Once obtained, operating permits are subject to renewal, modification, suspension or revocation by the issuing agency. Compliance with current and future requirements may require significant capital and operating expenditures. Advancements in disposal alternatives, and developments that result in waste reduction or changes in waste streams, may adversely affect a Portfolio Entity engaged in waste management.

Implementation of Business Plans and Growth Initiatives. In certain cases, the performance of the Investments will be dependent upon the Sponsor’s ability to successfully implement and execute its business plans and growth initiatives. There can be no assurance that the Sponsor will be able to successfully implement any such business plans or that investors will receive any capital appreciation or current cash yield with respect to the Investments. In addition, changes beyond the Sponsor’s control, including adverse regulatory changes affecting the infrastructure industry generally or the Investments in particular and/or any changes in the pricing of commodities and/or general supply and demand levels relating to infrastructure assets may adversely affect the Sponsor’s ability to implement its business plans and achieve capital appreciation and/or current cash yield and may have an adverse impact on the value of the Investments.

Types of Investments

Investments in Open Market Purchases; Publicly Traded Securities. Although not anticipated to be a large component of our investment strategy, we will have the ability to invest in securities that are publicly traded and are, therefore, subject to the risks inherent in investing in public securities. Additionally, we may hold securities as a result of an initial public offering of an existing Portfolio Entity. Such investments may subject us to risks that differ in type or degree from those involved with investments in privately held companies. Such risks include, without limitation, greater volatility in the valuation of such companies, increased obligations to disclose information regarding such companies, limitations on our ability to dispose of such securities at certain times, increased likelihood of shareholder litigation against such companies’ board members and increased costs associated with each of the aforementioned risks. When investing in public securities, we may be unable to obtain financial covenants or other contractual governance rights. Moreover, we may not have the same access to information in connection with Investments in public securities, both before and after making the investment, as compared to privately negotiated Investments. Furthermore, we may be limited in our ability to make Investments, and to sell existing Investments, in public securities if the Sponsor or other Blackstone businesses have material, non-public information regarding the issuer or as a result of other policies or requirements. In

 

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addition, securities acquired of a public company may, depending on the circumstances and securities laws of the relevant jurisdiction, be subject to lock-up periods.

Equity and Equity-Related Investments. We intend to make primarily equity and equity-oriented Investments and as a result will hold a significant number of equity securities, including common stocks of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers, and equity-related securities and instruments, such as preferred stock, convertible securities, warrants and stock options. The value of equity and equity-related securities varies in response to many factors, including factors specific to an issuer and factors specific to an industry. These factors and others could cause significant fluctuations in the prices of the equity and equity-related securities that we will hold and could result in us experiencing significant losses.

Nature of Debt Securities. Although not its primary investment strategy, we will have the ability to invest in debt securities, including fixed income securities. The debt securities in which we and Portfolio Entities may invest may include secured or unsecured debt, which could be subordinated to senior indebtedness, all or a significant portion of which may be secured. Senior creditors will have significant influence, which may exceed the influence of us or the relevant Portfolio Entity in certain scenarios. In addition, the debt securities in which we invest may not be protected by financial covenants or limitations upon additional indebtedness, may have limited liquidity, and may not be rated by a credit rating agency. Debt securities are also subject to other creditor risks, including (a) the possible invalidation of an investment transaction as a “fraudulent conveyance” under relevant creditors’ rights laws, (b) so-called lender liability claims by the issuer of the obligations, and (c) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations. Our Investments may be subject to early withdrawal features, refinancing options, pre-payment options, or similar provisions which, in each case, could result in the issuer repaying the principal on an obligation held by us earlier than expected, thereby depriving us of our expected return. In addition, depending on fluctuations of the equity markets and other factors, warrants and other equity securities obtained in connection with a debt financing may become worthless.

Debt securities could be acquired in transactions involving asset managers. These asset managers may participate alongside us in the debt securities and/or may participate in the equity of the relevant Portfolio Entity. In the latter case, our interests and the interests of such asset managers may diverge in one or more respects. See “—Debt Investments” below for further debt-related risks.

“Covenant-lite” Obligations Risk. We may invest in, or obtain exposure to, obligations that may be “covenant-lite,” which means such obligations lack certain financial maintenance covenants. While these loans may still contain other collateral protections, a covenant-lite loan may carry more risk than a covenant-heavy loan made by the same borrower as it does not require the borrower to provide affirmation that certain specific financial tests have been satisfied on a routine basis as is required under a covenant-heavy loan agreement. Should a loan held by us begin to deteriorate in quality, our ability to negotiate with the borrower may be delayed under a covenant-lite loan compared to a loan with full maintenance covenants. This may in turn delay our ability to seek to recover its investment.

Convertible Securities. A convertible security may be subject to call at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible security held by us is called for withdrawal, we generally are required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Any of these actions could reduce the expected return and otherwise have an adverse effect on our ability to achieve our investment objectives.

Access to Information from Portfolio Entities. The Sponsor may not always receive full information from Portfolio Entities because certain of this information may be considered proprietary by a Portfolio Entity. A Portfolio Entity’s use of proprietary investment strategies that are not fully disclosed to the Sponsor may involve risks under some market conditions that are not anticipated by the Sponsor. Furthermore, this lack of access to information may make it more difficult for the Sponsor to select and evaluate Portfolio Entities.

 

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Controlling Interests. We expect to take a controlling interest in a material portion of our Portfolio Entities. The exercise of control over a company may impose additional risks of liability for a variety of reasons, including environmental damage, product defects, failure to supervise management, violation of governmental regulations (including securities laws) or other types of liability in which the limited liability generally characteristic of business ownership may be ignored. If these liabilities were to arise, we may suffer a significant loss.

Non-Controlling Investments; Investments with Third Parties. We may hold a non-controlling interest in certain Investments and, therefore, may have a limited ability to protect its position in such Investments. In such cases, we will typically be significantly reliant on the existing management, board of directors and other shareholders of such companies, who may not be affiliated with us and whose interests may conflict with our interests. We may also co-invest with affiliates of Blackstone (including Other Blackstone Accounts), investors in Other Blackstone Accounts or their affiliates and/or third parties (or affiliated managers or other persons) with respect to specified investments or categories of investments through partnerships, joint ventures or other similar arrangements (“JV Arrangements”), thereby acquiring jointly-controlled or non-controlling interests in certain Investments in conjunction with participation by one or more third parties in such investment. JV Arrangements may be designed to share risk in the underlying investments with third parties or may involve us taking on greater risk with an expected greater return or reducing its risk with a corresponding reduction in the rate of return. Such JV Arrangements may involve risks in connection with such third-party involvement, including the possibility that such other participant, third-party partner or co-venturer may have financial difficulties, resulting in a negative impact on such JV Arrangements, may have economic or business interests or goals which are inconsistent with ours, or may be in a position to take (or block) action in a manner contrary to our investment objectives or the increased possibility of default by, diminished liquidity or insolvency of, the third party, due to a sustained or general economic downturn. In addition, we may in certain circumstances be liable for the actions of its third-party partners, co-venturers or co-investors (including Other Blackstone Accounts). In those circumstances where such third parties involve a management group, such third parties may receive compensation arrangements relating to such JV Arrangements, including incentive compensation arrangements, in each case which compensation will not offset Fund Fees. Furthermore, such third-party partners or co-investors to JV Arrangements may provide services (such as asset management oversight services) similar to, and overlapping with, services provided by the Sponsor to us, Other Blackstone Accounts or any respective portfolio entities, and, notwithstanding the foregoing, fees attributable to such services will not offset Fund Fees. Additional conflicts could arise if a joint venture partner is related to Blackstone in any way, such as a limited partner investor in, lender to, a shareholder of, or a service provider to us, Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts, or any respective portfolio entities, or any affiliate, personnel, officer or agent of any of the foregoing.

Investments in Less Established Companies. We may invest a portion of our assets in the securities of less established companies. Investments in such early stage companies may involve greater risks than generally are associated with investments in more established companies. To the extent there is any public market for the securities held by us, such securities may be subject to more abrupt and erratic market price movements than those of larger, more established companies. Less established companies tend to have lower capitalizations and fewer resources and, therefore, often are more vulnerable to macroeconomic effects, industry downturns and financial failure. Such companies also may have shorter operating histories on which to judge future performance and in many cases, if operating, will have negative cash flow. Start-up enterprises, including but not limited to those in the technology and related industries may not have significant or any operating revenues, and any such Investment should be considered highly speculative and may result in the loss of our entire Investment therein. There can be no assurance that any such losses will be offset by gains (if any) realized on our other Investments.

Investments in Junior Securities. We may invest in companies that have already received one or more rounds of financing. The securities in which we will invest in these instances may be among the most junior in a Portfolio Entity’s capital structure and thus subject us to a greater risk of losing all or part of its invested capital. There will often be no collateral to protect our investment in such securities once made.

 

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Investments in Fund Managers and Pooled Investment Vehicles. Although not expected to be a large portion of its investment strategy, we may invest in third-party investment managers (“Third-Party Fund Managers”) that manage Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles (“Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles”) in infrastructure and certain other types of asset classes. We may also make investments directly in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles if we anticipate an investment in the Third-Party Fund Manager. The infrastructure asset class comprises a wide-range of strategies and investment types, and the infrastructure oriented investment strategies pursued by Third-Party Fund Managers are expected to vary. There are many investment-related risks associated with such types of investments which could impair the performance and value of our Investments. See “—Investments in Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles” herein.

Multiple Levels of Fees and Expense. In addition to the direct expenses and management costs borne by us, we may also bear our pro-rata share of certain expenses and management costs incurred directly or indirectly by Other Blackstone Accounts, Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles in which we invest. This would result in more expenses being borne (indirectly) by Unitholders than if the Unitholders were able to invest directly in the Other Blackstone Accounts, Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles. We will pay or otherwise bear carried interest, management fees and/or other incentive compensation in connection with Secondary Investments in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles and Secondary Investments in Other Blackstone Accounts made as part of a portfolio transaction (including Secondary Investments made through our Primary Commitments in Other Blackstone Accounts). We will not be reimbursed for any such fees paid to the managers of underlying funds in respect of such Secondary Investments, including where such managers are Blackstone affiliates (i.e., there will be “double fees” involved in making such investments which would not arise if the Unitholder were to invest in the underlying fund directly (including where the underlying fund is an Other Blackstone Account), because the Investment Manager and its affiliates will receive fees with respect to the management of our Fund, on the one hand, and the underlying fund manager (including where such manager is a Blackstone affiliate) will receive additional fees with respect to the management of such underlying fund, on the other hand), which will increase the amount of expenses borne by us (and indirectly by Unitholders) and reduce returns. With respect to our Primary Commitments to and Secondary Investments in Other Blackstone Accounts (other than Secondary Investments in Other Blackstone Accounts made as part of a portfolio transaction (including Secondary Investments made through our Primary Commitments in Other Blackstone Accounts)), we are not expected to pay or otherwise bear carried interest, management fees or other incentive compensation in connection with our investments in such Other Blackstone Account except in limited circumstances, in which case such carried interest, management fees or other incentive compensation paid will be rebated dollar-for-dollar. We will indirectly bear other expenses in connection with an Investment in or alongside an Other Blackstone Account, including any investment-related expenses and expenses paid to affiliates of the Sponsor, administrative expenses and other fund expenses as applicable to such Other Blackstone Account (to the extent applicable). These various levels of costs and expenses will be charged whether or not our performance generates positive returns. As a result, we, and indirectly the Unitholders, may bear multiple levels of expenses, which in the aggregate would exceed the expenses which would typically be incurred by an investment in a single fund investment, and which would offset our profits. In addition, because of the fees and expenses payable by us pursuant to such Investments, our returns on such Investments will be lower than the returns to a direct investor in the Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles. Such returns will be further diminished to the extent we are also charged management fees and/or bear carried interest or other similar performance-based compensation in connection with our Secondary Investments in Other Blackstone Accounts and/or our investments in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles managed by a Third-Party Fund Manager.

Illiquid and Long-Term Investments. Most of our Investments (including, for the avoidance of doubt, investments into and/or alongside Other Blackstone Accounts, Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles) will be highly illiquid and require a long-term commitment with no certainty of return, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to realize a return on any Investment at any given time, notwithstanding the need to do so. Although Investments by us may generate current income, the return of capital and the realization of gains, if any, from an Investment will generally occur only upon the partial or complete

 

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disposition or refinancing of the Investment. While an Investment may be sold at any time, it is not generally expected that this will occur, if at all, for a number of years after such Investment is made and some Investments may be held for much longer periods of time. Infrastructure assets are relatively illiquid in that there may not be ready buyers available and willing to pay fair value at the time we desire to sell. Moreover, an Investment that initially consists of an interest in assets may be exchanged, contributed or otherwise converted into private or publicly-traded stock of a corporation, interests in a limited liability company or other interests or assets (and vice-versa), and any such exchange, contribution or conversion will likely not constitute a disposition of the type that results in investors receiving distributions. In addition, we will generally not be able to sell our securities publicly unless their sale is registered under applicable securities laws, or unless an exemption from such registration requirements is available. In addition, in some cases we may be prohibited by contract or legal or regulatory reasons from selling certain securities for a period of time. Moreover, if it is determined that we will dissolve, we may make Investments which may not be advantageously disposed of prior to the date that we will be dissolved.

Future Investment Techniques and Instruments. Subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, the Investment Management Agreement and applicable law, we may employ new investment techniques or invest in new instruments that the Sponsor believes will help achieve our investment objectives, whether or not such investment techniques or instruments are specifically described herein. Such investments may entail risks not described herein. New investment techniques or instruments may not be thoroughly tested in the market before being employed and may have operational or theoretical shortcomings which could result in unsuccessful investments and, ultimately, losses to us. In addition, any new investment technique or instrument developed by us may be more speculative than earlier investment techniques or instruments and may involve material and unanticipated risks.

Technological, Scientific and Other Innovations. Recent technological, scientific and other innovations have disrupted numerous established industries and those with incumbent power in them. As technological, scientific and other innovation continues to advance rapidly, it could impact one or more of our strategies. Any of these new technological, scientific and other innovations could significantly disrupt the market in which our Investments operate and subject them to increased competition, which could materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition and results of Investments. Moreover, given the pace of innovation in recent years, the impact on a particular Investment may not have been foreseeable at the time we made such Investment and may adversely impact us and/or our Portfolio Entities. Furthermore, the Sponsor could base investment decisions on views about the direction or degree of innovation that prove inaccurate and lead to losses.

Investments in Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles

Minority and Non-Control Investments in Third-Party Fund Managers and Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles; Dependence on Third-Party Fund Managers. We may invest in minority, non-controlling, equity, equity-related and/or revenue interests in Third-Party Fund Managers and make passive investments in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles. We will not be responsible for the results of the Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles and Third-Party Fund Managers. The existing management of such Third-Party Fund Managers will typically retain autonomy over the day-to-day operations of the business and will generally retain a majority stake in such business.

In holding such non-controlling interests, we will also have a limited ability to create or take advantage of exit opportunities. Our inability to control the timing of the making, restructuring, refinancing and exiting of our Investments may adversely affect performance. The timing and extent to which we realize proceeds from any disposition, listing, financing or other liquidity event with respect to any Investment will to a large extent depend on the decisions and actions of Third-Party Fund Managers. The management of Third-Party Fund Managers may make business, financial or management decisions with which the Sponsor does not agree or such management may take risks or otherwise act in a manner that does not serve our interests. The returns of our investments in such Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles will depend largely on the performance

 

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of unrelated Third-Party Fund Managers and could be substantially adversely affected by the unfavorable performance and/or practices and policies of the Third-Party Fund Managers. The performance of a Third-Party Fund Manager may also rely on the services of a limited number of key individuals, the loss of whom could significantly adversely affect such Third-Party Fund Manager’s performance.

Misconduct and Regulatory Non-Compliance and Fund Reputation; Bad Acts of Third-Party Fund Managers, Employees, Portfolio Companies or Service Providers. Our Investments in Third-Party Fund Managers may expose Blackstone to further public scrutiny. In an industry that is reliant to a very large extent on reputation, regulatory non-compliance and misconduct by portfolio managers or employees of a Third-Party Fund Manager, its portfolio companies or its third-party service providers could cause significant losses, directly or indirectly, to a Third-Party Fund Manager and, consequently, to us. Alternative investment managers operate in a highly regulated environment, and we may have little or no oversight over or input in the activities of Third-Party Fund Managers and will rely on each Third-Party Fund Manager to manage its activities in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations and in a manner which will permit such Third-Party Fund Manager to maintain a quality reputation. It will also be difficult, and likely impossible, for the Sponsor to protect us from the risk of fraud, misrepresentation or material strategy alteration by portfolio managers or employees of the Third-Party Fund Managers, their third-party service providers or their portfolio companies. In addition, portfolio managers, employees and third-party service providers of a Third-Party Fund Manager or its portfolio companies may improperly use or disclose confidential information, which could result in litigation or serious financial harm, including limiting a Third-Party Fund Manager’s business prospects or future marketing activities.

While the Sponsor expects to perform a detailed assessment on Third-Party Fund Managers on a variety of key investment, operational, and legal areas, there can be no assurance that such assessment will identify or prevent any such misconduct or all other potential risks, problems or issues with the Third-Party Fund Manager or its portfolio companies.

Attractiveness to Third-Party Fund Managers of an Investment by Us. Our structure and investment objective may impair our ability to complete Investments. Among the realization and monetization strategies that may be pursued by the Sponsor are liquidity events such as a public listing of interests in a Third-Party Fund Manager or a sale of all or some of our interests in Third-Party Fund Managers and Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles. A prospective Third-Party Fund Manager may not be interested in an investment by us if required to disclose information that might be made public as part of a liquidity event or if it may ultimately result in such Third-Party Fund Manager eventually becoming a publicly traded entity. In addition, while a Third-Party Fund Manager may feel comfortable with us being a minority owner of its business, it may not have the same view for potential transferees.

General Risks related to Investments in Third-Party Fund Managers and Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles. Before making investments, the Sponsor will typically conduct due diligence that it deems reasonable and appropriate based on the facts and circumstances applicable to each investment and known at that time. The due diligence investigation that the Sponsor carries out with respect to any investment opportunity may not reveal or highlight all relevant facts that may be necessary or helpful in evaluating such investment opportunity. The Sponsor may decide to invest in a Third-Party Fund Manager despite the identification of deficiencies or concerns in such Third-Party Fund Manager for various reasons without notice. In addition, negotiating and executing transaction agreements, together with the process of identifying and diligencing a Third-Party Fund Manager, can be time-consuming and burdensome and result in high transaction costs, which generally would be borne by us (and not split between us and the target Third-Party Fund Manager unless specifically agreed).

Among the factors that the Sponsor may consider in selecting Third-Party Fund Managers for investment is a record of strong financial performance and prospects for future success and growth. However, the past performance of a Third-Party Fund Manager and/or its Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles is not indicative of such Third-Party Fund Manager’s future performance. There is no assurance that a Third-Party Fund Manager will achieve similar revenues or profits in the future and an investment with a Third-Party Fund Manager could result in a partial or total loss for us.

 

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Third-Party Fund Managers may enter into new lines of business not anticipated by us at the time we invest in such Third-Party Fund Managers. Third-Party Fund Managers may also have the ability to change their investment objectives and strategies and economic and other terms after we have made our investments in such Third-Party Fund Managers or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles and such change in the investment objectives and strategies may be different from the objectives currently expected by the Sponsor. We will likely not have the ability to prevent Third-Party Fund Managers from taking such action and decisions by the Third-Party Fund Managers may negatively impact our performance.

It is expected that Third-Party Fund Managers will implement similar leverage arrangements to us with respect to their Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles, which would increase the overall indirect leverage applicable to our Investments. The Third-Party Fund Managers may obtain leverage at the “fund” level. The exercise by any lenders of their remedy under a subscription facility to issue drawdown notices to investors in the relevant Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle would reduce the amount of capital otherwise available to such Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle for making investments and may negatively impact its ability to make investments or achieve its investment objectives. In addition, such borrowings may limit our ability to use our interests in the relevant Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle as collateral for other indebtedness that we may bear.

A Third-Party Fund Manager or a Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle may make distributions to us that are subject to clawback arrangements with such Third-Party Fund Manager or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle (as applicable). Accordingly, we may set aside amounts that we could otherwise reinvest or distribute to Unitholders for the purpose of making clawback payments. Amounts set aside to fund clawback payments will reduce the amount of funds available for distribution to Unitholders or additional investments by us. In addition, we may make commitments to Third-Party Fund Managers and/or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles in excess of our total capital. As a result, we may need to retain distributions or take other measures (e.g., borrowing) if we do not generate sufficient cash flow from its investments to meet these commitments.

Secondary Investments in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles

No Established Market for Secondary Investments; Limited Opportunities. There is no established market for Secondary Investments and no liquid market is expected to develop for Secondary Investments. Moreover, the market for Secondary Investments has been evolving and is likely to continue to evolve. We may acquire interests in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles or Other Blackstone Accounts from existing investors in such Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles (and, generally, not from the issuers of such investments) and to dispose of such interests, in each case, on an opportunistic basis. In particular, we may target purchases of portfolios of interests in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles from institutional and other investors, who may be less motivated to sell interests in Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles during periods when the performance of such funds is perceived to be improving. There can be no assurance that we will be able to identify sufficient Secondary Investment opportunities or that we will be able to acquire sufficient Secondary Investments on attractive terms. Equally, there can be no assurance that we will be able to realize any Secondary Investment at a price that reflects what the Sponsor believes to be its market value.

Importance of Valuation and Acquisition Terms. The performance of our Investments in Secondary Investments will depend in large part on the acquisition price paid by us for such investments and on the structure of the acquisitions. Although the acquisition price of our Secondary Investments will likely be the subject of negotiation with the sellers of the investments, the acquisition price is typically determined by reference to the carrying values most recently reported by the underlying funds (which may be based on interim unaudited financial statements) and other available information. The underlying funds are not generally obligated to update any valuations in connection with a transfer of interests on a secondary basis, and such valuations may not be indicative of current or ultimate realizable values. Moreover, there is no established market for Secondary Investments or for the privately held portfolio entities in which the Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles or Other Blackstone Accounts may own securities, and there may not be any comparable companies for which

 

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public market valuations exist. As a result, the valuation of Secondary Investments may be based on imperfect information and is subject to inherent uncertainties. Generally, we expect to hold our Secondary Investments on a long-term basis. As a result, our performance will be adversely affected in the event that the valuations assumed by the Sponsor in the course of negotiating acquisitions of investments prove to have been too high.

Debt Investments

Investments in Debt. Our investment program may include making investments in distressed situations from time to time (e.g., investments in defaulted, out-of-favor or distressed bank loans and debt securities) or may involve investments that become “non-performing” following our acquisition thereof. Certain of our Investments may therefore include specific securities of companies or other entities that typically are highly leveraged, with significant burdens on cash flow, and therefore involve a high degree of financial risk. Investments may include (a) capital infusions to companies facing liquidity issues or significant debt maturities, (b) capital to finance operations or growth for companies facing a cyclical downturn, non-recurring losses or contractual issues, (c) capital infusions or debtor-in-possession financings to companies in bankruptcy, (d) financing for acquisitions of businesses, frequently from distressed sellers or assets that are non-core to the seller or (e) businesses facing capital structure, cyclical or operational distress. We may also make “rescue” financings ranging from secured debt to equity infusions including, without limitation, investments in companies that are in need of liquidity or facing debt maturities, or provide growth capital to companies who cannot access the capital markets due to cyclical factors or financial market dislocation. In addition, we may also selectively pursue the acquisition of fulcrum securities / loan-to-own debt purchases as a means to gain control of assets upon a restructuring. The securities of Portfolio Entities described in this paragraph may be considered speculative, and the ability of such companies to pay their debts on schedule could be adversely affected by interest rate movements, changes in the general economic climate or the economic factors affecting a particular industry, or specific developments within such companies. Investments in companies operating in workout or bankruptcy modes also present additional legal risks, including fraudulent conveyance, voidable preference and equitable subordination risks. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Sponsor will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing our loans or the prospects for a successful reorganization or similar action.

As noted above, in certain limited cases (e.g., in connection with a workout, restructuring and/or foreclosing proceedings involving one or more of our debt investments), the success of our investment strategy with respect thereto will depend, in part, on our ability to effectuate loan modifications and/or restructure and improve the operations of Portfolio Entities. The activity of identifying and implementing any such restructuring programs and operating improvements at Portfolio Entities entails a high degree of uncertainty. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully identify and implement such restructuring programs and improvements.

Investment in Restructurings. We may make Investments in restructurings that involve Portfolio Entities that are experiencing or are expected to experience financial difficulties. These financial difficulties may never be overcome and may cause such Portfolio Entity to become subject to bankruptcy proceedings. Such Investments could, in certain circumstances, subject us to certain additional potential liabilities that may exceed the value of our original Investment therein. For example, under certain circumstances, a lender who has inappropriately exercised control over the management and policies of a debtor may have its claims subordinated or disallowed or may be found liable for damages suffered by parties as a result of such actions. In addition, under certain circumstances, payments to us and distributions by us to Unitholders may be reclaimed if any such payment or distribution is later determined to have been a fraudulent conveyance, preferential payment, or similar transaction under applicable bankruptcy and insolvency laws. Furthermore, investments in restructurings may be adversely affected by local statutes relating to, among other things, fraudulent conveyances, voidable preferences, lender liability and the bankruptcy court’s discretionary power to disallow, subordinate or disenfranchise particular claims.

 

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Distressed Securities. Investment in the securities of financially troubled and operationally troubled issuers involves a high degree of credit and market risk. There is a possibility that we may incur substantial or total losses on its Investments. During an economic downturn or recession, securities of financially troubled or operationally troubled issuers are more likely to go into default than securities of other issuers. Securities of financially troubled and operationally troubled issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of companies not experiencing financial difficulties. The market prices of such securities are subject to erratic and abrupt market movements and the spread between bid and asked prices may be greater than normally expected. In addition, it is anticipated that many of our Investments may not be widely traded and that our investment in such securities may be substantial relative to the market for such securities. As a result, we may experience delays and incur losses and other costs in connection with the sale of its Investments.

Defaulted Securities. We may invest in the securities of companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings, reorganizations and financial restructurings, and that are facing significant debt maturities, and may have a more active participation in the affairs of the issuer than is generally assumed by investors. This may subject us to litigation risks or prevent us from disposing of securities. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which we invest, we may lose our entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than our original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. As more fully discussed below, in a bankruptcy or other proceeding, we as a creditor may be unable to enforce our rights in any collateral or may have our security interest in any collateral challenged, disallowed or subordinated to the claims of other creditors.

Bankruptcy and Other Proceedings. When a company seeks relief under the applicable insolvency laws of a particular jurisdiction (or has a petition filed against it), an automatic stay may prevent all entities, including creditors, from foreclosing or taking other actions to enforce claims, perfect security interests or reach collateral securing such claims. Creditors who have claims against the company prior to the date of the insolvency filing will generally require the permission of the court or a relevant insolvency officeholder to permit them to take any action to protect or enforce their claims or their rights in any collateral. Such creditors may be prohibited from doing so at the discretion of the court or the relevant insolvency officeholder. Thus, even if we hold a secured claim, we may be prevented from enforcing our security and collecting the value of the collateral securing our debt, unless relief from the automatic stay is granted. If relief from the stay is not granted. We may not realize a distribution on account of our secured claim until a distribution (if any) is made to us by the relevant court or insolvency officeholder.

Security interests held by creditors are closely scrutinized and frequently challenged in insolvency proceedings and may be invalidated for a variety of reasons. For example, security interests may be set aside because, as a technical matter, they have not been perfected properly under applicable law. If a security interest is invalidated, the secured creditor loses the value of the collateral and, because loss of the secured status causes the claim to be treated as an unsecured claim, the holder of such claim will be more likely to experience a significant loss of its investment. There can be no assurance that the security interests securing our claims will not be challenged vigorously and found defective in some respect, or that we will be able to prevail against the challenge.

Certain European jurisdictions may follow common law principles analogous to those practiced in the United States under the so-called “equitable subordination” doctrine whereby lenders can become subject to claims from creditors of an obligor that debt obligations of such obligor which are held by such lender should be equitably subordinated. See “—Equitable Subordination” below. Certain European jurisdictions may present different issues. In the UK, a lender could be exposed to liability as a “shadow director” of a borrower if the lender exercises a sufficient level of control over a borrower such that the directors of the borrower are accustomed to act in accordance with the lender’s directions or instructions. If a lender is found to be a shadow director of a borrower, among other things the lender may (where the borrower has gone into insolvent liquidation and the lender did not take every step to minimize loss to the borrower’s creditors once the lender

 

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concluded or should have concluded that there was no reasonable prospect of avoiding insolvent liquidation) be ordered by the court to make a contribution to the company’s assets.

From time to time, we may invest in or extend loans to companies that have filed for protection wider applicable insolvency laws. These debtor-in-possession or “DIP” loans are most often revolving working-capital or term loan facilities put into place at the outset of insolvency proceedings to provide the debtor with both immediate cash and the ongoing working capital that will be required during the reorganization process. The laws of a particular jurisdiction will determine the extent to which such loans rank as senior in the debtor’s capital structure and accordingly the level of risk associates with loans. Furthermore, it is possible that the debtor’s reorganization efforts may fail and the proceeds of the ensuing liquidation of the DIP lender’s collateral might be insufficient to repay in full the DIP loan. The seniority of such loans in the debtor’s capital structure may not be recognized in all jurisdictions.

Insolvency proceedings are inherently litigious, time-consuming, highly complex and driven extensively by facts and circumstances, which can result in challenges in predicting outcomes. Insolvency proceedings may have adverse and permanent effects on a company. For instance, the company may lose its market position and key employees or otherwise become incapable of emerging from insolvency proceedings and restoring itself as a viable entity. Further, if insolvency proceedings result in liquidation, the liquidation value of the company may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. The administrative costs incurred in connection with insolvency proceedings are frequently high and will be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to creditors. Certain claims, such as claims for taxes, may in certain jurisdictions have priority by law over the claims of other creditors.

In the event of the insolvency of an obligor in respect of an Investment, our recovery of amounts outstanding in insolvency proceedings may be impacted by the insolvency regimes in force in the jurisdiction of incorporation of such obligor or in the jurisdiction in which such obligor mainly conducts its business (if different from the jurisdiction of incorporation), and/or in the jurisdiction in which the assets of such obligor are located. Such insolvency regimes impose rules for the protection of creditors and may adversely affect our ability to recover such amounts as are outstanding from the insolvent obligor under the Investment, which could have a material adverse effect on our performance, and, by extension, our business, financial condition, results of operations and the value of the Units. Similarly, the ability of obligors to recover amounts owing to them from insolvent companies may be adversely impacted by any such insolvency regimes applicable to those insolvent companies, which in turn may adversely affect the abilities of those obligors to make payments to us due under the investment on a full or timely basis. In addition, insolvent companies located in certain jurisdictions may be involved in restructurings, insolvency proceedings and/or reorganizations that are not subject to laws and regulations that are similar to the laws and the rights of creditors afforded in European or U.S. jurisdictions. To the extent such laws and regulations do not provide us with equivalent rights and privileges necessary to promote and protect our interest in any such proceeding, our Investments in any such insolvent companies may be adversely affected. For example, insolvency law and process in such other jurisdiction may differ substantially from that in the large European markets or in the United States, resulting in greater uncertainty as to the rights of creditors, the enforceability of such rights, reorganization timing and the classification, seniority and treatment of claims. In certain developing countries, although insolvency laws have been enacted, the process for reorganization remains highly uncertain.

Equitable Subordination. Certain jurisdictions have legal principles that in some cases form the basis for so-called “lender liability” claims, if a lender (a) intentionally takes an action that results in the undercapitalization of a borrower or issuer to the detriment of other creditors of such borrower or issuer, (b) engages in other inequitable conduct to the detriment of such other creditors, (c) engages in fraud with respect to, or makes misrepresentations to, such other creditors or (d) uses its influence as a stockholder to dominate or control a borrower or issuer to the detriment of other creditors of such borrower or issuer, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of the offending lender or bondholder to the claims of the disadvantaged creditor or creditors (a remedy called “equitable subordination”). We do not intend to engage in conduct that would form the

 

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basis for a successful cause of action based upon the equitable subordination doctrine; however, because of the nature of the debt obligations relating to certain types of debt investments we may make, we may be subject to claims from creditors of an obligor that debt obligations of such obligor that are held by us should be equitably subordinated.

Senior and Secured Debt. Our Investments may include first lien senior secured debt, and may also include selected second lien senior secured debt, which involves a higher degree of risk of a loss of capital. The factors affecting an issuer’s first and second lien leveraged loans, and its overall capital structure, are complex. Some first lien loans may not necessarily have priority over all other unsecured debt of an issuer. For example, some first lien loans may permit other secured obligations (such as overdrafts, swaps or other derivatives made available by members of the syndicate to the company), or involve first liens only on specified assets of an issuer (e.g., excluding real estate). The imposition of prior liens on our collateral would adversely affect the priority of the liens and claims held by us and could adversely affect our recovery on our leveraged loans. Any secured debt is secured only to the extent of its lien and only to the extent of underlying assets or incremental proceeds on already secured assets. Moreover, underlying assets are subject to credit, liquidity, and interest rate risk. Although the amount and characteristics of the underlying assets selected as collateral may allow us to withstand certain assumed deficiencies in payments occasioned by the borrower’s default, if any deficiencies exceed such assumed levels or if underlying assets are sold it is possible that the proceeds of such sale or disposition will not be equal to the amount of principal and interest owed to us with respect to our investment.

Senior secured credit facilities are generally syndicated to a number of different financial market participants. The documentation governing the facilities typically requires either a majority consent or, in certain cases, unanimous approval for certain actions in respect of the credit, such as waivers, amendments, or the exercise of remedies. In addition, voting to accept or reject the terms of a restructuring of a credit pursuant to a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization is done on a class basis. As a result of these voting regimes, we may not have the ability to control any decision in respect of any amendment, waiver, exercise of remedies, restructuring or reorganization of debts owed to us.

Senior secured loans are also subject to other risks, including (a) the possible invalidation of a debt or lien as a “fraudulent conveyance,” (b) the recovery as a “preference” of liens perfected or payments made on account of a debt in the 90 days before a bankruptcy filing, (c) equitable subordination claims by other creditors, (d) so-called “lender liability” claims by the issuer of the obligations and (e) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations. Recent decisions in bankruptcy cases have held that a secondary loan market participant can be denied a recovery from the debtor in a bankruptcy if a prior holder of the loans either received and does not return a preference or fraudulent conveyance or engaged in conduct that would qualify for equitable subordination.

Our investments may be subject to early repurchase features, refinancing options, pre-payment options or similar provisions which, in each case, could result in the issuer repaying the principal on an obligation held by us earlier than expected. As a consequence, our ability to achieve our investment objective may be affected.

Subordinated Debt. We may from time to time invest in debt instruments (including commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”)) that are subordinated or otherwise junior in an issuer’s capital structure. Investments in subordinate debt securities may be unsecured and subordinated to substantial amounts of senior indebtedness, all or a significant portion of which may be secured and/or subject us to a “first loss” subordinate holder position relative to other lenders. Our ability to influence a company’s affairs, especially during periods of financial distress or following insolvency, is likely to be substantially less than that of senior creditors. For example, under terms of subordinated intercreditor agreements, senior creditors will typically be able to block the acceleration of the mezzanine debt or other exercises by us of our rights as a creditor. Accordingly, we may not be able to take the steps necessary to protect our investments in a timely manner or at all. Further, the ability of a borrower to make payments on the loan underlying these securities is dependent primarily upon the successful operation of the property rather than upon the existence of independent income or assets of the borrower. In the

 

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event of default and the exhaustion of any equity support, reserve fund, letter of credit and any classes of securities junior to those in which we invest, it will not be able to recover all of our investment in the securities purchased. Investments in subordinate securities have a higher risk of loss and credit default than investments in more senior securities and subordinated tranches absorb losses from default before other more senior tranches are put at risk. Mezzanine debt securities (as well as other more senior securities) are also subject to other creditor risks, including (a) the possible invalidation of an investment transaction as a “fraudulent conveyance” under relevant creditors’ rights laws, (b) so-called lender liability claims by the issuer of the obligations, and (c) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations. The securities we invest in may be subject to early repurchase features, refinancing options, pre-payment options, or similar provisions which, in each case, could result in the issuer repaying the principal on an obligation held by us earlier than expected, resulting in a lower return to us than projected. In addition, depending on fluctuations of the equity markets and other factors, warrants and other equity securities may become worthless.

CMBS. We may from time to time invest in pools or tranches of CMBS. The collateral underlying CMBS generally consists of commercial mortgages or real property that have a multifamily or commercial use, such as retail space, office buildings, warehouse property and hotels. CMBS have been issued in a variety of issuances, with varying structures including senior and subordinated classes. The commercial mortgages underlying CMBS generally have shorter maturities than residential mortgages, allow a substantial portion of the loan balance to be paid at maturity and are usually non-recourse against the commercial borrower. Investments in CMBS are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including credit, market, interest rate, structural and legal risks. These risks may be magnified by volatility in the credit and commercial real estate markets. The investment characteristics of CMBS differ from traditional debt securities in a number of respects, and are similar to the characteristics of structured credit products in which investors participate through a structured vehicle or other similar conduit arrangement (e.g., CLOs (as defined below)).

CLOs. We may invest (including “equity” or residual tranches) in collateralized loan obligations (“CLO”) products and other securitizations (including CLO products formed or managed by Other Blackstone Accounts), which are generally limited recourse obligations of the issuer (“Securitization Vehicles”) payable solely from the underlying assets (“Securitization Assets”) of the issuer or proceeds thereof. Consequently, holders of equity or other securities issued by Securitization Vehicles must rely solely on distributions on the Securitization Assets or proceeds thereof for payment in respect thereof. The Securitization Assets may include, without limitation, broadly-syndicated leverage loans, middle-market bank loans, collateralized debt obligation tranches, trust preferred securities, insurance surplus notes, asset-backed securities, mortgages, real estate investment trusts, high-yield bonds, mezzanine debt, second-lien leverage loans, credit default swaps and emerging market debt and corporate bonds, which are subject to liquidity, market value, credit, interest rate, reinvestment and certain other risks. Securitization Assets are typically actively managed by an investment manager, and as a result the Securitization Assets will be traded, subject to rating agency and other constraints, by such investment manager. The aggregate return on the CLO equity securities will depend in part upon the ability of each investment manager to actively manage the related portfolio of Securitization Assets.

Undervalued Investments. Our investment strategy with respect to certain types of investments may be based, in part, upon the premise that certain investments (either held directly or through a CLO) that are otherwise performing may from time to time be available for purchase by us at “undervalued” prices. Purchasing interests at what may appear to be “undervalued” or “discounted” levels is no guarantee that these investments will generate attractive risk-adjusted returns to us or will not be subject to further reductions in value. No assurance can be given that investments can be acquired at favorable prices or that the market for such interests will continue to improve since this depends, in part, upon events and factors outside the control of the Sponsor.

Risks Related to Outside Events

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initiatives to minimize pollution or mitigate climate change have played a major role in the increase in demand for natural gas and alternative energy sources, creating numerous new investment opportunities. Conversely, required expenditures for environmental compliance and the direct and indirect impacts of increased environmental regulation have adversely impacted investment returns in a number of segments of the industry. Certain industries will continue to face considerable oversight from environmental regulatory authorities and significant influence from non-governmental organizations and special interest groups. We may invest in Investments that are subject to changing and increasingly stringent environmental and health and safety laws, regulations and permit requirements, and there can be no guarantee that all costs and risks regarding compliance with environmental laws, regulations and permits can be identified. Violations of such requirements may result in administrative, civil, and/or criminal enforcement proceedings, penalties and other liabilities including claims and litigation from third parties who may be affected, curtailment or shutdown of operations, revocation or non-renewal of permits, loss of contracts, and reputational impacts. Standards are set by these laws and regulations regarding certain aspects of health and environmental quality, and they provide for penalties and other liabilities for the violation of such standards and establish, in certain circumstances, joint and several obligations to remediate and rehabilitate current and former facilities and locations where operations are, or were, conducted or where materials were disposed. New and more stringent environmental and health and safety laws, regulations and permit requirements or stricter interpretations of current laws, regulations or permits could impose substantial additional costs on Investments or potential Investments. Compliance with such current or future environmental requirements does not ensure that the operations of our Investments will not cause injury to the environment or to people under all circumstances or that our Investments will not be required to incur additional unforeseen environmental expenditures. In particular, the oil and gas industry, sometimes causes environmental hazards, such as oil spills, natural gas leaks and ruptures, discharges of petroleum products and hazardous substances and historic disposal activities. Environmental hazards could expose our Investments to material liabilities for property damages, personal injuries or other environmental harm, including costs of investigating and remediating contaminated properties. Moreover, failure to comply with regulatory, legal or permit requirements could have a material adverse effect on a Portfolio Entity or project, and there can be no assurance that Portfolio Entities will at all times comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and permit requirements. Any non-compliance with these laws, regulations and permits could subject us and our Portfolio Entities to material administrative, civil or criminal penalties or other liabilities.

Furthermore, we may be exposed to claims and losses arising from known, undisclosed or unknown environmental contamination from pollutants or other hazardous materials, or health or occupational safety matters. Under laws in many jurisdictions similar to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act in the United States, liability for environmental contamination may be without regard to fault or causation and in many situations may be joint and several, so that a liable party may be exposed to the entire liability involved; and such liability may arise not only from currently owned or operated properties but former properties of entities that are the subject of Investments, and other properties impacted by such contamination, exposing our Investments to material liabilities for costs of investigating and remediating contaminated properties, and for damages to natural resources. We could also suffer losses if reserves or insurance proceeds or indemnities prove inadequate to cover any such matters. Under the laws, rules and regulations of various jurisdictions, an owner of an asset can be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances, including asbestos, on or in the asset. Liability can be joint and several, which can result in a party being held liable without regard to whether the party knew of, or was responsible for, the contamination. The presence of environmental contamination on a property, whether known or latent, also could result in personal injury to persons removing or who are otherwise exposed to such materials, as well as contamination and damage to other property, which could give rise to liability to third parties. In the event that we have an indemnity from a third party purporting to cover any such liability, there can be no assurance as to the financial viability of any indemnifying party at the time a claim arises or when recovery is sought under the indemnity. Insurance for such matters may not be available, especially for known or suspected conditions, and even if insurance coverage is in place, any proceeds may prove inadequate to cover the losses involved.

 

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The cost to perform any remediation, and the cost to defend against any related claims, could exceed the value of the relevant Investment. In such cases, governmental authorities and others may seek to require us to satisfy the claims from other assets and Investments and, depending on the circumstances, could prevail. The existence of contamination, the process of investigating and/or remediating contamination, and/or the failure to properly remediate contamination may adversely affect our ability to develop, use or sell the asset or to borrow funds using such asset as collateral and may result in fines and other sanctions. In addition, some environmental laws create a lien on a contaminated asset in favor of governments or government agencies for costs they may incur in connection with the contamination. Under certain circumstances, environmental authorities and other parties may seek to impose personal liability on the limited partners of a partnership (such as us) subject to environmental liability. However, a limited partner may reduce its risk of such personal liability by, for example, avoiding activities with respect to our Investments that could allow it to be characterized as an operator of the contaminated property.

Climate Change Risk. While the Sponsor sees economic opportunities in climate change and carbon reduction, global climate change is widely considered to be a significant threat to the global economy. Our Investments may face risks from the physical effects of climate change, such as risks posed by increasing frequency or severity of extreme weather events and rising sea levels and temperatures. Also, the performance of certain renewable energy assets, such as solar power generators, wind turbines, and hydropower assets, is dependent on weather conditions, which could shift as a result of global climate change. The Sponsor cannot rule out the possibility that climate risks, including changes in weather and climate patterns, could result in unanticipated delays or expenses and, under certain circumstances, could prevent completion of investment activities once undertaken, any of which could have a material adverse effect on an Investment or us.

Additionally, as consensus builds that global warming is a significant threat, initiatives seeking to address climate change through regulation of greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions have been adopted by, are pending or have been proposed before international and regional regulatory authorities around the world. More specifically, the Paris Agreement and other initiatives by international, federal, state and local policymakers and regulatory authorities as well as private actors seeking to reduce or mitigate the effects of GHG emissions may expose certain assets to so-called “transition risks” in addition to physical risks, such as: (a) political and policy risks (e.g., changing regulatory incentives and legal requirements, including with respect to GHG emissions, that could result in increased costs or changes in business operations); (b) regulatory and litigation risks (e.g., changing legal requirements that could result in increased permitting and compliance costs, changes in business operations, or the discontinuance of certain operations, and litigation seeking monetary or injunctive relief related to climate impacts); (c) technology and market risks (e.g., declining market for products and services seen as GHG intensive or less effective than alternatives in reducing GHG emissions) and (d) reputational risks (e.g., risks tied to changing customer or community perceptions of an asset’s relative contribution to GHG emissions).

Many industries (e.g., manufacturing, electrical power generation, fuel production/distribution/storage, transportation and insurance) face various climate change risks, many of which could conceivably materially impact them. Such risks include (a) regulatory/litigation risk (e.g., changing legal requirements that could result in increased permitting and compliance costs, changes in business operations, the discontinuance of certain operations and related litigation); (b) market risk (e.g., declining market for products and services seen as GHG intensive); and (c) physical risk (e.g., risks to plants or property owned, operated or insured by a company posed by rising sea levels, increased frequency or severity of storms, drought, wildfires and other physical occurrences attributable to climate change). These risks could result in unanticipated delays or expenses, especially for electricity, and, under certain circumstances, could prevent completion of investment activities once undertaken, any of which could have an adverse effect on us.

Force Majeure Risk. We and our Portfolio Entities may be affected by force majeure events (i.e., subject to applicable laws, events beyond the control of the party claiming that the event has occurred, including without limitation, acts of God, fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides, explosions, outbreaks of an infectious disease, pandemic or any other serious public health concerns, war, regional armed conflict, terrorism,

 

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nationalization of industry and labor strikes). Disease outbreaks have occurred in certain countries in the past and are currently occurring (including severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, avian flu, H1N1/09 flu, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, COVID-19 and other coronaviruses) and any prolonged occurrence of infectious disease, or other adverse public health developments or natural disasters in any country in which we target investments, could have a material adverse effect on the economy in such country or globally and/or the business operations of Portfolio Entities in which we invest. Force majeure events could adversely affect our ability, or the ability of a Portfolio Entity or a counterparty to perform its obligations, including but not limited to the construction of its in process development. The liability and cost arising out of a failure to perform obligations as a result of a force majeure event could be considerable and could be borne by us or a Portfolio Entity. In addition, the cost to us or our Portfolio Entities of repairing or replacing damaged assets resulting from such force majeure event could be material. Certain force majeure events, such as war, earthquakes, fires or an outbreak of an infectious disease, could have a broader negative impact on the global or local economy and international business activity generally, or in any of the countries in which we may invest specifically, thereby affecting us and the Sponsor. Additionally, a major governmental intervention into an industry in light of a force majeure event or otherwise, including the nationalization of an industry or the assertion of control over one or more Investments or its assets, could result in a loss to us, including if our Investment is cancelled, unwound or acquired (which could be without what the Sponsor considers to be adequate compensation) if an Investment or Portfolio Entity is affected, and any compensation provided by the relevant government may not be adequate. Any of the foregoing may therefore adversely affect the performance of our Investments. See also “—Natural Disasters,” “—Epidemics / Pandemics” and “—Coronavirus and Public Health Emergencies; Legislative and Regulatory Enactments” herein.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, Russian troops began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and, as of the date of this material, the countries remain in active armed conflict. Around the same time, the United States, the UK, the EU, and several other nations announced a broad array of new or expanded sanctions, export controls, and other measures against Russia, Russia-backed separatist regions in Ukraine, and certain banks, companies, government officials, and other individuals in Russia and Belarus, as well as a number of Russian oligarchs. The ongoing conflict and the rapidly evolving measures in response have had and could be expected to continue having a negative impact on the economy and business activity globally (including in the countries in which we invest), and therefore could adversely affect the performance of our investments. The severity and duration of the conflict and its future impact on global economic and market conditions are impossible to predict, and as a result, could present material uncertainty and risk with respect to us and the performance of our investments and operations, and our ability to achieve our investment objectives. Similar risks exist to the extent that any Portfolio Entities, service providers, vendors or certain other parties have material operations or assets in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, or the immediate surrounding areas.

Furthermore, if after subscribing to us an investor or any beneficial owner thereof is included on a list of prohibited entities and individuals maintained by a relevant regulatory and/or government entity including the Office of Foreign Assets Control or the United Nations or under similar European Union and/or United Kingdom regulations (as the latter are extended to the Cayman Islands by statutory instrument) or under Cayman Islands law, or is operationally based or domiciled in a country or territory in relation to which current sanctions have been imposed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United States, the United Nations, the EU or, the UK and/or the Cayman Islands or is otherwise subject to sanctions imposed by the United Nations, OFAC, the EU, the UK (including as the latter are extended to the Cayman Islands by statutory instrument) or the Cayman Islands (collectively, a “Sanctions Subject”), we may be required to cease any further dealings with the investor’s Interest until such sanctions are lifted or a license is sought under applicable law to continue dealings. For the avoidance of doubt, the Sponsor has the sole discretion to determine the remedy if an investor is included on a Sanctions List and is under no obligation to seek a license to continue dealing with such investor. Although Blackstone expends significant effort to comply with the sanctions regimes in the countries where it operates, one of these rules could be violated by the Sponsor’s or our activities or investors, which would adversely affect us. See also “—OFAC and Sanctions Considerations” below.

 

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Insurance

Availability of Insurance Against Certain Catastrophic Losses. We and Portfolio Entities generally maintain liability, fire, flood, extended coverage, rental loss, cyber sabotage and/or terrorism insurance with insured limits and policy specifications that the Sponsor, or, if applicable, Portfolio Entity management, believes are customary and reasonable. However, certain losses of a catastrophic nature, such as wars, natural disasters, terrorist attacks (including cyber sabotage) or other similar events, may be either uninsurable or insurable only at uneconomically high rates such that no insurance coverage exists or maintenance of such coverage would cause an adverse impact on the related Portfolio Entities. In general, losses related to terrorism and cyber sabotage are becoming harder and more expensive to insure against. In some cases, the insurers exclude terrorism and/or cyber sabotage, in others the coverage against terrorist acts and cyber sabotage is limited, or available only for a significant price. A similar dynamic has been unfolding with respect to certain weather events, fires and earthquakes. As a result, not all Investments may be insured against all risks. Furthermore, even when insurance is available and has been procured, formalities must be followed to obtain the benefit of the insurance in the case of a loss event, such as timely delivery of a notice of claim; a failure to follow these formalities could result in voidance of coverage. If a major loss for which insurance is unavailable occurs, we could lose both invested capital in and anticipated profits from the affected Investments.

Capital Requirements and Distributions

Additional Capital Requirements. Certain of our Portfolio Entities, especially those in a development or “platform” phase, may be expected to require additional financing to satisfy their working capital requirements or acquisition strategies. For example, some Portfolio Entities are expected to require several rounds of capital infusions and such additional financings may be invested based on valuations that differ materially. The amount of such additional financing needed will depend upon the maturity and objectives of the particular Portfolio Entity. Each such round of financing (whether from us or other investors) is typically intended to provide a Portfolio Entity with enough capital to reach the next major corporate milestone. If the funds provided are not sufficient, a Portfolio Entity may have to raise additional capital at a price unfavorable to the existing investors, including us, or may suffer material adverse consequences if it fails to obtain the capital. In addition, we may make additional debt and/or equity investments or exercise warrants, options, convertible securities or other rights that were acquired in the initial investment in such Portfolio Entity in order to preserve our proportionate ownership when a subsequent financing is planned, or to protect our investment when such Portfolio Entity’s performance does not meet expectations. There can be no assurance that we or any Portfolio Entity will be able to predict accurately the future capital requirements or that additional funds will be available from any source when needed.

Adequacy of Reserves; Participation in Follow-On Investments. As is customary in the industry, we may establish holdbacks or reserves, including for estimated accrued expenses, Management Fees, servicing fees, Administration Fees, pending or anticipated liabilities, Investments, claims and contingencies relating to us. Estimating the appropriate amount of such reserves is difficult and inadequate or excessive reserves could impair the investment returns to Unitholders. If our reserves are inadequate and other cash is unavailable, we may be unable to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities or protect its existing Investments. In these circumstances the Sponsor may allocate such opportunities to Other Blackstone Accounts, which, in the case of further investments in existing Portfolio Entities could result in us being subject to dilution and may give rise to other significant risks and conflicts of interest. We (and/or one or more Other Blackstone Accounts, including committed and other co-investment funds) may similarly not participate in a follow-on opportunity (and therefore our interest would be subject to dilution or increase, as applicable) where such follow-on opportunity does not comply with any investment limitations in the organizational documents (or the governing agreement of such Other Blackstone Account, including where one or more investors have consent rights over participating in follow-on opportunities), even if the original investment did. We may, to the contrary, be obligated to bear a larger share of any follow-on opportunity, where co-investment vehicles (or Other Blackstone Accounts) ultimately do not participate in such follow-on opportunity (including, without limitation, as a result of

 

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investment limitations or portfolio structuring considerations with respect to such vehicles or where such co-investment vehicles have insufficient capital available to invest in such follow-on opportunity, in each case, as determined in good faith by their respective general partners or investment managers). There can be no assurance that we will not be adversely affected by such allocations. Further, the allocation of investment opportunities among us and Other Blackstone Accounts may depend, in part, on the respective reserves at the time of allocating the opportunity, possibly resulting in different investment allocations if any such reserves are inadequate or excessive. For example, if the reserves of any Other Blackstone Accounts that participated alongside us in an Investment are inadequate and unpaid capital commitments or other cash is unavailable, such Other Blackstone Accounts may be unable to participate in follow-on investments related thereto, and we may participate to a greater extent than it would have otherwise. For example, certain committed and other co-investment funds may not participate in follow-on investments without an agreement by the relevant investors to increase their capital commitments thereto, which would be made in their discretion.

Deployment of Capital. In light of the nature of our continuous offering in relation to our investment strategy and the need to be able to deploy potentially large amounts of capital quickly to capitalize on potential investment opportunities, if we have difficulty identifying and purchasing suitable investments on attractive terms, there could be a delay between the time we receive net proceeds from the sale of Units in this offering or any private offering and the time we invest the net proceeds. We may also from time to time hold cash or liquid Investments pending deployment into other Investments outside our core strategy, which cash holdings may at times be significant, particularly at times when we are receiving high amounts of offering proceeds and/or times when there are few attractive investment opportunities. Such cash may be held in an account for the benefit of Unitholders that may be invested in money market accounts or other similar temporary investments, each of which are subject to the Management Fee and Administration Fee.

In the event we are unable to find suitable investments, such cash or liquid investments may be maintained for longer periods which would be dilutive to overall investment returns. This could cause a substantial delay in the time it takes for Unitholders’ investment in us to realize its full potential return and could adversely affect our ability to pay regular distributions of cash flow from operations to Unitholders. It is not anticipated that the temporary investment of such cash into money market accounts or other similar temporary investments pending deployment into Investments will generate significant interest, and Unitholders should understand that such low interest payments on the temporarily invested cash may adversely affect overall returns. In the event we fail to timely invest the net proceeds of sales of Units or do not deploy sufficient capital to meet our targeted leverage, our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

Sourcing and Payment of Distributions. We have not established a minimum distribution payment level, and our ability to make distributions to our Unitholders may be adversely affected by a number of factors, including the risk factors described in this report. As of the date of this Registration Statement, we have no track record and may not generate sufficient income to make distributions to our Unitholders. Our General Partner will make determinations regarding distributions based upon, among other factors, our financial performance, debt service obligations, debt covenants, tax requirements and capital expenditure requirements. Among the factors that could impair our ability to make distributions to its Unitholders are:

 

   

our inability to invest the proceeds from sales of our Units on a timely basis,

 

   

our inability to realize attractive risk-adjusted returns on our Investments,

 

   

high levels of expenses or reduced revenues that reduce our cash flow or non-cash earnings, and

 

   

defaults in our investment portfolio or decreases in the value of our Investments.

As a result, we may not be able to make distributions to our Unitholders at any time in the future, and the level of any distributions we do make to Unitholders may not increase or even be maintained over time, any of which could materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.

 

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We may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to fully fund distributions to Unitholders, particularly during the early stages of our operations. Therefore, we may fund distributions to our Unitholders from sources other than cash flow from operations, including, without limitation, the sale of assets, borrowings, return of capital or offering proceeds (including from sales from our Units). The extent to which we pay distributions from sources other than cash flow from operations will depend on various factors, including the extent to which the Investment Manager elects to receive its Management Fee and/or Administration Fee in Units and the General Partner elects to receive distributions on its Performance Participation Allocation in Units, how quickly we invest the proceeds from this and any future offering and the performance of our Investments. Funding distributions from the sales of assets, borrowings, return of capital or proceeds of an offering will result in us having less funds available to acquire Investments. As a result, the return a Unitholder realizes on its investment may be reduced. Doing so may also negatively impact our ability to generate cash flows. Likewise, funding distributions from the sale of additional securities will dilute a Unitholder’s interest in us on a percentage basis and may impact the value of its investment especially if we sell these securities at prices less than the price such Unitholder paid for its Units. We may be required to continue to fund our regular distributions from a combination of some of these sources if our Investments fail to perform, if expenses are greater than our revenues or due to numerous other factors. We have not established a limit on the amount of our distributions that may be paid from any of these sources.

To the extent we borrow funds to pay distributions, we would incur borrowing costs and these borrowings would require a future repayment. The use of these sources for distributions and the ultimate repayment of any liabilities incurred could adversely impact our ability to pay distributions in future periods, decrease our NAV, decrease the amount of cash we have available for operations and new investments and adversely impact the value of your investment.

We may also defer operating expenses or pay expenses (including the fees of the Investment Manager or distributions to the General Partner) with our Units in order to preserve cash flow for the payment of distributions. The ultimate repayment of these deferred expenses could adversely affect our operations and reduce the future return on your investment. We may repurchase Units from the Investment Manager or the General Partner shortly after issuing such units or Units as compensation. The payment of expenses with our Units will dilute your ownership interest in our portfolio of assets. There is no guarantee any of our operating expenses will be deferred and the Investment Manager and General Partner are under no obligation to receive future fees or distributions in our Units and may elect to receive such amounts in cash.

In-Kind Remuneration to the Investment Manager and/or General Partner. The Investment Manager or the General Partner may choose to receive our Units in lieu of certain fees or distributions. Repurchases of our Units (a) from the Investment Manager paid to the Investment Manager as Management Fee/or Administration Fee and (b) from the General Partner distributed to the General Partner with respect to its Performance Participation Allocation are each subject to the quarterly volume limitations of the Repurchase Program and the Early Repurchase Deduction.

Electronic Delivery of Certain Documents. Pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, each Unitholder will consent to electronic delivery (including email or posting on our intranet website or other internet service in accordance with the Partnership Agreement) of (a) any notices or communications required or contemplated to be delivered to the Unitholder by the Sponsor, pursuant to applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, the Exchange Act and the U.S. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, as amended), at the option of the person making such delivery and (b) any notices, requests, demands or consents or other communications and any financial statements, reports, schedules, certificates or opinions required to be provided to the Unitholders under the Partnership Agreement or under any other agreement that may be applicable to a Unitholder’s investment in us. There are certain risks (e.g., slow downloading time and system outages) associated with electronic delivery. Moreover, the Sponsor cannot provide any assurance that these communication methods are secure and will not be responsible for any computer viruses, problems or malfunctions resulting from any computer viruses or related problems that may be associated with the use of an internet based system.

 

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Portfolio Entities

Litigation. In connection with ordinary course investing activities, the Sponsor and/or we, as well as our Portfolio Entities, may become involved in litigation, including as a party or non-party or in governmental and/or regulatory inquiries, investigations and/or proceedings either as a plaintiff or defendant. There can be no assurance that any such litigation, investigation or proceeding, once begun, would be resolved in favor of the Sponsor, and/or us and/or such Portfolio Entity (as applicable). Any such litigation, investigation or proceeding could be prolonged and expensive. In addition, it is by no means unusual for participants in reorganizations, take-privates or other transactions to use the threat of, as well as actual, litigation as a negotiating technique. The expense of researching and gathering information in respect of any discovery requests or potential litigation, defending against claims by third parties and paying any amounts pursuant to settlements or judgments generally would be borne by us and would reduce net assets. In addition, from time to time past or current partners, members, employees and managers of the Sponsor may disagree with the Sponsor and/or its management over terms related to separation or other issues. If not resolved, such disputes could lead to litigation or arbitration, which could be costly, distracting and/or time-consuming for the Sponsor.

Risks Relating to Due Diligence of Investments. Before making Investments, the Sponsor will conduct due diligence that it deems reasonable and appropriate based on the facts and circumstances known at that time. Due diligence may entail, among other factors, evaluation of important and complex business, financial, tax, accounting, environmental, social, governance, real property and legal issues. When conducting due diligence and making an assessment regarding an Investment, the Sponsor will rely on the resources available to it, including information provided by the counterparty and, in some circumstances, third-party diligence investigations and due diligence conducted by an Other Blackstone Account. However, representations made by a counterparty could be inaccurate, and third-party investigations may not uncover all risks. As a result, due diligence investigations conducted with respect to any investment opportunity may not reveal or highlight all relevant facts necessary or helpful to make the investment decision. Moreover, such an investigation will not necessarily result in an Investment being successful. There can be no assurance that attempts to provide downside protection with respect to an Investment, including pursuant to risk management procedures described in this report, will achieve their desired effect and potential investors should regard an investment in us as being speculative and having a high degree of risk. Conduct occurring at Portfolio Entities, even activities that occurred prior to our investment therein, could have an adverse impact (financial or otherwise) on us. In particular, there can be no assurance that the Sponsor will be able to detect or prevent irregular accounting, employee misconduct or other fraudulent practices during the due diligence phase or during its efforts to monitor an Investment on an ongoing basis or that any risk management procedures implemented by the Sponsor will be adequate. In the event of fraud by any Portfolio Entity or any of its affiliates, we may suffer a partial or total loss of capital invested in that Portfolio Entity. An additional concern is the possibility of material misrepresentation or omission on the part of the Portfolio Entity or the seller. Such inaccuracy or incompleteness may adversely affect the value of our Investments in such Portfolio Entity. The Sponsor will rely upon the accuracy and completeness of representations made by Portfolio Entities and/or their former owners in the due diligence process to the extent reasonable when it makes its investments, but cannot guarantee such accuracy or completeness of any such representation. We may elect to obtain a representations and warranties insurance policy that may provide protection to us in the event of losses arising from the inaccuracy or incompleteness of any such representation. However, there is no guarantee that we would be able to obtain recovery under any such insurance policy, or that such recovery will be sufficient. In addition, in a transaction where we have obtained such a policy, recourse to the former owners of a Portfolio Entity may be severely limited or even eliminated, and recovery under such policy may effectively be the sole source of recovery for us in such circumstance. Under certain circumstances, payments to us may be reclaimed if any such payment or distribution is later determined to have been a fraudulent conveyance or a preferential payment.

Consultants, legal advisors, appraisers, accountants, investment banks and other third parties may be involved in the due diligence process and/or the ongoing operation of our Portfolio Entities to varying degrees. For example, certain asset management, finance, administrative and other similar functions may be outsourced to

 

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a third-party service provider whose fees and expenses will be borne by the Portfolio Entities or us and will not offset Fund Fees. Such involvement of third-party advisors or consultants may present a number of risks primarily relating to the Sponsor’s reduced control of the functions that are outsourced. In addition, if the Sponsor is unable to timely engage third-party providers, its ability to evaluate and acquire more complex targets could be adversely affected.

Misconduct by Sponsor Employees and Fund Service Providers. Misconduct by employees of the Sponsor and/or service providers to us and/or their respective affiliates could cause significant losses to us. Misconduct may include entering into transactions without authorization, the failure to comply with operational and risk procedures, including due diligence procedures, the improper use or disclosure of confidential or material non-public information, which could result in litigation or serious financial harm, including limiting our business prospects or future marketing activities, and non-compliance with applicable laws or regulations and the concealing of any of the foregoing. Such activities may result in reputational damage, litigation, business disruption and/or financial losses to us. The Sponsor has controls and procedures through which it seeks to minimize the risk of such misconduct occurring. However, no assurances can be given that the Sponsor will be able to identify or prevent such misconduct.

Reliance on Portfolio Entity Management and Third Parties. The day-to-day operations of each Portfolio Entity will be the responsibility of the Portfolio Entity’s management team. Although the Sponsor will be responsible for monitoring the performance of our Investments and intends to acquire and invest in Portfolio Entities with strong management teams or build strong management teams at each of them, there can be no assurance that the management team of any Portfolio Entity will operate in accordance with the Sponsor’s expectations, and the Sponsor may have limited protections and governance rights in this regard, particularly where we are making a minority or non-equity investment. Moreover, a Portfolio Entity can lose employees (including to the Sponsor and/or Blackstone), as notwithstanding general unemployment levels or developments within a particular industry, the market for high-performing executive talent is competitive. In connection with attracting and retaining strong management teams (including as a result of the foregoing), Portfolio Entities may enter into customized arrangements with one or more members of their management teams, including low- or zero-interest loans, unconventional incentive compensation or compensation in-kind. We may, in appropriate circumstances, fund the capital necessary for such arrangements or separately enter into such arrangements directly with management team members. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio Entity will be able to attract, develop, integrate and retain suitable management team members over the life of our Fund and, as a result, we and such Portfolio Entity may be adversely affected thereby.

Furthermore, consultants, legal advisors, appraisers, accountants, investment banks and other third parties will be involved in the due diligence process and/or the ongoing operation of our Fund and our Portfolio Entities to varying degrees. Moreover, in negotiating and structuring transactions with counterparties (such as investment banks, financial intermediaries, and other service providers) of our Fund or Portfolio Entities, the Sponsor will generally not seek to maximize terms as if such transaction was taking place in isolation – it will be free to consider relationship, reputational and market considerations, which can in some circumstances result in less favorable terms to us than might be negotiated if those considerations were not taken into account. For example, certain asset management, finance, administrative and other similar functions, such as data entry relating to a Portfolio Entity, may be outsourced to a third-party or affiliated service provider whose fees and expenses will be borne by us or such Portfolio Entity and will not offset Fund Fees. Such involvement of third-party advisors or consultants may present a number of risks primarily relating to the Sponsor’s reduced control over the functions that are outsourced. In addition, if the Sponsor is unable to timely engage third-party providers, its ability to evaluate and acquire more complex targets could be adversely affected.

Risks in Effecting Operating Improvements. In some cases, the success of our investment strategy will depend, in part, on our ability to restructure and effect improvements in the operations of a Portfolio Entity. The activity of identifying and implementing restructuring programs and operating improvements at Portfolio Entities entails a high degree of uncertainty. For example, cooperation of employees, consultants and other stakeholders

 

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required to make improvements could be difficult to obtain, or those employees, consultants and stakeholders may not be effective at making change. Furthermore, technology that the Sponsor expects to aid improvements may not be as effective or easily implemented as anticipated. For these and other reasons, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully identify and implement restructuring programs and improvements.

Outsourcing. The Sponsor is expected to outsource to third parties several of the services performed for us and/or our Portfolio Entities, including services (such as administrative, legal, accounting, investment diligence (including sourcing), modeling, ESG (as defined below) services, and ongoing monitoring, tax or other related services) that can be or historically have been performed in-house by the Sponsor and its personnel. For example, third parties may assist the Sponsor in preparing internal templates, memos, and similar materials in connection with the Sponsor’s analysis of investment opportunities. The fees, costs and expenses of such third-party service providers will be borne by us as fund expenses, even if the Sponsor would have borne such amounts if such services had been performed in-house (which, for the avoidance of doubt, would be in addition to any fees borne by us as fund expenses for similar services performed by the Sponsor in-house in lieu of or alongside (and/or to supplement or monitor) such third parties, subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement). From time to time, the Sponsor may provide such services alongside (and/or supplement or monitor) a third-party service provider on the same matter or engagement and in certain cases the cost of the Sponsor’s services are reimbursable under the Partnership Agreement. In such cases, the fees, costs and expenses associated with the provision of such services will be borne by us instead of the Sponsor, thereby increasing our expenses borne directly or indirectly by the Unitholders. Outsourced services also include certain services (such as fund administration, transactional legal advice, tax planning and other related services) that may, subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, also be provided by Blackstone’s in-house personnel at our expense.

The decision to engage a third-party service provider and the terms (including economic terms) of such engagement will be made by the Sponsor in its discretion, taking into account such factors as it deems relevant under the circumstances. Certain third-party service providers and/or their employees (and/or teams thereof) will dedicate substantially all of their business time to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or their respective Portfolio Entities, while others will have other clients. In certain cases, third-party service providers and/or their employees (including part- or full-time secondees to Blackstone) may spend some or all of their time at Blackstone offices, have dedicated office space at Blackstone, have Blackstone-related email addresses, receive administrative support from Blackstone personnel or participate in meetings and events for Blackstone personnel, even though they are not Blackstone employees or affiliates. The Sponsor will have an incentive to outsource services to third parties due to a number of factors, including because the fees, costs and expenses of such service providers will be borne by us as fund expenses (with no reduction or offset to Management Fees) and retaining third parties will reduce the Sponsor’s internal overhead, compensation and benefits costs for employees who would otherwise perform such services in-house. Such incentives likely exist even with respect to services where internal overhead, compensation and benefits are chargeable to us. In general, the involvement of third-party service providers may present a number of risks due to the Sponsor’s reduced control over the functions that are outsourced. In some cases, third-party service providers are permitted to delegate all or a portion of their responsibilities relating to us and/or our Portfolio Entities to other third parties (including to their affiliates). Any such delegation could further reduce the Sponsor’s control over the outsourced functions, and the Sponsor would lack direct oversight over the party to whom the responsibilities are delegated.

A third-party service provider could face conflicts of interest in carrying out its responsibilities relating to us and/or our Portfolio Entities, including (without limitation) in relation to the delegation of such responsibilities to other parties and the allocation of time, attention and resources to the Sponsor as compared to its other clients. Third-party service providers could have incentives to carry out their responsibilities in a manner that does not advance our interests and often have no fiduciary obligation to act in the best interest of the Sponsor or us. The Sponsor has limited visibility into what conflicts of interest a third-party service provider might fact and the extent to which any such conflicts impact the service provider’s decision-making.

 

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There can be no assurances that the Sponsor will be able to identify, prevent or mitigate the risks of engaging third-party service providers (including the risk that such third-party service provider or its delegate will not perform the outsourced function with the same degree of skill, competence and efficiency as Blackstone would in the absence of an outsourcing arrangement). We could suffer adverse consequences from actions, errors or failures to act by such third parties or their designees, and will have obligations, including indemnity obligations, and limited recourse against them. Outsourcing and in-house services may not occur uniformly for all Blackstone managed vehicles and accounts and, the expenses that may be borne by such vehicles and accounts vary. Accordingly, certain costs could be incurred by (or allocated to) us through the use of third-party (or internal) service providers that are not incurred by (or allocated to) Other Blackstone Accounts for similar services.

The Sponsor may similarly determine to outsource certain services to our Portfolio Entities and/or Other Blackstone Accounts. The risks and conflicts described above would similarly apply in such circumstances.

Expedited Transactions. Investment analyses and decisions by the Sponsor may frequently be required to be undertaken on an expedited basis to take advantage of investment opportunities. In such cases, the information available to the Sponsor at the time of making an investment decision may be limited, and the Sponsor may not have access to detailed information regarding investments. In addition, the Sponsor may rely on independent consultants or attorneys in connection with the evaluation of proposed investments. There can be no assurance that these consultants will accurately evaluate such investments. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the Sponsor will have knowledge of all circumstances that may adversely affect an investment at the time the investment decision is made, and we may make Investments which we would not have made if more extensive due diligence had been undertaken.

Portfolio Entity Liabilities. Liabilities of Portfolio Entities, including those related to activities that occurred prior to our investment therein, could have an adverse impact on us. For example, the European Commission held a fund liable as a result of a former portfolio entity that engaged in anticompetitive cartel activities on the basis that such fund had exercised decisive influence over the former portfolio entity. This precedent illustrates the risk that even if private equity funds are only involved in the high level strategy and commercial policy of their portfolio companies, it does not exclude them from potential liability in the context of certain courts and/or regulators. Similarly, various jurisdictions permit certain classes of creditors and government authorities to make claims (including, by way of example only, environmental, consumer protection, antitrust and pension and labor law matters and liabilities) against shareholders of a company if the company does not have resources to pay out the claim. We could, as a result, become liable for certain classes of claims against our Portfolio Entities. Finally, it is possible that creditors of Portfolio Entities owned by Other Blackstone Accounts may seek to make certain claims (including, by way of example only, environmental, consumer protection and pension/labor law matters and liabilities) against us due to our common control relationship with Other Blackstone Accounts. The laws of certain jurisdictions provide not only for carve-outs from limited liability protection for a Portfolio Entity that has incurred certain liabilities, but also for recourse to assets of other entities under common control with, or that are part of the same economic group as, such company. For example, if our Portfolio Entity or the Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account is subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings in a jurisdiction and is found to have liabilities under the local consumer protection laws, the laws of that jurisdiction may permit authorities or creditors to file a lien on, or to otherwise have recourse to, assets held by entities under common control or that form part of the same economic group, potentially including our Portfolio Entities.

Risks from Operations of Other Portfolio Entities. We expect to make, and Other Blackstone Accounts have made and will continue to make, investments in Portfolio Entities that have operations and assets in many jurisdictions around the world. It is possible that the activities of one Portfolio Entity may have adverse consequences on one or more other Portfolio Entities (including our Portfolio Entities), even in cases where the Portfolio Entities are held by Other Blackstone Accounts and have no other connection to each other. For

 

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example, a violation of a rule by a Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account could prevent us or one of our Portfolio Entities from obtaining a permit, or have other adverse consequences.

Charitable Contributions and Political Activities. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Sponsor may, from time to time, require, cause or invite us and/or a Portfolio Entity to make contributions to charitable initiatives, certain communities and/or related organizations or other non-profit organizations that the Sponsor believes could, directly or indirectly, enhance the value of our Investments, assist in completing an acquisition of a Portfolio Entity or other transaction (whether or not documented at the time of such acquisition or transaction) or otherwise serve a business purpose for, or be beneficial to, us or our Portfolio Entities. Such contributions could be designed to benefit employees of a Portfolio Entity, the community in which a Portfolio Entity operates or a charitable cause essential to, or consistent with, the business purpose of a Portfolio Entity. In certain instances, such charitable initiatives could be sponsored by, affiliated with or related to current or former employees of Blackstone, portfolio entity management teams, advisors, service providers, vendors, joint venture partners, and/or other persons or organizations associated with Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts or the Portfolio Entities. These relationships could influence the Sponsor’s decision whether to require, cause or invite us or Portfolio Entities to make charitable contributions. Further, from time to time, such charitable contributions by us or the Portfolio Entities could supplement or replace charitable contributions that Blackstone would have otherwise made. Also, in certain instances, the Sponsor may, from time to time, select a service provider or other counterparty to us or our Investments based, in part, on the charitable initiatives of such person where the Sponsor believes such charitable initiatives could, directly or indirectly, enhance the value of our Investments or otherwise be beneficial to the Portfolio Entities.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a Portfolio Entity and/or, less commonly, we on behalf of a Portfolio Entity may, in the ordinary course of its business, make political contributions to elected officials, candidates for elected office or political organizations, hire lobbyists or engage in other permissible political activities in U.S. or non-U.S. jurisdictions with the intent of furthering our business interests or otherwise. Portfolio Entities are not considered affiliates of the Sponsor (and in some cases are not controlled by the Sponsor), and therefore such activities are not subject to relevant policies of the Sponsor and such activities may be undertaken by a Portfolio Entity without the knowledge or direction of the Sponsor. In other circumstances, there may be initiatives where such activities are coordinated by Blackstone for the benefit of one or more Portfolio Entities. In certain circumstances, interests of a Portfolio Entity may not align with or be adverse to the interests of other Portfolio Entities, ourselves, Other Blackstone Accounts or the Unitholders. While the costs of such activities will typically be borne by the Portfolio Entity (and indirectly us) undertaking such activities, such activities could also directly or indirectly benefit other Portfolio Entities, other investments, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone. There can be no assurance that any such activities will be successful in advancing the interests of a Portfolio Entity or ourselves.

Any such charitable contributions or political contributions made by us or the Portfolio Entities, if material, could affect our performance in respect of the relevant Investment and will not offset management fees payable by us. There can be no assurance that any such activities will actually be beneficial to or enhance our value or the value of the Portfolio Entities, or that the Sponsor will be able to resolve any associated conflict of interest in our favor.

Leverage

Volatility of Credit Markets May Affect Ability to Finance and Consummate Investments. The volatility of the global credit markets could make it more difficult to obtain favorable financing or re-financings for Investments. During periods of volatility, which often occur during economic downturns, generally credit spreads widen, volatility of the global debt markets becomes extreme, interest rates rise, and investor demand for high-yield debt declines. These trends result in reduced willingness by investment banks and other lenders to finance or refinance new infrastructure investments and could lead to a deterioration in available terms, which is likely to affect us both in purchasing as well as selling. Our ability to generate attractive investment returns for its

 

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Unitholders will be adversely affected to the extent we are unable to obtain favorable financing. Moreover, to the extent that such marketplace events are not temporary, they could have an adverse impact on the availability of credit to businesses generally and could lead to an overall weakening of the economy, which could restrict our ability to sell or liquidate Investments at favorable times or for favorable prices or otherwise may have an adverse impact on our business and operations.

Bridge Financings. From time to time, we may lend to one or more of our Portfolio Entities an unsecured basis (which may initially be intended on a short-term, unsecured basis but may become a long-term basis as more fully described below) or otherwise invest in a Portfolio Entity in anticipation of a future issuance of equity, long-term debt securities, or other refinancing, syndication or liquidity event. It can be expected that we will make loans to Portfolio Entities where such Portfolio Entity requires an infusion of cash for various reasons, including, but not limited to, capital expenditures. In some situations, we expect, directly or indirectly, to make a short-term loan or otherwise invest on an interim basis in a Portfolio Entity. While any such short-term loans (or bridge financings) could be converted into a more permanent, long-term security, it is entirely possible, for reasons not always in our control, that the issuance of long-term securities or other refinancing or syndication may not occur and such short-term loans (or bridge financings) may remain outstanding for long periods of time. Similarly, expected sources of cash to repay loans at the borrower may not become available. In such events, the interest rate charged may not adequately reflect the risk associated with the position that we have taken.

Credit Support. We may be required to make contingent funding commitments or guarantees to our Portfolio Entities or other vehicles or entities in or alongside which we invest and to provide other credit support arrangements in connection therewith. Such credit support may take the form of a guarantee, letter of credit, equity commitment or other forms of promise to provide funding. Such credit support may result in fees, expenses and interest costs to us, which could adversely impact our results.

Leverage. We intend to utilize leverage to finance the operations of ourselves and our Portfolio Entities. The use of leverage involves a high degree of financial risk and will increase our exposure to adverse economic factors such as rising interest rates, downturns in the economy or deteriorations in the condition of the Investments. Although borrowings by us, and our subsidiaries and Portfolio Entities have the potential to enhance overall returns, they will further diminish returns (or increase losses on capital) to the extent overall returns on Investments are less than our cost of funds. This leverage may also subject our Investments to restrictive financial and operating covenants, which may limit flexibility in responding to changing business and economic conditions. For example, leveraged entities may be subject to restrictions on making interest payments and other distributions. Leverage at a Portfolio Entity may impair a Portfolio Entities’ ability to finance its future operations and capital needs. Moreover, any rise in interest rates may significantly increase a Portfolio Entity’s interest expense, causing losses and/or the inability to service its debt obligations. If a Portfolio Entity cannot generate adequate cash flow to meet debt obligations, we may suffer a partial or total loss of capital invested in the Portfolio Entity. In addition, the amount of leverage used to finance an Investment may fluctuate over the life of an Investment.

The Sponsor may also obtain leverage at our level. We expect to incur indebtedness and enter into guarantees and other credit support arrangements, or incur any other obligations in connection with our investment activities, for any proper purpose, including, without limitation, to fund Investments, cover fund expenses, Organizational and Offering Expenses (as defined below) and Management Fees, provide permanent financing or refinancing, provide cash collateral to secure outstanding letters of credit, provide funds for distributions to Unitholders, and to fund repurchases. The General Partner could be incentivized to borrow (whether from a net asset value credit facility of our Fund or otherwise) for distributions as it will result in the General Partner receiving its Performance Participation Allocation earlier than it would otherwise. Such borrowings also increase our leverage without any corresponding acquisition of assets. Borrowings and guarantees by us may be deal-by-deal or on a portfolio basis, and may be on a joint, several, joint and several or cross-collateralized basis (which may be on an investment-by-investment or portfolio wide basis) with any parallel entities, co-investment vehicles, Other Blackstone Accounts (including for the avoidance of doubt other

 

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vehicles in the BXINFRA Fund Program), joint venture partners and managers of such joint venture partners. Such arrangements will not necessarily impose joint and several obligations on such other vehicles that mirror our obligations (e.g., we may provide credit enhancement through recourse to assets outside of a loan pool, whereas other vehicles may not provide such enhancement). The interest expense of any such borrowings will generally be allocated among us and such other vehicles or funds pro-rata (and therefore indirectly to the Unitholders pro-rata) based on principal amount outstanding, but other fees and expenses, including upfront fees and origination costs, could be allocated by a different methodology, including entirely to us. Furthermore, in the case of indebtedness on a joint and several or cross-collateralized basis, we could be required to contribute amounts in excess of its pro-rata share of the indebtedness, including additional capital to make up for any shortfall if the other joint and several obligors are unable to repay their pro-rata share of such indebtedness. We could lose our interests in performing Investments in the event such performing Investments are cross-collateralized with poorly performing or non-performing Investments of ours and such other vehicles. We may also be obligated in some circumstances to reimburse co-investors for their losses resulting from cross-collateralization of their investments with our assets that are in default. Our obligations due to the cross-collateralization of obligations with other investment vehicles are permitted but not counted against our leverage limitations. Borrowings under any such facilities (and expenses related thereto) may initially be made with respect to an investment opportunity based on preliminary allocations to us and/or Other Blackstone Accounts, and such preliminary allocations may be subject to change and may not take into account excuse rights, investment limits, differences among the relevant entities, and other considerations. Although the Sponsor will seek to use leverage in a manner it believes is appropriate, the use of leverage involves a high degree of financial risk.

By executing a subscription document with respect to our Fund, Unitholders will be deemed to have acknowledged and consented to the Sponsor causing us to enter into one or more credit facilities or other similar fund-level borrowing arrangements.

The aggregate amount of our borrowings are subject to certain limits (as more fully set forth in “Item 1(c). Description of Business—Leverage.” These limits do not include leverage on Investments (including Investments in or alongside Other Blackstone Accounts), even though leverage at such entities could increase the risk of loss on such Investments. The limits also do not apply to guarantees of indebtedness, even though we may be obligated to fully fund such guarantees, “bad boy” guarantees or other related liabilities that are not indebtedness for borrowed money. There can be no assurance that the limits described above are appropriate in all circumstances and would not expose us to financial risks.

The Sponsor or its affiliates may organize portfolio vehicles or other subsidiary entities (“Bond Financing Entities”) for the purpose of providing us with access to the unsecured bond market in Europe. If an investment held by any Bond Financing Entity organized in connection with a bond financing program for us were to be unable to service or repay its pro-rata share of such bond financing, we could be required to fund the shortfall. In addition, such bond financing may be on a joint and several basis (which may be on an investment-by-investment or portfolio wide basis) with co-investment vehicles or Other Blackstone Accounts, and, as such, there is a risk that we could be required to contribute amounts in excess of our pro-rata share of such financing, including additional capital (a) to make up for any shortfall if the co-investment vehicles or Other Blackstone Accounts are unable to service or repay their pro-rata share of such financing or (b) to reimburse such co-investment vehicles or Other Blackstone Accounts for proceeds that would have been distributed to such investors but instead are used to service or repay such Bond Financing Entity financing relating to investments in which such entities do not participate. Tax-exempt investors should note that the use of leverage by the Fund may create UBTI.

Securitizations; Back Leverage; Holding Vehicles. To finance investments or otherwise manage our capital needs, we may securitize or otherwise restructure or repackage some or all of our Investments and/or other assets on an individual or cross-collateralized basis with other Investments and/or assets held by us and/or Other Blackstone Accounts and the Sponsor may otherwise structure or package some or all Investments and/or assets held by Other Blackstone Accounts in holdings vehicles as described herein, unrelated to any financing

 

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arrangements, but which will nevertheless give rise to similar risks. This would typically involve us creating one or more investment or holding vehicles, contributing assets to such vehicle or a related entity, and issuing debt or preferred equity interests in such entity or having such entity make borrowings or incur other indebtedness or engaging in such transactions with existing holding or other investment vehicles. To the extent such arrangements are entered into by any such vehicle or entity (and not ourselves), such arrangements will not be subject to the limits on borrowing or other indebtedness (or any limits on issuing additional interests) by us that are set forth in this report. In connection with the foregoing, distributions from one Investment may be used to pay interest and/or principal (or the equivalent amounts regarding preferred securities) or other obligations.

If we were to utilize one or more of such investment vehicles for any such purpose, the Unitholders would be exposed to risks associated with our interest in such Investments and/or other assets. For example, in the event that the value of such investment were to meaningfully deteriorate, there could be a margin call on our facility, in response to the decrease in the collateral value. A decline in the value of such investment could also result in increased costs of borrowing for us as a whole. Unitholders may also have an interest in certain investments that is disproportionate to their exposure to leverage through cross-collateralization on other investments. Similar circumstances could arise in a situation where we and a co-invest vehicle participate in borrowings that experience a margin call, and the co-invest vehicle’s investors already have funded their full commitments to such vehicle and accordingly have the option (and not the obligation) to fund additional amounts or otherwise be diluted by us and/or Other Blackstone Accounts. In addition, if we are excused or excluded from or otherwise do not participate in an investment, through cross-collateralization, we may nevertheless be indirectly exposed to risks associated with leverage on investments made by Other Blackstone Accounts in which we are not invested and distributions from unrelated investments may be used to satisfy obligations with respect to such investment, in which case the Unitholders may receive such proceeds later than they otherwise would have, in a reduced amount, or not at all. The Unitholders and/or we could also have an interest in certain Investments that is disproportionate to their/our exposure to leverage through cross-collateralization on other Investments. In addition, we would depend on distributions from an investment vehicle’s assets out of its earnings and cash flows to enable us to make distributions to Unitholders. The ability of such an investment vehicle to make distributions will be subject to various limitations, including the terms and covenants of the debt/preferred equity it incurs. For example, tests (based on interest coverage or other financial ratios or other criteria) may restrict our ability, as the holder of an investment vehicle’s common equity interests, to receive cash flow from these investments. There is no assurance any such performance tests will be satisfied. Also, an investment vehicle could take actions that delay distributions in order to preserve ratings and to keep the cost of present and future financings lower or be required to prepay all or a portion of its cash flows to pay outstanding obligations to credit parties. As a result, there could be a lag, which could be significant, between the repayment or other realization from, and the distribution of cash out of, such an investment vehicle, or cash flow may be completely restricted for the life of the relevant investment vehicle. To the extent any such investment vehicle defaults in its obligations to any credit parties, such credit parties may be entitled to foreclose on any collateral pledged by the applicable investment vehicle(s) and/or otherwise exercise rights and remedies as a creditor against the assets of any such investment vehicle(s), which could result in a loss of all or a part of our interest in any applicable investment and/or distributions therefrom.

We expect that the terms of the financing that any investment vehicles enter into will generally provide that the principal amount of assets must exceed the principal balance or market value of the related debt/preferred equity by a certain amount, commonly referred to as “over-collateralization.” We anticipate that the financing terms could provide that, if certain delinquencies and/or losses exceed specified levels, the required level of over-collateralization may be increased or may be prevented from decreasing as would otherwise be permitted if losses or delinquencies did not exceed those levels. Failure to obtain favorable terms with regard to over-collateralization could materially and adversely affect our liquidity. If assets held by such investment vehicles fail to perform as anticipated, their over-collateralization or other credit enhancement expenses may increase, resulting in a reduction in income and cash flow to us from these investment vehicles.

 

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In addition, a decline in the quality of assets in an investment vehicle due to poor operating results of the relevant issuer, declines in the value of collateral (whether due to poor operating results or economic conditions), among other things, may force an investment vehicle to sell certain assets at a loss, reducing their earnings and, in turn, cash potentially available for distribution to us for distribution to the Unitholders, or in certain cases a margin call or mandatory prepayment may be triggered by such perceived decrease in value which may require a large amount of funding on short notice.

The use of margin borrowings results in certain additional risks to us. For example, such margin financing arrangements secured by a pledge of equity of a Portfolio Entity are not necessarily treated as borrowings incurred by us to the extent not recourse to us for purposes of determining our compliance with the limitations on borrowings set forth in the Partnership Agreement. For example, should the securities pledged to brokers to secure our margin accounts decline in value, we could be subject to a “margin call,” pursuant to which we must either deposit additional funds or securities with the broker, or suffer mandatory liquidation of the pledged securities to compensate for the decline in value. In the event of a sudden drop in the value of our assets, we might not be able to liquidate assets quickly enough to satisfy our margin requirements, or may be required to sell assets at such reduced values.

The equity interests that we will hold in such an investment vehicle will not be secured by the assets of the investment vehicle, and we will rank behind all known or unknown creditors and other stakeholders, whether secured or unsecured, of the investment vehicle. To the extent that any losses are incurred by the investment vehicle in respect of any collateral, such losses will be borne first by us as owner of common equity interests.

Preferred Financing; Margin Loans. In addition to secured financing arrangements, we could employ preferred financing arrangements or margin loans with respect to some or all of our Investments. In such arrangements, a third party typically provides cash liquidity in exchange for the right to receive a return of such amount plus a preferred return thereon prior to the return of any additional proceeds to us. Subject to the Partnership Agreement, such arrangements could be employed to provide for additional capital for new or follow-on investments by us and will not be treated as borrowings incurred by us for purposes of determining our compliance with the limitations on borrowings set forth in the Partnership Agreement. These arrangements could result in us receiving a lower overall return of distributions than we would otherwise have received if, for example, an Investment is held for a long period of time, resulting in a compounding preferred return in favor of the third-party financing provider, or where the proceeds of the financing are reinvested in Investments that do not perform as well as the original Investment(s) that were subject to the financing arrangement. In addition, in the event of a margin call, we will be obligated to contribute additional capital in connection with the investment in order to avoid a default on the margin loan. Furthermore, to the extent a margin loan is entered into on behalf of both us and a co-investment vehicle on a cross-collateralized basis, in the event of a margin call, we and such co-investment vehicle will both be obligated to contribute additional capital in connection with the investment in order to avoid a default on the margin loan. Because co-investment vehicles frequently have limited or no remaining unpaid capital commitments, co-investors may have an option (but not an obligation) to increase their capital commitment to fund their share of such margin call, and in the event that one or more co-investors decline to do so, we are expected to be liable for such amounts. Because margin calls are most likely to occur at times when the underlying investment has declined in value, the likelihood that co-investors elect not to fund their share of such margin call is greater than in the case of ordinary course follow-on investments, and the our exposure to further decreases in value of the related investment may be higher as a result. Similar risks and potential adverse results will be present where we co-invest alongside Other Blackstone Accounts and the relevant Portfolio Entity requires additional capital, and such Other Blackstone Accounts have insufficient capital to participate in a follow-on investment, or an option on whether to participate.

The use of margin borrowings results in certain additional risks to us. For example, such margin financing arrangements secured by a pledge of equity of a Portfolio Entity are not necessarily treated as borrowings incurred by us to the extent not recourse to us for purposes of determining our compliance with the limitations on leverage set forth in this report. For example, should the securities pledged to brokers to secure our margin

 

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accounts decline in value, we could be subject to a “margin call,” pursuant to which we must either deposit additional funds or securities with the broker, or suffer mandatory liquidation of the pledged securities to compensate for the decline in value. In the event of a sudden drop in the value of our assets, we might not be able to liquidate assets quickly enough to satisfy our margin requirements.

We may be subject to margin calls in connection with our derivative transactions that are subject to variation margin requirements. The dynamic nature of the margin models utilized by the clearinghouses and the fact that the margin models might be changed at any time could subject us to an unexpected increase in collateral obligations to clearinghouses during a volatile market environment, which could have a detrimental effect on us. Clearinghouses may also limit collateral that they will accept to cash, U.S. treasuries and, in some cases, other highly rated sovereign and private debt instruments, which in certain circumstances would require us to borrow eligible securities from a dealer to meet margin calls and would raise our costs of cleared trades.

“Bad Boy” Guarantees. Generally, infrastructure project financings are structured as non-recourse to the borrower, which limits a lender’s recourse to the property pledged as collateral for the loan, and not the other assets of the borrower or to any parent of borrower, in the event of a loan default. However, lenders customarily require that a creditworthy party enter into so-called “non-recourse carveout” or “bad boy” guarantees to protect the lender against intentional acts of bad faith by the borrower in violation of the loan documents. We, or a creditworthy subsidiary, generally provides these guarantees with respect to our and/or our Portfolio Entities financings, and may even provide these guarantees with respect to financings of Parallel Funds, alternative investment vehicles, co-investment vehicles, Other Blackstone Accounts or joint venture partners associated with the Investments. These guarantees typically provide that the lender can recover losses from the guarantor for certain bad acts, such as fraud or intentional misrepresentation, intentional waste, willful misconduct, criminal acts, misappropriation of funds, voluntary incurrence of prohibited debt and environmental losses sustained by lender. In addition, the guarantees typically provide that the loan will become a full recourse obligation of the guarantor upon occurrence of certain events, such as a prohibited transfer of collateral, change of control or voluntary bankruptcy of the borrower. We may in certain circumstances, but will not always, receive an indemnity or a fee or other consideration for providing guarantees for the benefit of a Parallel Fund, co-investment vehicle, Other Blackstone Account or joint venture vehicles or partners associated with the Investments. The entity providing the indemnity may not, however, have resources to pay on a claim at the time asserted. Also, “bad boy” guarantees will generally not be included as part of our leverage ratio calculation.

Foreign Currency Exchange and Hedging

Foreign Currency and Exchange Rate Risks. Our assets generally will utilize in the currency of the jurisdiction where the Portfolio Entity has its principal place of business is located. Consequently, the return realized on any Investment by investors whose functional currency is not the currency of the jurisdiction in such Investment is located may be adversely affected by movements in currency exchange rates, costs of conversion and exchange control regulations in such jurisdiction, in addition to the performance of the Investment itself. Moreover, we may incur costs when converting one currency into another. The value of an Investment may fall substantially as a result of fluctuations in the currency of the country in which the Investment is made as against the value of the U.S. dollar. The Sponsor may in certain circumstances (but is not obliged to) attempt to manage currency exposures using hedging techniques where available and appropriate. We are therefore expected to incur costs related to currency hedging arrangements. There can be no assurance that adequate hedging arrangements will be available on an economically viable basis or that any particular currency exposure will be hedged.

Hedging Risks/Derivatives. While it is not currently anticipated that we will use derivative instruments for long-term hedging or speculative purposes as a material component of its investment strategy, we may utilize a wide variety of derivative financial instruments for risk management purposes. The successful utilization of hedging and risk management strategies requires different skills than those used in selecting and monitoring Investments and such transactions may entail greater than ordinary investment risks. Additionally, costs related

 

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to derivatives and other hedging arrangements (including legal expenses), whether at our level or investment vehicle level, will be borne by us, including costs incurred in connection with deals that failed to be consummated. There can be no assurance that any derivatives or other hedging transactions will be effective in mitigating risk in all market conditions or against all types of risk, (including unidentified or unanticipated risks or where the Sponsor does not regard the probability of the risk occurring to be sufficiently high as to justify the cost of a derivative or other hedging arrangement), thereby resulting in losses to us. Engaging in derivatives and other hedging transactions may result in a poorer overall performance for us than if we had not engaged in any such transaction. The Sponsor may not be able to effectively hedge against, adequately anticipate or choose not to hedge or mitigate, certain risks that may adversely affect our investment portfolio. In addition, our investment portfolio will always be exposed to certain risks that cannot be fully or effectively hedged, such as credit risk relating both to particular securities and counterparties as well as interest rate and foreign exchange risks.

Recently, counterparties to derivative contracts have sought assurances that the special purpose or other vehicle executing the derivative contract have recourse to main fund, which recourse liability can create significant additional risk to us and our other Investments. Derivative contracts entered into by us will also often have cross-default and/or cross-acceleration provisions such that a default under our other facilities would also trigger a notice or payment obligation under the relevant derivative contracts, which could create cascading liabilities and additional burdens on us. We will utilize derivatives and other hedging transactions only as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Co-investors are unlikely to receive the benefit of any derivative or hedging activities in which we may engage, even in cases where such activity is primarily related to our exposure to a particular Investment in which such co-investors participate.

Derivatives; Counterparty Risk. We or our Investments may engage in derivative or similar transactions. These transactions may involve the purchase and sale of commodities or commodity futures, the use of forward contracts, swap agreements (such as credit default swaps, interest rate swaps or total return swaps), put and call options, floors, collars, bilateral agreements or other arrangements. Such instruments may be difficult to value, may be illiquid and may be subject to wide swings in valuation caused by changes in the price of commodities or other underlying assets. We may also seek to utilize derivative instruments to replicate the economics of an otherwise permitted investment in lieu of making such investment directly; such derivative instruments are not included in our Leverage Limit, even though these instruments could increase the risk of loss on Investments. Derivative instruments may trade principally on markets organized outside the U.S. markets for such instruments, may be illiquid, highly-volatile and subject to interruption. Suitable hedging instruments may not continue to be available at reasonable cost. The investment techniques related to derivative instruments are highly specialized and may be considered speculative. Such techniques often involve forecasts and complex judgments regarding relative price movements and other economic developments. The success or failure of these investment techniques may turn on small changes in exogenous factors not within the control of the Portfolio Entities, Blackstone or ourselves. Moreover, derivative agreements and contracts entered into by the Portfolio Entities may be subject to the risk that one or more counterparties may experience financial hardship or default on their payment obligations to the Portfolio Entities, which may adversely affect the value and/or effectiveness of such derivative instruments. Concentrations of such derivatives in any one counterparty would subject us or our Portfolio Entities to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such counterparty. For all of the foregoing reasons, the use of derivatives and related techniques can expose us and our Investments to significant risk of loss.

Short Sales. We may sell securities short. Short selling is the practice of selling securities that are not owned by the seller, generally when the seller anticipates a decline in the price of the securities or for hedging purposes. Selling securities short runs the risk of losing an amount greater than the amount invested. Short selling is subject to the theoretically unlimited risk of loss because there is no limit on how much the price of a security may appreciate before the short position is closed out. A short sale may result in a sudden and substantial loss if, for example, an acquisition proposal is made for the subject company at a substantial premium over market price. In addition, the supply of securities which can be borrowed fluctuates from time to time. We may be subject to

 

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losses if a security lender demands return of the lent securities and an alternative lending source cannot be found or if we are otherwise unable to borrow securities which are necessary to cover our positions.

Diversification

Risk of Limited Number of Investments; Lack of Diversification. Our Investments may be concentrated at any time in a limited number of sectors, geographies or investments, and, as a consequence, may be more substantially affected by the unfavorable performance of even a single Investment as compared to a more diversified portfolio. Furthermore, although we could make an acquisition with the intent to syndicate a portion of the capital invested, there is a risk that any such planned syndication may not be completed, which could result in us holding a larger percentage of our NAV in a single Investment than desired and could result in lower overall returns. In addition, no remedial action will be required if such restriction is exceeded for any reason other than the acquisition of a new Investment (including the exercise of rights attached to an Investment). To the extent we concentrate Investments in a particular issuer, sector, security or geographic region, our Investments will become more susceptible to fluctuations in value resulting from adverse economic or business conditions with respect thereto.

Legal and Regulatory—Investment

Intermediate Entities. If it considers it appropriate for any legal, tax, regulatory, accounting, compliance, structuring or other considerations of our Fund or of certain current or prospective Unitholders, the General Partner or any of its affiliates may, in its sole discretion, cause us to hold certain investments directly or indirectly through Intermediate Entities (including Corporations). Management Fees, Administration Fees and Performance Participation Allocations may be paid or allocated, as applicable, in whole or in part, at the level of our Fund or any such Intermediate Entity and will generally not take into account accrued and unpaid taxes of any Corporation or taxes paid by the Corporation during the applicable period.

Documentation and Legal Risks. We, our Portfolio Entities and the Investments are governed by a complex series of legal documents and contracts. The intent of the legal documents and contracts might not be clear, and even clear drafting can be misconstrued by counterparties and judges. A dispute over interpretation of any of these documents or contracts could arise, which may result in unenforceability of the contract or other outcome that is adverse to us.

Permits, Approvals and Licenses. Blackstone currently maintains, and in the future may maintain, various registrations and/or licenses in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions in which it operates. Such licenses and registrations subject Blackstone to certain various information and other requirements. Blackstone’s failure to obtain or maintain such licenses could have adverse consequences on Blackstone and its ability to operate in such non-U.S. jurisdictions. A license, approval or permit may be required or advisable to acquire certain Investments (including making an additional Investment(s) in an existing Investment) and their direct or indirect holding companies, or registration may be required or advisable before an acquisition can be completed. Examples of permits, approvals and licenses necessary or advisable to make an Investment (including additional Investment(s) in an existing Investment) include antitrust approvals, environmental licenses, foreign investment approvals and registrations, and other similar matters. We may require some or all of these licenses, approvals and permits to acquire an asset, which may result in significant costs and expenses, and counterparties may also require some or all of these licenses, approvals and permits to acquire assets from us. There can be no guarantee of when and if such a license, approval or permit will be obtained or if the registration will be effected, which may adversely affect our ability to acquire and sell assets and the ability to proceed with an identified investment.

Certain Investments can involve regulated activities. Investments in Portfolio Entities that are subject to greater amounts of governmental regulation pose additional risks relative to investments in other companies generally, including, but not limited to, risks relating to approval of a change in ownership, and the acquisition and maintenance of applicable licenses. Accordingly, our Portfolio Entities themselves may be required to

 

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obtain, or may require Blackstone or its personnel to obtain, various EU, national, U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. licenses in connection with the operation of their businesses or in order to make, hold or dispose of certain investments, particularly to enable a Portfolio Entity to engage in certain types of regulated business practices. If a Portfolio Entity fails to comply with these requirements, it could also be subject to civil or criminal liability and the imposition of fines. A Portfolio Entity could be materially and adversely affected as a result of statutory or regulatory changes or judicial or administrative interpretations of existing laws and regulations that impose more comprehensive or stringent requirements on such company. There can be no assurances that a Portfolio Entity (or Blackstone and its personnel) will obtain all of the licenses sought or that there will not be significant delays in seeking such licenses, which could impact such Portfolio Entity’s operations. Governments have considerable discretion in implementing regulations that could impact a Portfolio Entity’s business and governments may be influenced by political considerations and may make decisions that adversely affect a Portfolio Entity’s business. Furthermore, the Portfolio Entities may be subject to various information and other requirements in connection with obtaining or maintaining such licenses, and there is no assurance that the Portfolio Entities will satisfy those requirements or that Blackstone and its personnel will provide any information required of them. Such licenses may depend in whole or in part on information about the Sponsor and its affiliates, the Unitholders and/or Blackstone and its personnel, which Blackstone may be unwilling or unable to provide (in which case the Portfolio Entity’s application for such license could be unsuccessful). In some circumstances, we may be required to provide certain information about the Unitholders in order to obtain such licenses. A Portfolio Entity’s failure to obtain or maintain licenses could have adverse consequences for us and/or such Portfolio Entity. In addition, the ownership and operation of certain Portfolio Entities may require certain individuals to be routinely vetted in order for the Portfolio Entity to obtain and maintain certain state licenses. We may require some or all of these licenses, approvals and permits to acquire an Investment or asset (which may result in significant costs and expenses), and counterparties may also require some or all of these licenses, approvals and permits to acquire Investments or assets from us. There can be no guarantee of when and if such a license, approval or permit will be obtained or if the registration will be effected, which may adversely affect our ability to acquire and sell Investments or assets, and our ability to proceed with an identified investment.

Antitrust Risk. We and our Portfolio Entities will be subject to antitrust and competition rules that apply in the U.S., the UK, the EU and the countries or regions where we/they do business. Failure to comply with those rules could result in sanctions, fines or penalties, including civil damage actions, or delays in consummating our Investments. In certain instances, a failure to comply could also result in an inability to consummate an Investment, restricting additional investment(s) in existing Investments and/or requiring divestment of certain assets. This could also negatively affect the Sponsor’s brand and reputation and could require the Sponsor’s management to devote time to compliance with such rules and resolution of such outcomes, which would reduce the time spent on our other activities. In some cases, private equity sponsors could be held jointly and severally liable for any sanctions or penalties imposed on current or former portfolio companies for breach of antitrust rules or regulations. This has become particularly true in Europe. Also, there have been governmental investigations and lawsuits alleging that certain club deals or consortium bids constituted an illegal attempt to collude and drive down the price on acquisitions. There can be no assurances that we, the General Partner, the Investment Manager or the Portfolio Entities will not be subject to litigation or investigations involving consortium bids or allegations of other anticompetitive activity, or the resulting negative impacts described above.

Liabilities on Disposition of Investments. In connection with the disposition of an Investment, we may be required to make representations about the business, financial affairs and other aspects of such Investment, such as environmental matters, property conditions, regulatory matters, tax liabilities, insurance coverage and litigation. We also may be required to indemnify the purchasers of an Investment for losses related to the inaccuracy of any representations and warranties and other agreed upon liabilities. Buyers of our assets may sue us under various theories, including breach of contract and tort, for losses they suffer, including from problems not uncovered in due diligence. We may book contingent liabilities on our financial statements, or create cash reserves, at the time of sale to account for any potential liabilities, but these may be insufficient. In addition, at

 

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the time of disposition of an individual asset, a potential buyer that does not win the auction may claim that it should have been afforded the opportunity to purchase the asset or alternatively that such potential buyer should be awarded due diligence expenses incurred or statutory damages for misrepresentation relating to disclosure made or not made.

Legal and Regulatory—General

Legal, Tax and Regulatory Risks. Our ability to achieve our investment objectives, as well as our ability to conduct our operations, is based on laws and regulations that are subject to change through legislative, judicial or administrative action. Future legislative, judicial or administrative action could adversely affect our ability to achieve our investment objectives, as well as our ability to conduct our operations. The effects of regulatory changes could also be indirect.

The regulatory environment for private investment funds is evolving, and changes in the regulation of private investment funds may adversely affect the value of investments held by us and our ability to effectively employ our investment and trading strategies. Increased scrutiny and newly proposed legislation applicable to private investment funds and their sponsors may also impose significant administrative burdens on the Sponsor and may divert time and attention from portfolio management activities. In addition, we will be required to register under certain additional foreign laws and regulations, and will need to engage additional distributors or other agents in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions in order to market Units to potential investors. The effect of any future regulatory change on us could be substantial and adverse. For example, from time to time the market for infrastructure transactions has been adversely affected by a decrease in the availability of senior and subordinated financing for transactions, in part in response to regulatory pressures on providers of financing to reduce or eliminate their exposure to such transactions. In addition, the securities and futures markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations and margin requirements. The SEC and other regulators and self-regulatory organizations and exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of market emergencies. The current state of the evolving regulatory environments may significantly increase the cost of managing us and providing effective compliance oversight and any such costs and expenses will be borne directly by us as fund expenses.

Changes in U.S. federal policy, including tax policies, and at regulatory agencies occur over time through policy and personnel changes following elections, which lead to changes involving the level of oversight and focus on the financial services industry or the tax rates paid by corporate entities. The nature, timing and economic effects of potential changes to the current legal and regulatory framework affecting financial institutions under the Biden administration remain highly uncertain. None of the General Partner, us or their/our respective affiliates can predict the ultimate impact of the foregoing on us, our business and investments, or the infrastructure industry generally, and any prolonged uncertainty could also have an adverse impact on us and our investment objectives. Future changes may adversely affect our operating environment and therefore our business, operating costs, financial condition and results of operations. Further, an extended federal government shutdown resulting from failing to pass budget appropriations, adopt continuing funding resolutions, or raise the debt ceiling, and other budgetary decisions limiting or delaying deferral of government spending, may negatively impact U.S. or global economic conditions, including corporate and consumer spending, and liquidity of capital markets.

In addition, any changes in U.S. social, political, regulatory and economic conditions or in laws and policies governing the financial services industry, foreign trade, manufacturing, outsourcing, development and investment in the territories and countries or types of investments in which we may invest, and any negative sentiments towards the United States as a result of such changes, could adversely affect the performance of our Investments. Moreover, media (including social media) has the potential to influence public sentiment and escalate tensions both within the U.S. and in international relations, which could cause social unrest and could negatively impact stock markets and economics around the globe and our Investments.

 

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Emerging Growth Company. We are and will remain an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act until the earlier of (a) the last day of the fiscal year (i) following the fifth anniversary of the date of an initial public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, (ii) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (iii) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Units that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the date of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and (b) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three year period. For so long as we remain an “emerging growth company” we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Once we are no longer an emerging growth company, so long as our Units are not traded on a securities exchange, we will be deemed to be a “non-accelerated filer” under the Exchange Act, and as a non-accelerated filer, we will be exempt from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We cannot predict if investors will find our Units less attractive because we may rely on some or all of these exemptions.

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the 1933 Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We will take advantage of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, which may make it more difficult for investors and securities analysts to evaluate us since our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates and may result in less investor confidence.

OFAC and Sanctions Considerations. Economic sanction laws in the United States and other jurisdictions prohibit Blackstone, Blackstone’s professionals and ourselves from transacting in certain countries and with certain individuals and companies. These sanctions, including sanctions imposed on Russia and certain Ukraine territories in response to the crisis in Ukraine are complex, frequently changing, and increasing in number, and they may impose additional prohibitions or compliance obligations on Blackstone. In the United States, OFAC administers and enforces laws, executive orders and regulations establishing U.S. economic and trade sanctions. Such sanctions prohibit transactions with, and the provision of services to, certain foreign countries, territories, entities and individuals. These entities and individuals include specially designated nationals, sanction evaders, specially designated narcotics traffickers and other parties. In addition, certain programs administered by OFAC prohibit dealing with individuals or entities in certain countries regardless of whether such individuals or entities appear on the lists maintained by OFAC. Other jurisdictions maintain different and/or additional economic and trade sanctions. Accordingly, we require investors to represent and warrant, on a continuing basis, that they are not, and that to the best of their knowledge or belief their beneficial owners, controllers or authorized persons (“Related Persons”) (if any) are not; (a) named on a list of prohibited entities and individuals maintained by the United Nations, OFAC or under similar EU, Luxembourg, UK regulations (as the latter are extended to the Cayman Islands by statutory instrument) and/or under Cayman Islands law, (b) operationally based or domiciled in a country or territory in relation to which current sanctions have been issued by the United States, OFAC, the EU, Luxembourg, UK or the Cayman Islands or (c) otherwise subject to sanctions imposed by the UN, OFAC, the EU, the UK (including as the latter are extended to the Cayman Islands by statutory instrument) or the Cayman Islands (collectively a “Sanctions Subject”). If an investor or a Related Person is or becomes a Sanctions Subject, we may be required to immediately cease any further dealings with the investor and/or the investor’s interest in us until the investor or the relevant Related Person (as applicable) ceases to be a Sanctions Subject, or a license is obtained under applicable law to continue such dealings (a “Sanctioned Persons Event”). We may further be required to report to the relevant competent authorities the implementation of any restrictive measures carried out pursuant to international financial sanctions. Accordingly, these types of sanction laws may prohibit or limit our investment activities. For the avoidance of doubt, the Sponsor has the sole discretion to determine the remedy if an investor is or becomes a Sanctions Subject and is under no obligation to seek a license to continue

 

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dealing with such investor. Although Blackstone expends significant effort to comply with the sanctions regimes in the countries where it operates, one of these rules could be violated by the activities of the Sponsor, ourselves, or our investors, which would adversely affect us.

We and the Sponsor shall have no liability whatsoever for any liabilities, costs, expenses, damages and/or losses (including but not limited to any direct, indirect or consequential losses, loss of profit, loss of revenue, loss of reputation and all interest, penalties and legal costs and all other professional costs and expenses) incurred by an investor as a result of a Sanctioned Persons Event.

Corruption; FCPA. In some countries, there is a greater acceptance than in the U.S. of government corruption and involvement in commercial activities. Blackstone, the Blackstone professionals and ourselves, where relevant, are committed to complying with the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act and other anti-corruption laws and regulations, as well as anti-boycott regulations, to which they are subject. As a result, we may be adversely affected because of our unwillingness to participate in transactions that violate such laws or regulations. Such laws and regulations may make it difficult in certain circumstances for us to execute on investment opportunities and obtain or retain business.

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC have devoted greater resources to enforcement of the FCPA. In addition, the UK Bribery Act, adopted in 2010, is broader in scope than the FCPA and applies to private and public sector corruption and holds companies liable for failure to prevent bribery unless they have adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery. Other countries have also adopted or improved their anti-corruption legal regimes in recent years. While Blackstone has implemented robust compliance programs designed to ensure strict compliance by Blackstone and its personnel with the FCPA and the UK Bribery Act and other similar laws, even reasonable compliance programs may not be effective in all instances at preventing violations. In addition, in spite of Blackstone’s policies and procedures, Portfolio Entities, particularly in cases where we or an Other Blackstone Account does not control such Portfolio Entity, and third-party consultants, managers and advisors may engage in activities that could result in a violation under the FCPA, UK Bribery Act or other similar laws. Any determination that a related entity not controlled by us or Blackstone, or ourselves and/or Blackstone itself, has violated the FCPA, the UK Bribery Act or other applicable anti-corruption laws or anti-bribery laws could subject Blackstone and ourselves to, among other things, civil and criminal penalties, material fines, profit disgorgement, injunctions on future conduct, securities litigation and a general loss of investor confidence.

Derivatives; Registration under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act. The regulation of derivatives transactions and funds that engage in such transactions is an evolving area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. Registration of the Sponsor with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a “commodity pool operator” or any change in our, the Sponsor’s or its affiliates’ operations (including, without limitation, any change that causes the Sponsor or its principals to be subject to certain specified covered statutory disqualifications) necessary to maintain the Sponsor’s ability to rely upon an exemption from registration could adversely affect our ability to implement our investment program, conduct our operations and/or achieve our objectives and subject us to certain additional costs, expenses and administrative burdens. Furthermore, any determination by the Sponsor to cease or to limit holding or investing in interests which may be treated as “commodity interests” in order to comply with the regulations of the CFTC may have a material adverse effect on our ability to implement our investment objectives and to hedge risks associated with our operations.

Sustainability Risks. The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (“SFDR”) defines “sustainability risks” as environmental, social or governance events or conditions that, if they occur, could cause an actual or a potential material negative impact on the value of an investment. Blackstone, the Sponsor (or its delegate), our Fund Program, Portfolio Entities of our Fund Program, and other parties, such as service providers to our Fund Program or Portfolio Entity counterparties, may be negatively affected by sustainability risks. If appropriate for an investment, the Sponsor (or its delegate) may conduct sustainability risk-related due diligence and/or take

 

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steps to mitigate sustainability risks and preserve the value of the investment; however, there can be no assurance that all such risks will be mitigated in whole or in part, nor identified prior to the date the risk materializes. Blackstone, the Sponsor (or its delegate), our Fund Program, Portfolio Entities of our Fund Program, and other parties may maintain insurance to protect against certain sustainability risks, where available on reasonable commercial terms, although such insurance is subject to customary deductibles and coverage limits and may not be sufficient to recoup all losses. Sustainability risks may therefore adversely affect the performance of our Fund Program and our investments. The investments underlying our Fund Program do not take into account the EU criteria for environmentally sustainable economic activities.

Financial Industry Regulation. The U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), Basel III as well as future related legislation, may have an adverse effect on the private equity industry generally and/or on Blackstone or ourselves, specifically. There can be no assurance that any continued regulatory scrutiny or initiatives will not have an adverse impact on Blackstone or otherwise impede our activities.

There continues to be significant discussion regarding enhancing governmental scrutiny and/or increasing the regulation of the private investment fund industry. On July 21, 2010, then-President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Act. A key feature of the Dodd-Frank Act is the potential extension of prudential regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) to nonbank financial companies that are not currently subject to such regulation but that are determined to pose risk to the U.S. financial system. The Dodd-Frank Act defines a “nonbank financial company” as a company that is predominantly engaged in activities that are financial in nature. The Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “FSOC”), an interagency body created to monitor and address systemic risk, has the authority to subject such a company to supervision and regulation by the Federal Reserve (including capital, leverage and liquidity requirements) if it determines that such company is systemically important, in that its material financial distress or the riskiness of its activities could pose a threat to the U.S. financial system. The Dodd-Frank Act does not contain any minimum size requirements for such a determination by the FSOC, and it is possible that it could be applied to private funds, particularly large, highly-leveraged funds, although no such funds have been designated as systemically important by the FSOC to date.

The Dodd-Frank Act also imposes a number of restrictions on the relationship and activities of banking organizations with certain private equity funds and hedge funds and other provisions that affect the private equity industry, either directly or indirectly. Included in the Dodd-Frank Act is the so-calledVolcker Rule” (as amended by the Reform Act, as defined below, and together with its implementing regulations) which generally prohibits any “banking entity” (generally defined as any insured depository institution, subject to certain exceptions including for depository institutions that do not have, and are not controlled by a company that has, more than $10 billion in total consolidated assets or significant trading assets and liabilities, any company that controls such an institution, a non-U.S. bank that is treated as a bank holding company for purposes of U.S. banking law, and any affiliate or subsidiary of the foregoing entities) from sponsoring or acquiring or retaining an ownership interest in a private equity fund or hedge fund that is not subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act in reliance upon either Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, subject to certain exceptions. Our prospective investors that are banking entities should consult their bank regulatory counsel prior to making an investment.

The current regulatory environment in the United States may be impacted by future legislative developments, such as amendments to key provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Potential investors should note that any significant changes in, among other things, banking and financial services regulation, including the regulation of the asset management industry, could have a material adverse impact on us and our activities. The Dodd-Frank Act, as well as future related legislation, may have an adverse effect on the private equity industry generally and/or ourselves or Blackstone, specifically. For example, on May 24, 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (the “Reform Act”) was signed into law. Among other regulatory changes, the Reform Act, together with implementing regulations adopted by U.S. federal regulatory

 

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agencies in July 2019, amends various sections of the Dodd-Frank Act, including by modifying the so-called “Volcker Rule” to exempt depository institutions that do not have, and are not controlled by a company that has, more than $10 billion in total consolidated assets or significant trading assets and liabilities Also in 2019, such U.S. federal regulatory agencies adopted certain targeted amendments to the Volcker Rule regulations to simplify and tailor certain compliance requirements relating to the Volcker Rule. In June 2020, U.S. federal regulatory agencies adopted additional revisions to the Volcker Rule’s restrictions on banking entities sponsoring and investing in certain covered hedge funds and private equity funds, including by adopting new exemptions allowing banking entities to sponsor and invest without limit in credit funds, venture capital funds, customer facilitation funds and family wealth management vehicles (the “Covered Fund Amendments”). The Covered Fund Amendments also loosen certain other restrictions on extraterritorial fund activities and direct parallel or co-investments made alongside covered funds. The Covered Fund Amendments should therefore expand the ability of banking entities to invest in and sponsor private funds. The ultimate consequences of the Reform Act and these regulatory developments on us and our activities remain uncertain. Therefore, there can be no assurance that any continued regulatory scrutiny or initiatives will not have an adverse impact on, or otherwise impede, our or Blackstone’s activities.

Financial services regulation, including regulations applicable to us, has increased significantly in recent years, and may in the future be subject to further enhanced governmental scrutiny and/or increased regulation, including resulting from changes in U.S. executive administration or congressional leadership. Although we cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action in the United States or any other jurisdiction, changes to legal rules and regulations, or interpretation or enforcement of them, could have a negative financial effect on us.

While the Investment Manager is currently registered under the Advisers Act, the enactment of these reforms and/or other similar legislation could nonetheless have an adverse effect on the private investment funds industry generally and on Blackstone and/or ourselves specifically, and may impede our ability to effectively achieve our investment objectives.

As a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act, the Investment Manager and its affiliates are required to comply with a variety of periodic reporting and compliance-related obligations under applicable federal and state securities laws (including, without limitation, the obligation of the Investment Manager and its affiliates to make regulatory filings with respect to us and our activities under the Advisers Act (including, without limitation, Form PF and Form ADV)). In addition, the Sponsor is required to comply with a variety of regulatory reporting and compliance-related obligations under other applicable laws (including SFDR and CFTC). In light of the heightened regulatory environment in which we and the Sponsor operate and the ever-increasing regulations applicable to private investment funds and their investment advisors, it has become increasingly expensive and time-consuming for us and our affiliates and the Sponsor and its affiliates to comply with such regulatory reporting and compliance-related obligations. For example, Form PF requires that the Sponsor report detailed information about our assets, investments, performance, and liabilities, and about other accounts and investment funds it advises, as well as aggregated information about the investors in such vehicles, and because we will be required to bear our share of expenses relating to compliance-related matters and regulatory filings, we will bear the pro-rata costs and expenses of initial and ongoing Form PF compliance, including costs and expenses of collecting and calculating data and the preparation of such reports and filings. Certain of these expenses are likely to be material, including on a cumulative basis over the life of our Fund. Additionally, we have engaged and may in the future engage additional third-party service providers to perform some or a significant portion of the reporting and compliance-related matters and functions under our supervision (including, without limitation, draft preparation and the filing of Form PF), which could result in increased compliance costs and expenses borne by us. Any further increases in the regulations applicable to private investment funds generally or ourselves and the Sponsor in particular may result in increased expenses associated with our activities and additional resources of the Sponsor being devoted to such regulatory reporting and compliance-related obligations, which may reduce overall returns for Unitholders and have a material adverse effect on our ability to effectively achieve our investment objective.

 

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Furthermore, various federal, state and local agencies have been examining the role of placement agents, finders and other similar service providers in the context of investments by public pension plans and other similar entities, including investigations and requests for information, and in connection therewith, new proposed rules and regulations in this arena may increase the possibility that the Sponsor and its affiliates may be exposed to claims and actions that could require a Unitholder to withdraw from us. As a related matter, Blackstone may be required to provide certain information regarding some of the investors in us to regulatory agencies and bodies in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the FCPA. In addition, elements of organized labor and other representatives of labor unions have embarked on a campaign targeting private investment firms on a variety of matters of interest to organized labor. In addition, as private fund firms and other alternative asset managers become more influential participants in the U.S. and global financial markets and economy generally, the private fund industry has recently been subject to criticism by some politicians, regulators and market commentators. The recent negative perception of the private investment fund industry in certain countries could make it harder for funds sponsored by private investment firms, such as us, to successfully bid for and complete investments. In addition, as a publicly-traded global alternative asset manager whose broad range of businesses include the management of direct and secondary private equity funds, hedge funds, real estate opportunity funds, real estate debt funds, “core” or “core plus” real estate funds, credit-oriented funds, opportunistic funds, mutual funds, and other private investment funds and products, Blackstone is from time to time subject to litigation and claims relating to its businesses, as well as governmental and/or regulatory inquiries, investigations and/or proceedings. Certain regulatory, litigation and other similar matters are disclosed in (a) Blackstone’s public filings (including, without limitation, its current, periodic and annual reports on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K) and filings of the Sponsor on Form ADV, which may be accessed through the website of the SEC (www.sec.gov), and (b) materials made available through Blackstone’s investor data site. Any such disclosures in Blackstone’s or the Sponsor’s public filings or which are otherwise made available to Unitholders, including by way of posting to Blackstone’s investor data site, are incorporated herein by reference, to the extent applicable, including with respect to litigation, investigations, settlements and similar proceedings. Blackstone is subject to extensive regulation, including periodic examinations, by governmental agencies and self-regulatory organizations in the jurisdictions in which it operates around the world. These authorities have regulatory powers dealing with many aspects of financial services, including the authority to grant, and in specific circumstances to cancel, permissions to carry on particular activities. Many of these regulators, including U.S. and foreign government agencies and self-regulatory organizations, as well as state securities commissions in the United States, are also empowered to conduct investigations and administrative proceedings that can result in fines, suspensions of personnel, changes in policies, procedures or disclosure or other sanctions, including censure, the issuance of cease-and-desist orders, the suspension or expulsion of a broker-dealer or investment adviser from registration or memberships or the commencement of a civil or criminal lawsuit against Blackstone or its personnel. Moreover, the SEC has specifically focused on the alternative investment industry. The SEC’s list of examination priorities includes, among other things, alternative investment firms’ collection of fees and allocation of expenses, their marketing and valuation practices, allocation of investment opportunities and other conflicts of interest. For example, Blackstone reviewed its policies in the area of the widespread practice of receiving fees from Portfolio Entities upon termination of monitoring fee agreements in June 2014, and voluntarily modified its monitoring fee practices in ways that are beneficial to its private equity investors, including eliminating any such payments beyond the year of sale for full dispositions and limiting payments following IPOs. Blackstone is regularly subject to requests for information and informal or formal investigations by the SEC and other regulatory authorities, with which Blackstone routinely cooperates and, in the current environment, even historical practices that have been previously examined are being revisited. Even if an investigation or proceeding did not result in a sanction, or the sanction imposed against Blackstone or its personnel by a regulator were small in monetary amount, the adverse publicity relating to the investigation, proceeding or imposition of sanctions could harm Blackstone and ourselves.

Regulation with Respect to Private Funds and Investment Advisers. The Investment Manager is subject to regulation by the SEC. In recent years, the SEC staff’s stated examination priorities and published observations from examinations have included, among other things, private equity firms’ collection of fees and allocation of expenses, their marketing and valuation practices, custody practices, allocation of investment opportunities,

 

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terms agreed to in side letters and similar arrangements with investors, consistency of firms’ practices with disclosures, handling of material non-public information and insider trading, purported waivers or limitations of fiduciary duties and the existence of, and adherence to, policies and procedures with respect to conflicts of interest.

In August 2023, the SEC voted to adopt previously proposed new rules and amendments to existing rules under the Advisers Act (collectively, the “Private Funds Rules”) specifically related to investment advisers and their activities with respect to the private funds they advise. In particular, the Private Funds Rules would, among other changes, impose quarterly reporting by private funds to investors that is required to contain detailed information on performance, investments, adviser-compensation, fees and expenses, capital inflows and capital outflows; require registered investment advisers to obtain an annual audit for all private funds that meets the requirements of the existing Advisers Act custody rule; require registered investment advisers to obtain a fairness or valuation opinion and make certain disclosures, in connection with adviser-led secondary transactions (also known as GP-led secondaries); restrict advisers from engaging in certain practices unless they satisfy certain disclosure requirements and, in some cases, consent requirements, which practices include, without limitation, charging regulatory or compliance fees or expenses, or fees or expenses associated with an examination, of the Investment Manager or its related persons to private fund clients, seeking reimbursement for certain investigation-related expenses, reducing the amount of the General Partner’s clawback by actual, potential or hypothetical taxes applicable to the General Partner or its employees, borrowing from a private fund, making non-pro rata fee or expense allocations; restrict advisers from engaging in certain forms of preferential treatment to private fund investors related to liquidity and information rights if they would be reasonably expected to have a material negative effect on other investors and otherwise require advisers to make certain disclosures regarding preferential treatment of investors; and prohibit an adviser from having a private fund bear the costs of any fees or expenses related to an investigation resulting in a court or governmental authority imposing a sanction for violating the Advisers Act. The Private Funds Rules also would impose additional requirements on advisers to document their annual compliance reviews in writing and retain additional required books and records relating to private funds they advise. As a result of litigation that challenged the Private Fund Rules’ legality, on June 5th, 2024 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to vacate the Private Fund Rules on statutory authority grounds. It is not yet clear what steps, if any, the SEC will take in response to the court’s decision, whether pursuing rehearing or appeals or proposing revised rules under different authority, which has the potential to create additional regulatory uncertainty.

The Private Funds Rules would have been expected to have a significant effect on private fund advisers and their operations, including by increasing regulatory and compliance costs and burdens and heightening the risk of regulatory inquiries and actions (including public regulatory sanctions) and limiting BXINFRA’s ability or willingness to negotiate certain types of individualized terms with investors in BXINFRA or similar pools of assets that invest alongside BXINFRA, which may cause certain investors to not subscribe to BXINFRA who otherwise might have. BXINFRA would be expected to bear (whether directly or indirectly through BXINFRA Portfolio Entities) certain regulatory and compliance costs relating to the Private Funds Rules, which could include (without limitation) fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with preparing and distributing to investors the quarterly statements required by the rules, soliciting and obtaining from investors any consents required by the rules providing investors with any notices or disclosures required by the rules and obtaining and distributing to investors fairness or valuation opinions in connection with adviser-led secondary transaction (including fees paid to third parties engaged by the Sponsor or BXINFRA to perform or assist with such actions or processes), which fees, costs and expenses could be expected to be material.

In addition to the Private Funds Rules, in May 2023, the SEC adopted changes to Form PF, which required, among other changes, additional reporting by private funds with respect to current reporting events as well as other enhanced reporting, and, in February 2024, the SEC and CFTC jointly adopted additional changes to Form PF, which further expanded reporting obligations for certain types of private funds.

 

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In addition, in July 2023, the SEC proposed new predictive data analytics rules, which would require broker-dealers and registered investment advisers to identify certain covered technologies (defined to include any analytical, technological, or computational function, algorithm, model, correlation matrix, or similar method or process that optimizes for, predicts, guides, forecasts, or directs investment-related behaviors or outcomes, and not limited to “artificial intelligence”, algorithmic trading or machine learning processes) which present or may present conflicts of interest in direct or indirect interactions (including exercising investment discretion, managing investments, providing information or soliciting new investment) with investors (which for investment advisers, will include investors in pooled investment vehicles) and eliminate or neutralize (rather than just disclose) such conflicts. Advisers using covered technologies would be required to adopt policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations of the proposed rule, detailing the processes for identifying and evaluating covered technologies and conflicts of interest and for eliminating or neutralizing the effect of such conflicts, and advisers would also be subject to associated annual review and recordkeeping requirements (such as, maintaining a record of all covered technologies used in investor interactions, including the date of first use and each date on which the technology is materially modified). If adopted, the proposed rule could expose the Sponsor to additional regulatory uncertainty, liability and increased compliance and other costs related to procuring, utilizing and monitoring covered technologies used in direct or indirect interactions with investors (including the costs of onboarding service and technology providers). If adopted, the rule could also cause the Sponsor to limit or discontinue its use of certain covered technologies (even in cases where such technologies may benefit BXINFRA or investors, including in connection with the Sponsor’s management of investments in Portfolio Entities) in order to eliminate or neutralize conflicts associated therewith or to avoid the costs of complying with the rule with respect to such technologies, limit certain direct or indirect interactions with investors that involve the use of a covered technology, or otherwise alter how it integrates covered technologies into its investment management services and related processes, which could be detrimental to BXINFRA and limited partners, particularly given the proposed rule’s breadth.

In February 2023, the SEC proposed extensive amendments to the Advisers Act custody rule, which would, if adopted as currently proposed, extend the existing custody rule’s requirements beyond cash and securities to any positions held in an advisory client’s accounts (including assets such as real estate, artwork and rights to music catalogs); require registered investment advisers to enter into new or amended written agreements with each qualified custodian (“QC”) used to maintain client assets and obtain written assurances from that QC related to, among other matters, indemnification of client losses and the QC’s standard of care; require that a QC maintains possession or control of client assets, whereby the QC is required to participate in and effectuate any change of beneficial ownership of the assets, except with respect to certain privately offered securities and physical assets that the adviser reasonably determines (and documents) cannot be maintained by a QC in a manner in which such QC can maintain possession or control of those assets. If adopted, the proposed amendments could expose the Sponsor to additional regulatory liability, increase compliance and other costs related to custodying BXINFRA’s assets (including costs of identifying and negotiating with new and existing QCs), limit the number of QCs available (or make it more costly for such QCs to operate, which might result in higher expenses to BXINFRA) and impose limitations or requirements on certain assets, which could result in the Sponsor avoiding making certain types of investments on behalf of BXINFRA.

In May 2022, the SEC proposed amendments to rules and reporting forms to promote consistent, comparable, and reliable information for investors concerning investment advisers’ incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors (the “ESG Proposed Rule”). The ESG Proposed Rule seeks to categorize certain types of ESG strategies broadly and require advisers to both provide census type data in Form ADV Part 1A and provide more specific disclosures in adviser brochures based on the ESG strategies they pursue.

The SEC has also recently proposed, and in certain cases adopted, and can be expected to propose, additional new rules and rule amendments under the Advisers Act in respect of cybersecurity risk governance, the outsourcing of certain functions to service providers and changes to Regulation S-P (which were adopted in May 2024).

 

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Any current or future proposed rulemakings or rule amendments by the SEC, to the extent adopted, are expected to result in material alterations to how Blackstone and the Sponsor operates its business and/or BXINFRA, as well as the Sponsor’s implementation of BXINFRA’s investment strategy, to significantly increase compliance burdens and associated costs (which, to the extent permitted under the Partnership Agreement and consistent with applicable law, will be treated as Fund Expenses) and to possibly restrict the ability of the Sponsor to receive certain expense reimbursements or allocate certain expenses in certain circumstances. This regulatory complexity, in turn, may increase the need for broader insurance coverage by fund managers and increase such costs and expenses charged to BXINFRA and its investors, if permitted. Certain of the proposed rules may also increase the cost of entering into and maintaining relationships with service providers to the Sponsor and BXINFRA and may limit the number of service providers and/or costs of engaging with service providers, in a manner detrimental to the Sponsor or BXINFRA. In addition, these amendments could increase the risk of exposure of BXINFRA and the Sponsor to additional regulatory scrutiny, litigation, censure and penalties for non-compliance or perceived non-compliance, which in turn would be expected to adversely (potentially materially) affect the Sponsor and BXINFRA’s reputation and to negatively impact BXINFRA in conducting its business. There can be no assurance that any other new SEC rules and amendments will not have a material adverse effect on Blackstone, the Sponsor, BXINFRA, its Investments and/or the limited partners or that such rules or amendments will not materially reduce returns to limited partners.

Change of Law Risk. In addition to the risks regarding regulatory approvals, it should be noted that government counterparties or agencies, including the CSSF, may have the discretion to implement or change or increase regulation of the operations of our Fund and our Portfolio Entities. We and our Portfolio Entities also could be materially and adversely affected as a result of statutory or regulatory changes or judicial or administrative interpretations of existing laws and regulations that impose more comprehensive or stringent requirements. Governments have considerable discretion in implementing regulations, including, for example, the possible imposition or increase of taxes on income earned by or from a Portfolio Entity or gains recognized by us on our investment in a Portfolio Entity, that could impact the Portfolio Entity’s business as well as our return on investment.

Efforts by the current administration or future administrations could have further impacts on our industry if previously enacted laws are amended or if new legislative or regulatory reforms are adopted. In addition, a future change in administration may lead to leadership changes at a number of U.S. federal regulatory agencies with oversight over the U.S. financial services industry. Such changes would pose uncertainty with respect to such agencies’ ongoing policy priorities and could lead to increased regulatory enforcement activity in the financial services industry. Any changes or reforms may impose additional costs on our current or future investments, require the attention of senior management or result in other limitations on our business or investments. We are unable to predict at this time the likelihood or effect of any such changes or reforms.

Legal and Regulatory—Tax

General Tax Considerations. An investment in us may involve complex tax considerations that will differ for each investor, and there may be delays in distributing important tax information to investors (including the distribution of U.S. Schedule K-1s or their equivalent). In addition, we will take positions with respect to certain tax issues that depend on legal and other interpretive conclusions. Should the IRS or another tax authority successfully challenge any such positions, we or a Unitholder might be found to have a different tax liability for that year than that reported on the applicable tax return.

Tax Liability. Any change of our tax status or in taxation legislation or any interpretation thereof in the United States or any country where we have assets or operations could affect the value of the assets held by us or our ability to achieve its investment strategy or provide favorable returns to Unitholders. Any such change could also adversely affect the net amount of any distributions made to Unitholders. If we are treated as having a permanent establishment, or as otherwise being engaged in a trade or business, in any country in which it invests or in which its interests are managed, income attributable to or effectively connected with such permanent

 

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establishment or trade or business may be subject to tax in the place of such permanent establishment. In order for us to maintain our tax status, continued attention must be paid to ensure that all relevant conditions are satisfied in all the jurisdictions which we operate in order to avail ourselves of any benefits.

Base Erosion, Profit Shifting and Related Measures. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) together with the G20 countries has committed to reduce perceived abusive global tax avoidance, referred to as base erosion and profit shifting (“BEPS”). As part of this commitment, an action plan has been developed to address BEPS with the aim of securing tax revenue by realigning taxation with economic activities and value creation by creating a single set of consensus based international tax rules. As part of the BEPS project, new rules dealing with the operation of double tax treaties, the definition of permanent establishments, interest deductibility and the taxation of hybrid instruments and hybrid entities have already been introduced and will continue to be introduced in relevant tax legislation of participating OECD countries. Depending on if and how these proposals are implemented, they may have a material impact on how returns to investors are taxed. Such implementation may also give rise to additional reporting and disclosure obligations for us and/or investors.

FATCA. Under the FATCA, all entities in a broadly defined class of FFIs must comply with a complicated and expansive reporting regime or be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax on certain U.S. payments and non-U.S. entities which are not FFIs must either certify they have no substantial U.S. beneficial ownership or report certain information with respect to their substantial U.S. beneficial ownership or be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax on certain U.S. payments. FATCA also contains complex provisions requiring participating FFIs to withhold on certain “foreign passthru payments” made to non-participating FFIs and to holders that fail to provide the required information. The definition of a “foreign passthru payment” is still reserved under the current regulations, however the term generally refers to payments that are from non-U.S. sources but that are “attributable to” certain U.S. payments described above. Under proposed regulations, on which taxpayers may rely, withholding on these payments is not set to apply before the date that is two years after the date of publication of final regulations defining the term “foreign passthru payment.” In general, non-U.S. investment funds, such as underlying entities in which we may invest are considered FFIs. The reporting requirements imposed under FATCA require FFIs to enter into agreements with the IRS to obtain and disclose information about certain investors to the IRS or, if subject to IGA, register with the IRS and comply with the reporting requirements regime of the IGA and any implementing legislation enacted thereunder. The United States and Luxembourg entered into an IGA on March 28, 2014, which was ratified and implemented into Luxembourg law on July 24, 2015. IGAs are generally intended to result in the automatic exchange of tax information through reporting by an FFI to the government or tax authorities of the country in which such FFI is domiciled, followed by the automatic exchange of reported information with the IRS. The Sponsor intends that any non-U.S. partnership that constitutes an FFI would comply, to the extent reasonably practicable, with the reporting requirements to avoid the imposition of the withholding tax, but if such FFI does not do so (because, for example, investors fail to provide the required information), certain payments made to any such FFI may be subject to a withholding tax, which would reduce the cash available to investors. Further, these reporting requirements may apply to underlying entities in which we invest, and we may not have control over whether such entities comply with the reporting regime. Such withheld amounts that are allocable to a Unitholder may be deemed to have been distributed to such Unitholder to the extent the taxes reduce the amount otherwise distributable to such Unitholder. In addition, non-U.S. investment funds and underlying entities in which we may invest may be subject to reporting requirements in other jurisdictions under legislation similar to FATCA, such as legislation implementing the OECD Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters – the Common Reporting Standard. Potential investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding all aspects of FATCA as it affects their particular circumstances.

Possible Legislative or Other Developments. All statements contained in this report concerning the income tax consequences of any investment in us are based upon existing law and the interpretations thereof. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the currently anticipated income tax treatment of an investment in us will not be modified by legislative, judicial or administrative changes, possibly with retroactive effect, to the detriment of

 

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Unitholders. Additionally, tax authorities in jurisdictions where we maintain Investments may change their tax codes so as to materially increase the tax burden associated with an investment in us or to force or attempt to force increased disclosure from or about us and/or our Unitholders as to the identity of all persons having a direct or indirect interest in us. Such additional disclosure may take the form of additional filing requirements on Unitholders.

Legislation Adversely Affecting Blackstone Employees and Other Service Providers. Current U.S. federal income tax law requires the Sponsor to hold an Investment for at least three years in order for an incentive allocation related to such Investment to be treated as long-term capital gains for tax purposes. Further, Congress has previously considered legislation that would treat carried interest as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and President Biden’s administration has indicated that it may eliminate the preferential tax rate for long-term capital gains. Enactment of any such legislation could adversely affect employees or other individuals performing services for us and/or our Portfolio Entities who hold direct or indirect interests in the Sponsor and benefit from incentive allocations, which could make it more difficult for Blackstone to incentivize, attract and retain individuals to perform services for us and/or our Portfolio Entities.

Any such developments could thus adversely affect our investment returns allocable to the Unitholders. It is unclear whether any such proposed legislation will be enacted or if enacted how it would apply to Blackstone, the Sponsor, and any other individual involved with us who benefit from incentive allocations.

Taxation in Certain Jurisdictions. We, vehicles through which we make Investments, or Unitholders may be subject to income or other tax in the jurisdictions in which Investments are made, jurisdictions in which we operate, and/or jurisdictions of entities through which we make Investments. Additionally, withholding tax or branch tax may be imposed on our earnings (or vehicles through which we invest) from Investments in such jurisdictions. Local and other tax incurred in non-U.S. jurisdictions by us or vehicles through which we invest may not be creditable to or deductible by a Unitholder under the tax laws of the jurisdiction where such Unitholder resides, including the United States. There can be no assurance that tax authorities in such jurisdictions will not treat us (or any of our affiliates) as if we/they have a permanent establishment in the local jurisdiction, which would result in additional local taxation. Changes to taxation treaties (or their interpretation) between countries in Europe and countries through which we invest may adversely affect our ability to efficiently realize income or capital gains.

Changes in Tax Law. Changes in applicable law or interpretations of such law may in particular adversely affect our ability to efficiently realize income or capital gains. To the extent possible, we seek to structure our Investments and activities to minimize our tax liability; however, there can be no assurance that we will be able to eliminate our tax liability or reduce it to a specified level. Unitholders should be aware that the described tax effects are based on the currently applicable law and its interpretation by jurisprudence and the respective tax authorities.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Legislation. According to publicly released statements, a top legislative priority of President Biden’s administration and of Democrats in the Senate and the House of Representatives is significant tax increases and various other changes to U.S. tax rules. Legislation has been proposed that includes, among other changes, increases in the corporate and capital gains rates and further modifications to the international tax rules. It is unclear whether any legislation will be enacted into law or, if enacted, what form it would take, and it is also unclear whether there could be regulatory or administrative action that could affect U.S. tax rules. The impact of any potential tax changes on an investment in us is uncertain. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding potential changes in tax laws and the impact on their investment in us and the impact on ourselves and any potential investments.

UBTI and ECI; Tax Treatment of the Feeder and Corporations. A significant amounts of the assets of the Feeder are expected to be held through one or more Corporations and significant incremental tax may be incurred from the use of such Corporations. Any non-U.S. Corporation through which the Feeder invests will generally be

 

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subject to the U.S. federal income tax on effectively connected income (including gains from the sale of United States real property interest) and U.S. federal withholding tax on any U.S. source dividends at a 30% rate (unless reduced by an applicable treaty.

Further, although we believe the Feeder and any Corporation, if formed, should be respected, it is possible the IRS could seek to disregard the Feeder or any Corporation for UBTI or ECI (as defined below) purposes, which could result in the debt-financed property or other UBTI rules being applied to tax-exempt Unitholders directly or the ECI rules being applied to non-U.S. Unitholders directly.

To the extent that the Feeder and/or the Corporation were disregarded by the IRS, an investment in us by a tax-exempt Unitholder may result in such Unitholder recognizing gross income derived from an unrelated trade or business (including a trade or business conducted by a partnership of which the tax-exempt entity is a partner). Thus, tax-exempt Unitholders should be aware that they may be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and possibly state and local income tax) with respect to their share of such income and gain from us that is treated as UBTI. In addition, an investment in us by a non-U.S. Unitholder may result in such Unitholder recognizing and being required to report income that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business (“ECI”). Non-U.S. Unitholders must generally file U.S. federal income tax returns and pay U.S. federal income tax with respect to our ECI allocable to them. Regardless of whether our activities constitute a trade or business, under provisions added to the Code by FIRPTA, gain derived by us from the disposition of U.S. real property interests (including interests in certain entities owning U.S. real property interests) is generally treated as ECI. Thus, non-U.S. Unitholders that invest in us should be aware that a portion of our income and gain from U.S. Investments may be treated as ECI and thus may cause the non-U.S. Unitholders to be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and possibly state and local income tax), as well as U.S. federal income tax return filing obligations, with respect to their share of such income and gain. We have no obligation to minimize UBTI or ECI.

Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the foregoing.

Phantom Income. A Unitholder that is subject to U.S. tax or subject to tax in other jurisdictions may be required to take into account its allocated share of all items of partnership income, gain, loss, deduction and credit, whether or not distributed. Because of the nature of our investment activities, we may generate taxable income in excess of cash distributions to the Unitholders and no assurance can be given that we will be able to make cash distributions to cover such tax liabilities as they arise. Accordingly, the Unitholders should ensure that they have sufficient cash flow from other sources to pay all tax liabilities resulting from the Unitholder’s ownership of our Units.

Use of Corporate Intermediate Entities. Significant amounts of the assets of ourselves and the Feeder are expected to be held through one or more entities taxable as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are expected to be subject to U.S. corporate federal (and applicable state and local) income tax (including, in order to streamline tax reporting to investors, U.S. Corporations which hold interests in investments which would not timely provide tax reporting or which consist of interests in certain foreign corporations subject to the passive foreign income company rules). Thus, significant incremental tax may be incurred from the use of such entities. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the foregoing.

Legal and Regulatory—ERISA

If our assets at any time are deemed to constitute “plan assets” within the meaning of ERISA and the Plan Asset Regulations, that may lead to our being subject to certain ERISA and Code requirements. We intend to conduct our affairs so that our assets should not be deemed to constitute “plan assets” of any shareholder that is a “benefit plan investor” within the meaning of ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor Regulations promulgated thereunder, as modified by the Plan Asset Regulations. If, notwithstanding our intent, our assets were deemed to constitute “plan assets” of any Unitholder that is a “benefit plan investor” within the meaning of ERISA and the Plan Asset Regulations, this would result, among other things, in (i) the application of

 

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the prudence and other fiduciary responsibility standards of ERISA to investments made by BXINFRA, and (ii) the possibility that certain transactions in which BXINFRA might seek to engage could constitute “prohibited transactions” under ERISA and the Code. If a prohibited transaction occurs for which no exemption is available, the General Partner and/or any other fiduciary that has engaged in the prohibited transaction could be required to (i) restore to the Benefit Plan Investor any profit realized on the transaction and (ii) reimburse the Benefit Plan Investor for any losses suffered by the Benefit Plan Investor as a result of the investment. In addition, each disqualified person (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code) involved could be subject to an excise tax equal to 15% of the amount involved in the prohibited transaction for each year the transaction continues and, unless the transaction is corrected within statutorily required periods, to an additional tax of 100%. Fiduciaries of a Benefit Plan Investor who decide to invest in BXINFRA could, under certain circumstances, be liable for prohibited transactions or other violations as a result of the investment in BXINFRA or as co-fiduciaries for actions taken by or on behalf of the BXINFRA or the Investment Manager. With respect to an IRA that invests in BXINFRA, the occurrence of a prohibited transaction involving the individual who established the IRA, or his or her beneficiaries, would cause the IRA to lose its tax-exempt status.

Risk Arising from Potential Control Group Liability. Under ERISA, upon the termination of a U.S. tax-qualified single employer defined benefit pension plan, the sponsoring employer and all members of its “controlled group” will be jointly and severally liable for 100% of the plan’s unfunded benefit liabilities whether or not the controlled group members have ever maintained or participated in the plan. In addition, the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”) may assert a lien with respect to such liability against any member of the controlled group on up to 30% of the collective net worth of all members of the controlled group. Similarly, in the event a participating employer partially or completely withdraws from a multiemployer (union) defined benefit pension plan, any withdrawal liability incurred under ERISA will represent a joint and several liability of the withdrawing employer and each member of its controlled group.

A “controlled group” includes all “trades or businesses” under 80% or greater common ownership. This common ownership test is broadly applied to include both “parent-subsidiary groups” and “brother-sister groups” applying complex exclusion and constructive ownership rules. However, regardless of the percentage ownership that a fund holds in one or more of its portfolio companies, the fund itself cannot be considered part of an ERISA controlled group unless the fund is considered to be a “trade or business.”

While there are a number of cases that have held that managing investments is not a “trade or business” for tax purposes, in 2007 the PBGC Appeals Board ruled that a private equity fund was a “trade or business” for ERISA controlled group liability purposes and at least one U.S. Federal Circuit Court has similarly concluded that a private equity fund could be a trade or business for these purposes based upon a number of factors including the fund’s level of involvement in the management of its portfolio companies and the nature of any management fee arrangements.

If we were determined to be a trade or business for purposes of ERISA, it is possible, depending upon the structure of the Investment by us and/or our affiliates and other co-investors in a Portfolio Entity and their respective ownership interests in the Portfolio Entity, that any tax-qualified single employer defined benefit pension plan liabilities and/or multiemployer plan withdrawal liabilities incurred by the Portfolio Entity could result in liability being incurred by us, with a resulting need for additional capital contributions, the appropriation of our assets to satisfy such pension liabilities and/or the imposition of a lien by the PBGC on certain of our assets. Moreover, regardless of whether or not we were determined to be a trade or business for purposes of ERISA, a court might hold that one of our Portfolio Entities could become jointly and severally liable for another portfolio company’s unfunded pension liabilities pursuant to the ERISA “controlled group” rules, depending upon the relevant investment structures and ownership interests as noted above.

Cyber Security and Operational Risk

Cyber Security Breaches, Identity Theft, Denial of Service Attacks, Ransomware Attacks, and Social Engineering Attempts. Cyber security incidents, cyber-attacks, denial of service attacks, ransomware attacks,

 

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and social engineering attempts (including business email compromise attacks) have been occurring globally at a more frequent and severe level and will likely continue to increase in frequency in the future (including as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased frequency of virtual working arrangements). There have been a number of recent highly publicized cases involving the dissemination, theft and destruction of corporate information or other assets, as a result of a failure to follow procedures by employees or contractors or as a result of actions by a variety of third parties, including nation state actors and terrorist or criminal organizations. Blackstone, ourselves, the Portfolio Entities, our/their service providers and other market participants increasingly depend on complex information technology and communications systems to conduct business functions, and their operations rely on the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other information in their systems and those of their respective third-party service providers. These information, technology and communications systems are subject to a number of different threats or risks that could adversely affect Blackstone, ourselves, Unitholders and the Portfolio Entities. For example, the information and technology systems of Blackstone, ourselves, our/its respective Portfolio Entities and other related parties, such as service providers, may be vulnerable to damage or interruption from cyber security breaches, computer viruses or other malicious code, ransomware attacks, network failures, computer and digital infrastructure failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and other security breaches or usage errors by their respective professionals or service providers, power outages or catastrophic events such as fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, wars and terrorist attacks. Third parties may also attempt to fraudulently induce employees, customers, third-party service providers or other users of Blackstone’s, our Fund’s, the Portfolio Entities’, or their respective service providers’ systems to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to Blackstone’s, our Fund’s or the Portfolio Entities’ data or that of Unitholders. There also have been several publicized cases where hackers have requested ransom payments in exchange for not disclosing client or customer information or restoring access to digital infrastructure (and any information contained therein), pipelines and other infrastructure assets. The U.S. federal government has issued public warnings that indicate that infrastructure assets might be specific targets of “cyber sabotage” events, which illustrates the particularly heightened risk for us and our Portfolio Entities from such events.

If unauthorized parties gain access to any information and technology systems of Blackstone, our Fund, Portfolio Entities or certain service providers, they may be able to steal, publish, delete or modify private and sensitive information, including non-public personal information related to Unitholders (and their beneficial owners) and material non-public information. Although Blackstone has implemented, and Portfolio Entities and service providers may implement, various measures to manage risks relating to these types of events, such systems could prove to be inadequate and, if compromised, could become inoperable for extended periods of time, cease to function properly or fail to adequately secure private information. There have also been several publicized cases of ransomware where hackers have requested ransom payments in exchange for not disclosing client or customer information or restoring access to information technology or communications systems. Blackstone does not control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by third-party service providers, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to Blackstone, us and our Portfolio Entities, each of which could be negatively impacted as a result. Breaches such as those involving covertly introduced malware, impersonation of authorized users and industrial or other espionage may not be identified even with sophisticated prevention and detection systems, potentially resulting in further harm and preventing them from being addressed appropriately. The failure of these systems or of disaster recovery plans for any reason could cause significant interruptions in Blackstone’s, its affiliates’, our and a Portfolio Entity’s operations and result in a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data, including personal information relating to Unitholders (and their beneficial owners), material non-public information and the intellectual property and trade secrets and other sensitive information in the possession of Blackstone and Portfolio Entities. We, Blackstone, or a Portfolio Entity could be required to make a significant investment to remedy the effects of any such failures, harm to our/their reputations, legal claims that us/they and our/their respective affiliates may be subjected to, regulatory action or enforcement arising out of applicable privacy and other laws, adverse publicity, other events that may affect their business and financial performance. See “—Insurance—Availability of Insurance Against Certain Catastrophic Losses” herein.

 

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Cybersecurity and Data Protection. Blackstone’s and our operations are highly dependent on its/our respective technology platforms, and we and Blackstone rely heavily on our/its analytical, financial, accounting, communications and other data processing systems. Blackstone’s and our systems face ongoing cybersecurity threats and attacks, which could result in the loss of confidentiality, integrity or availability of such systems and the data held by such systems. Attacks on Blackstone’s and/or our systems could involve, and in some instances have in the past involved, attempts intended to obtain unauthorized access to Blackstone’s, our or Other Blackstone Accounts’ proprietary information, destroy data or disable, degrade or sabotage Blackstone’s and/or our systems or divert or otherwise steal funds, including through the introduction of computer viruses, “phishing” attempts and other forms of social engineering. Attacks on our and/or Blackstone’s systems could also involve ransomware or other forms of cyber extortion. Cyberattacks and other data security threats could originate from a wide variety of external sources, including cyber criminals, nation state hackers, hacktivists and other outside parties. Cyberattacks and other security threats could also originate from the malicious or accidental acts of insiders, such as employees, consultants, independent contractors or other service providers.

There has been an increase in the frequency and sophistication of the cyber and data security threats Blackstone faces, with attacks ranging from those common to businesses generally to those that are more advanced and persistent, which may target Blackstone because, as an alternative asset management firm, Blackstone holds a significant amount of confidential and sensitive information about Blackstone, our Fund, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their respective Portfolio Entities, potential investments and investors. As a result, we and Blackstone may face a heightened risk of a security breach or disruption with respect to this information. If successful, these types of attacks on our or Blackstone’ network or other systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, due to, among other things, the loss of investor or proprietary data, interruptions or delays in the operation of our business and damage to our reputations. Measures Blackstone takes to ensure the integrity of its systems may not provide adequate protection, especially because cyberattack techniques are continually evolving, may persist undetected over extended periods of time, and may not be mitigated in a timely manner to prevent or minimize the impact of an attack on Blackstone, our Unitholders, our Portfolio Entities or potential Investments. If Blackstone’s systems or those of other third-party service providers are compromised either as a result of malicious activity or through inadvertent transmittal or other loss of data, do not operate properly or are disabled, or Blackstone fails to provide the appropriate regulatory or other notifications in a timely manner, Blackstone could suffer financial loss, increased costs, a disruption of its businesses, liability to Blackstone’s counterparties, including us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their respective investors, regulatory intervention or reputational damage. The costs related to cyber or other data security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means.

In addition, Blackstone could also suffer losses in connection with updates to, or the failure to timely update, the technology platforms on which it relies. Blackstone is reliant on third-party service providers for certain aspects of its business, including for the administration of us and Other Blackstone Accounts, as well as for certain technology platforms, including cloud-based services. These third-party service providers could also face ongoing cybersecurity threats and compromises of their systems and as a result, unauthorized individuals could gain, and in some past instances have gained, access to certain confidential data.

Even if we or Blackstone are not directly targeted, cyberattacks on the U.S. and foreign governments, financial markets, financial institutions, or other businesses, including borrowers, vendors, software creators, cybersecurity service providers, and other third parties with whom we and/or Blackstone do business, may occur, and such events could disrupt our and/or Blackstone’s normal business operations and networks in the future.

Cybersecurity and data protection have become top priorities for regulators around the world. Many jurisdictions in which Blackstone operates have laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, including, as examples the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) in the European Union, the U.K. Data Protection Act, and the California Privacy Rights Act. For example, the SEC recently adopted amendments to its rules that relate to cybersecurity risk management, strategy, governance, and incident reporting for entities that are subject to Exchange Act reporting requirements (like us). In additional, in February

 

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2022, the SEC proposed new rules for investment advisers’ regarding cybersecurity risk management, requiring the adoption and implementation of cybersecurity policies and procedures, enhanced disclosure in regulatory filings, and prompt reporting of incidents to the SEC, which, if adopted, could increase Blackstone’s compliance costs and potential regulatory liability related to cybersecurity. Some jurisdictions have also enacted or proposed laws requiring companies to notify individuals and government agencies of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data.

Breaches in Blackstone’s security or in the security of third-party service providers, whether malicious in nature or through inadvertent transmittal or other loss of data, could potentially jeopardize Blackstone’s, its employees’, our Fund’s, Other Blackstone Accounts’ or their respective investors’ or counterparties’ confidential, proprietary and other information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, Blackstone’s computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in Blackstone’s, its employees’, our Fund’s, Other Blackstone Accounts’, their respective investors’ or counterparties’ or third-parties’ business and operations, which could result in significant financial losses, increased costs, liability to us and Other Blackstone Accounts’ investors and other counterparties, regulatory intervention and reputational damage. Furthermore, if Blackstone fails to comply with the relevant laws and regulations or fails to provide the appropriate regulatory or other notifications of breach in a timely matter, it could result in regulatory investigations and penalties, which could lead to negative publicity and reputational harm and may cause our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ investors and clients to lose confidence in the effectiveness of Blackstone’s security measures and Blackstone more generally.

Our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities also rely on data processing systems and the secure processing, storage and transmission of information, including payment and health information, which in some instances are provided by third parties. A disruption or compromise of these systems could have a material adverse effect on the value of these businesses. We and Other Blackstone Accounts could invest in strategic assets having a national or regional profile or in infrastructure, the nature of which could expose them to a greater risk of being subject to a terrorist attack or a security breach than other assets or businesses. Such an event may have material adverse consequences on Blackstone’s investment or assets of the same type or may require portfolio companies to increase preventative security measures or expand insurance coverage.

Finally, Our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities’ technology platforms, data and intellectual property are also subject to a heightened risk of theft or compromise to the extent Blackstone or our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities engage in operations outside the United States, in particular in those jurisdictions that do not have comparable levels of protection of proprietary information and assets such as intellectual property, trademarks, trade secrets, know-how and customer information and records. In addition, Blackstone and our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities may be required to compromise protections or forego rights to technology, data and intellectual property in order to operate in or access markets in a foreign jurisdiction. Any such direct or indirect compromise of these assets could have a material adverse impact on Blackstone and our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities. See “—Data Protection” herein.

Artificial Intelligence Developments. Recent technological developments in artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT (collectively, “AI Technologies”), pose risks to the Sponsor, us and our Portfolio Entities (including our Portfolio Entities and Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts expected to provide services to us). Any of these technological innovations could result in harm to the Sponsor or the Portfolio Entities, significantly disrupt the market in which they operate and subject them to increased competition, which could materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition and results of operations, and have an adverse impact on us.

We, our Portfolio Entities and the Sponsor intend to avail ourselves/themselves of the benefits, insights and efficiencies that are available through the use of AI Technologies. However, the use of AI Technologies presents a number of risks that cannot be fully mitigated. For example, AI Technologies are highly reliant on the

 

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collection and analysis of large amounts of data and complex algorithms, but it is not possible or practicable to incorporate all relevant data into models that AI Technologies utilize to operate. Moreover, with the use of AI Technologies, there often exists a lack of transparency of how inputs are converted to outputs and the Sponsor cannot fully validate this process and its accuracy. The accuracy of such inputs and the resulting impact on the results of AI Technologies cannot be verified and could result in a diminished quality of work product that may include or be derived from inaccurate or erroneous information. Further, inherent bias in the construction of AI Technologies can lead to a wide array of risks including but not limited to accuracy, efficacy and reputational harm. Therefore, it is expected that data in such models will contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, and potentially materially so, and that such data as well as algorithms in use could otherwise be inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI Technologies and could adversely impact the Sponsor, us or our Portfolio Entities and investments to the extent we/they rely on the work product of such AI Technologies. At the same time, any interruption of access to or use of AI Technologies may impede the ability of the Sponsor, us and our Portfolio Entities to generate information and analysis that could be beneficial to us/them and our/their business, financial condition and results of operations. AI Technologies may also be competitive with certain business activities or increase the obsolescence of certain organizations’ products or services, particularly as AI Technologies improve. This could also have an adverse impact on us, our Portfolio Entities, and the Sponsor.

AI Technologies can also be misused or misappropriated by third parties and/or employees of the Sponsor or our Portfolio Entities. For example, there is a risk that a user may input confidential information, including material non-public information, or personal identifiable information, into AI Technologies applications, resulting in such information becoming part of a dataset that is accessible by other third-party AI Technologies applications and users including competitors of the Sponsor, us and our Portfolio Entities. Moreover, the Sponsor, us and our Portfolio Entities will not necessarily be in a position to control the manner in which third-party AI Technologies are developed or maintained or the manner in which third parties use AI Technologies to provide services, even where they have sought contractual protections. The use of AI Technologies, including potential inadvertent disclosure of confidential Sponsor, Fund or Portfolio Entity information or personal identifiable information, could also lead to legal and regulatory investigations and enforcement actions. AI Technologies and their current and potential future applications including in the private investment and financial sectors, as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to rapidly evolve, and it is impossible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto. For more information on risks relating to information security, see also “—Cyber Security Breaches, Identity Theft, Denial of Service Attacks, Ransomware Attacks, and Social Engineering Attempts” and “—Cybersecurity and Data Protection” herein.

The Sponsor expects to be involved in the collection of such data and/or development of proprietary AI Technologies in the ordinary course. To this end, we will pay and bear all expenses and fees associated with developing and maintaining such technology, including the costs of any professional service providers, subscriptions and related software and hardware, server infrastructure and hosting, internal Blackstone expenses, fees, charges and/or related costs incurred, charged or specifically attributed or allocated (based on methodologies determined by Blackstone) to us, the Parallel Funds, the Sponsor or our/their affiliates in connection with such AI Technologies.

Regulations related to AI Technologies may also impose certain obligations on organizations, and the costs of monitoring and responding to such regulations, as well the consequences of non-compliance, could have an adverse effect on Blackstone, us and our Portfolio Entities. For example, the EU is in the process of introducing a new regulation application to certain AI Technologies and the data used to train, test and deploy them (the “EU AI Act”). Once in effect, the EU AI Act would impose material requirements on both the providers and deployers of AI Technologies, with infringement punishable by sanctions of up to 7% of annual worldwide turnover or EUR 35 million (whichever is higher) for the most serious breaches. Complying with the EU AI Act, once effective, and other regulations related to AI Technologies, could involve material compliance costs and/or adversely affect the operations or results of Blackstone and our Portfolio Entities, and have an adverse impact on us.

 

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Software Code Protection. Source code may comprise a critical component to a Portfolio Entity’s operations. If an unauthorized disclosure of a significant portion of source code occurs, a Portfolio Entity could potentially lose future trade secret protection for that source code. This could make it easier for third parties to compete with such Portfolio Entity products by copying functionality, which could adversely affect revenue and operating margins. Unauthorized disclosure of source code could also increase security risks (e.g., viruses, worms and other malicious software programs that may attack Portfolio Entity products and services). Costs for remediating the unauthorized disclosure of source code and other cyber-security branches, may include, among other things, increased protection costs, reputational damage and loss of market share, liability for stolen assets or information and repairing system damage that may have been caused. Remediation costs may also include incentives offered to Portfolio Entity customers or other business partners in an effort to maintain the business relationships after a security breach.

Operational Risk. We depend on the Sponsor to develop the appropriate systems and procedures to control operational risk. Operational risks arising from mistakes made in the confirmation or settlement of transactions, from transactions not being properly booked, evaluated or accounted for or other similar disruption in our operations may cause us to suffer financial losses, the disruption of its business, liability to third parties, regulatory intervention or damage to its reputation. We depend on the Sponsor to develop the appropriate systems and procedures to control operational risk. We rely heavily on our financial, accounting and other data processing systems. The ability of our systems to accommodate transactions could also constrain our ability to properly manage the portfolio. Generally, the Sponsor will not be liable to us for losses incurred due to the occurrence of any errors.

We are subject to the risk that our trading orders may not be executed in a timely and efficient manner due to various circumstances, including, without limitation, systems failure or human error. As a result, we could be unable to achieve the market position selected by the Sponsor or might incur a loss in liquidating our positions. Since some of the markets in which we may effect transactions are over-the-counter or interdealer markets, the participants in such markets are typically not subject to credit evaluation or regulatory oversight comparable to that which members of exchange based markets are subject. We are also exposed to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions, thereby causing us to suffer a loss.

Transfers and Liquidity

No Market for Units; Restrictions on Transfers. Our Units have not been registered under the Securities Act, the securities laws of any U.S. state or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and, therefore, cannot be sold unless they are subsequently registered under the 1933 Act and other applicable securities laws, or an exemption from registration is available. It is not contemplated that registration under the 1933 Act or other securities laws will ever be effected. There is no public market for our Units and one is not expected to develop. Each Unitholder will be required to represent that it is a “qualified purchaser” (as defined in the 1940 Act and rules thereunder) and “accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D under the 1933 Act under applicable securities laws and that it is acquiring its Units for investment purposes and not with a view to resale or distribution and that it will only sell and transfer its Units to an investor that is a “qualified purchaser” and “accredited investor” under applicable securities laws or in a manner permitted by the Partnership Agreement, and consistent with such laws. Except by operation of law, a Unitholder will not be permitted to assign, sell, exchange or transfer any of its interest, rights or obligations with respect to its Units, unless the Unitholder provides 60 calendar days’ notice to the General Partner (or such reasonably shorter period as is agreed to by the General Partner), which may refuse such requested transfer for certain reasons, as explained in “Item 1(c). Description of Business—Repurchase Program.” Unitholders must be prepared to bear the risks of owning Units for an extended period of time.

Lack of Liquidity. There is no current public trading market for the Units, and the Sponsor does not expect that such a market will ever develop. Therefore, the repurchase of Units by us will likely be the only way to dispose of Units. We expect to repurchase Units at a price equal to the applicable NAV as of the Repurchase

 

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Date and not based on the purchase price. Subject to limited exceptions, any repurchase request of Units that have not been outstanding at least two years will be subject to an Early Repurchase Deduction of 5% of the value of the NAV of the Units being repurchased (calculated as of the Repurchase Date). The two year holding period is measured as of the subscription closing date immediately following the prospective repurchase date. As a result, you may receive less than the price you paid for your Units when you sell them to us pursuant to our Repurchase Program. “Item 1(c). Description of Business—Repurchase Program” for further information.

We have implemented a Repurchase Program in which we intend to offer to repurchase in each quarter up to 3% of Units outstanding (either by number of Units or aggregate NAV) as of the close of the previous calendar quarter.

Material amendments to the Repurchase Program and a suspension thereof may be made by the Sponsor with the approval of the Independent Directors. As a result, Unit repurchases may not be available each quarter, such as when a repurchase offer would place an undue burden on our liquidity, adversely affect our operations or risk having an adverse impact on us that would outweigh the benefit of the repurchase offer. We intend to conduct such repurchase offers in accordance with the requirements of Rule 13e-4 under the Exchange Act.

In the event that, pursuant to the limitations above, not all of the Units submitted for repurchase during a given quarter are to be accepted for repurchase by us, Units submitted for repurchase during such quarter will be redeemed on a pro-rata basis (measured on an aggregate basis (without duplication) across our Fund if applicable). Settlements of any repurchase will generally be made within 35 calendar days from the Repurchase Date. As a result you will experience significant delays in realizing liquidity even when your repurchase is accepted.

All unsatisfied requests must be resubmitted in the next quarterly repurchase offer, or upon the recommencement of the Repurchase Program, as applicable.

Effect of Repurchase Requests. Economic events affecting the U.S. economy could cause Unitholders to seek to have their Units repurchased pursuant to the Repurchase Program at a time when such events are adversely affecting the performance of our assets. Even if the Sponsor decides to satisfy all resulting repurchase requests, our cash flow could be materially adversely affected. In addition, if we determine to sell assets to satisfy repurchase requests, we may not be able to realize the return on such assets that we may have been able to achieve had we sold at a more favorable time, and our results of operations and financial condition, including, without limitation, breadth of our portfolio by property type and location, could be materially adversely affected.

Valuations and Returns

Valuations. For the purposes of calculating our monthly NAV, our Direct Investments will generally initially be valued at cost based on our percentage ownership of such Direct Investment, which we expect to represent fair value at that time; however, to the extent the Sponsor does not believe a Direct Investment’s cost reflects the current market value, the General Partner may adjust such valuation. In accordance with the Valuation Policy, the Sponsor will conduct a quarterly valuation of our Direct Investments that will be reviewed and confirmed for reasonableness by our independent valuation advisor with monthly valuation updates based on the latest available financial data and cash flow activity. Additionally, a second independent valuation advisor will provide a more detailed “range of value” analysis on a rolling basis throughout the year. Additionally, the Sponsor may in its discretion, but is not obligated to, consider material market data and other information (as of the applicable month-end for which NAV is being calculated) that becomes available after the end of the applicable month in valuing our assets and liabilities and calculating our NAV. The Sponsor is not obligated to monitor Other Blackstone Accounts’ investments for events that could be expected to have a material impact on any Other Blackstone Accounts’ NAV during a quarter.

 

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Although the valuations of each of our Direct Investments will be reviewed and confirmed for reasonableness by our independent valuation advisors at least once per quarter, such valuations are based on asset- and portfolio-level information provided by the Sponsor, including historical operating revenues and expenses of the Direct Investment, key customer relationships, information regarding recent or planned capital expenditures and any other information relevant to valuing the Direct Investment, which information will not be independently verified by any of our independent valuation advisors. In connection with striking a NAV as of a date other than quarter end for share issuances and repurchases, the Sponsor will consider whether there has been a material change to such investments as to affect their fair value, but such analysis will be more limited than the quarter end process. The information provided may lead to a different result of the monthly valuation update than that of a quarterly valuation. Generally, none of our independent valuation advisors will review the Sponsor’s valuations of the Investments in Debt and Other Securities. Such quarterly valuations and monthly updates will be subject to inherent uncertainty and will be made under a number of assumptions which may not ultimately be realized.

Within the parameters of the Valuation Policy, the valuation methodologies used to value our Direct Investments and certain other Investments will involve subjective judgments and projections and may not be accurate. Valuation methodologies will also involve assumptions and opinions about future events, which may or may not turn out to be correct. Valuations of our Investments will be only estimates of fair value. Because these fair value calculations will involve significant professional judgment in the application of both observable and unobservable attributes, the calculated fair value of our assets may differ from their actual realizable value or future fair value. Ultimate realization of the value of an asset depends to a great extent on economic, market and other conditions beyond our control and the control of the General Partner, the BX Managers and our independent valuation advisors. Further, valuations do not necessarily represent the price at which an asset would sell, since market prices of assets can only be determined by negotiation between a willing buyer and seller. As such, the carrying value of an asset may not reflect the price at which the asset could be sold in the market, and the difference between carrying value and the ultimate sales price could be material. In addition, accurate valuations are more difficult to obtain in times of low transaction volume because there are fewer market transactions that can be considered in the context of the valuation. There will be no retroactive adjustment in the valuation of such assets, the offering price of our Units, the price we paid to repurchase our Units or NAV-based or performance-based fees we paid, directly or indirectly, to the General Partner and BX Managers to the extent such valuations prove to not accurately reflect the realizable value of our assets. While we believe our NAV calculation methodologies are consistent with widely recognized valuation methodologies, there are other methodologies available to calculate NAV. As a result, other funds focused on infrastructure investments may use different methodologies or assumptions to determine NAV. Other Blackstone Accounts face similar risks with respect to valuation and we will incorporate the value of each relevant Other Blackstone Account’s NAV per unit into our NAV to the extent we have invested in such Other Blackstone Account. In addition, each relevant Other Blackstone Account’s NAV per unit used to calculate our NAV may be as of a date several months earlier than the date as of which our NAV is calculated and, as a result, our NAV will often not incorporate the current NAV per unit of such Other Blackstone Account.

Uncertainty of Estimates. Investment underwriting is based in significant part on estimates of future financial and economic performance, including current and future internal rates of return. Moreover, decisions on how to manage an Investment during its hold period are informed by expectations of future performance and projections of operating results, which are often based on management judgments. All of these estimates of future results are based upon, among other considerations, assumptions made at the time that the estimates are developed, including assumptions regarding the performance of our Investments and assets, the amount and terms of available financing and the manner and timing of dispositions, including possible asset recovery, all of which are subject to significant uncertainty. There can be no assurance that the estimated results will be obtained, and actual results may vary significantly from the estimates. General economic conditions and other events, which are not predictable and may not have been anticipated, can have a material adverse impact on the reliability of such estimates. Moreover, other experts may disagree regarding the feasibility of achieving estimated returns. We will make Investments which may have different degrees of associated risk. The actual

 

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realized returns on our unrealized Investments may differ materially from the returns indicated herein or, with respect to our future investments, from the returns estimated at the time of acquisition, which, in each case, are not a guarantee or prediction of future results.

Changes in Valuations. When the Sponsor determines the fair value of our Direct Investments, the Sponsor updates the prior month-end valuations by incorporating the latest available financial data for such Direct Investments, as well as any cash flow activity related to the investments during the month. On a quarterly basis, the Sponsor will value our Direct Investments utilizing the valuation methodology it deems most appropriate and consistent with widely recognized valuation methodologies and market conditions. Each quarter, the Sponsor will engage a qualified, independent valuation advisor to provide positive assurance for the valuations of each of our Direct Investments prepared by the Sponsor. It is expected that the independent valuation advisor will provide such positive assurance on a rolling basis throughout the quarter, such that our Direct Investments may be reviewed at different times during the quarter but that the independent valuation advisor would provide positive assurance on each private investment at least once per quarter. Additionally, the Sponsor will engage a second qualified independent valuation advisor to provide a more detailed “range of value” analysis on a rolling basis throughout the year, such that the value of our Direct Investments may be estimated by an independent valuation advisor at different times during the year but that the independent valuation advisor would provide a range of value on each Direct Investment at least once per year. Both independent valuation advisors will be engaged on a monthly basis and will review a portion of the portfolio each month.

When these quarterly valuations are incorporated into our NAV per Unit, there may be a material change in our NAV per Unit amounts for each class of Units from those previously reported. We will not retroactively adjust the NAV per Unit of each Class reported for the previous month. Therefore, because a new quarterly valuation may differ materially from the prior valuation, the adjustment to take into consideration the new valuation, may cause the NAV per Unit for each class of Units to increase or decrease, and such increase or decrease will occur in the month the adjustment is made.

Limitations of NAV. The Sponsor’s determination of our monthly NAV per Unit will be based in part on the latest quarterly valuation of each of its Investments, as adjusted each month to incorporate the latest available financial data for such Investments, including any cash flow activity related to such Investments. As a result, our published NAV per Unit in any given month may not fully reflect any or all changes in value that may have occurred since the most recent quarterly valuation.

The Sponsor may, but is not obligated to, monitor our Direct Investments on an ongoing basis for events that the Sponsor believes may have a material impact on our NAV as a whole. Material events may include investment-specific events or broader market-driven events which may impact more than one specific investment events that the Sponsor believes may have a material impact on the most recent fair values of such Direct Investments. Possible examples of such a material event include unexpected investment-specific events and broader market-driven events identified by the Sponsor, which may impact more than one specific investment, including capital market events, economic and political conditions globally and in the jurisdictions and sectors in which an investment operates, and material changes in cap rates or discount rates. Upon the occurrence of such a material event and provided that the Sponsor is aware that such event has occurred, the Sponsor may, but is not obligated to, provide an estimate of the change in value of the Direct Investment. In addition to tracking the NAV plus related cash flows of our Primary Commitments and Secondary Investments, the Sponsor may, but is not obligated to, track relevant issuer-specific events or broader market-driven events that the Sponsor believes may have a material impact on our NAV as a whole, and the most recent fair values of our Primary Commitments and Secondary Investments. Upon the occurrence of such a material event and provided that the Sponsor is aware that such event has occurred, the Sponsor may, but is not obligated to, make a corresponding adjustment to reflect the current fair value of such investment fund. Sponsor may consider such information and may conclude in certain circumstances that a material event has occurred such that the latest information provided by the investment fund’s investment advisor or investment manager no longer represents the fair value of a particular asset held by such investment fund. If the Sponsor concludes in good faith that the latest NAV reported by an investment

 

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fund’s investment advisor or investment manager does not represent fair value (e.g., there is more current information regarding a portfolio asset which significantly changes its fair value) Sponsor may make a corresponding adjustment to reflect the current fair value of such asset within such investment fund.

In general, the Sponsor expects that any adjustments to fair values will be calculated after a determination that a material change has occurred and the financial effects of such change are quantifiable by the Sponsor. However, rapidly changing market conditions or material events may not be immediately reflected in our monthly NAV. For example, an unexpected termination or renewal of key customer relationships, recent financial results or changes in the capital structure of an investment, regulatory changes that affect an investment, or a significant industry event or adjustment to an industry outlook that may cause the value of an Investment to change materially, yet obtaining sufficient relevant information after the occurrence has come to light and/or analyzing fully the financial impact of such an event may be difficult to do and may require some time. As a result, the NAV per Unit may not reflect a material event until such time as sufficient information is available and analyzed, and the financial impact is fully evaluated, such that our NAV may be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the Valuation Policy. Depending on the circumstance, the resulting potential disparity in our NAV may be in favor or to the detriment of either Unitholders who redeem their Units, or Unitholders who buy new Units, or existing Unitholders. The methods used by the Sponsor to calculate our NAV, including the components used in calculating our NAV, is not prescribed by rules of the SEC or any other regulatory agency. Further, there are no accounting rules or standards that prescribe which components should be used in calculating NAV, and our NAV is not audited by our independent registered public accounting firm. We calculate and publish NAV solely for purposes of establishing the price at which we sell and redeem Units, and investors should not view our NAV as a measure of our historical or future financial condition or performance. The components and methodology used in calculating our NAV may differ from those used by other companies now or in the future.

The valuations of our assets may differ from liquidation values that could be realized in the event that we were forced to sell assets.

Additionally, errors may occur in calculating our NAV, which could impact the price at which we sell and redeem our Units, the amount of the Management Fee, Administration Fee and the Performance Participation Allocation. The Sponsor, with the support of the BX Managers, has implemented certain policies and procedures to address such errors in NAV calculations. If such errors were to occur, the General Partner, with the support of the BX Managers, depending on the circumstances surrounding each error and the extent of any impact the error has on the price at which Units were sold or redeemed or on the amount of the Management Fee, Administration Fee and the Performance Participation Allocation, may determine in its sole discretion to take certain corrective actions in response to such errors, including, subject to Blackstone’s policies and procedures, making adjustments to prior NAV calculations.

General

No Assurance of Investment Return. The Sponsor cannot provide assurance that it will be able to successfully choose, make and realize any particular investments or otherwise implement our investment strategy, or that Investments made by us will generate expected returns. Moreover, the Sponsor cannot provide assurance that any Unitholder will receive a return of its capital or any distribution from us or be able to withdraw from us within a specific period of time. Past performance of investment entities associated with the Sponsor, its affiliates or the Sponsor’s investment professionals are not necessarily indicative of future results or performance and there can be no assurance that we will achieve comparable results. Accordingly, investors should draw no conclusions from the performance of any other investments of the Sponsor or its affiliates and should not expect to achieve similar results. An investment in us involves a risk of partial or total loss of capital and should only be considered by potential investors with high tolerance for risk.

 

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No Operating History. Although the investment professionals of the Sponsor and Blackstone have extensive investment experience generally, including extensive experience operating and investing for the Infrastructure Platform, as of the date of this Registration Statement, BIF has not commenced operations and has no operating history. Therefore, prospective investors will have no or limited track record or history upon which to base their investment decision. The size and type of Investments expected to be made by us could differ from prior Blackstone investments (including prior infrastructure investments). Valuations of Investments are prepared on the basis of certain qualifications, assumptions, estimates and projections, and there is no assurance that the projections or assumptions used, estimates made or procedures followed by Blackstone or any third-party valuation agent are correct, accurate or complete. In addition, there can be no guarantee that investment opportunities will be identified for us or that, once identified, such investment opportunities will close or will close at the anticipated acquisition price; furthermore, there can be no guarantee that an investment opportunity will generate income or a return of capital or any distribution from us. An investor should only invest in our Fund as a part of an overall investment strategy and only if the investor is able to withstand a total loss of its investment.

Performance Information. Any performance information included herein or otherwise provided by Blackstone is presented solely for illustrative purposes and may not be representative of all transactions of a given type or of investments generally. In considering investment performance information contained in this report or otherwise provided, prospective Unitholders should bear in mind that past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, and there can be no assurance that we will achieve comparable results, be able to effectively implement its investment strategy, achieve its investment or asset allocation objectives, be profitable or avoid substantial losses.

In addition, there can be no assurance that the BX Managers will be successful in identifying investment opportunities. Although we may invest in Other Blackstone Accounts, the investment portfolio of such Other Blackstone Accounts may differ materially from our current investment strategy, including in terms of levels of sectoral and geographic diversification.

Furthermore, performance shown may not reflect returns experienced by any particular investor in the applicable fund. Performance for individual investors may vary from our overall performance as a result of the timing of an investor’s admission to our Fund; the repurchase or increase of any part of a Unitholder’s interest in us; and the class of Units in which they invest (including as a result of different subscription fees or servicing fees). Prospective Unitholders should note that certain entities, such as the Feeder, may invest through Intermediate Entities (including Corporations), which may pay additional taxes which would further reduce returns experienced by Unitholders participating therein.

The Performance Participation Allocation the General Partner is entitled to from us is based on a total return metric adjusted to exclude the impact of certain expenses, including expenses related to distributions, and therefore such total return measure will differ from the performance that investors will experience. Further, investors will experience performance that is net of any Performance Participation Allocation received by the General Partner from the Fund.

Lack of Management Rights; Reliance on the Sponsor. The Sponsor has exclusive responsibility for management and oversight of our activities, subject to certain oversight rights held by the Board. Unitholders will not have the right to make or evaluate any Investment made by us, or other decisions concerning direct management of us and our Portfolio Entities and will not receive some of the financial information with respect to future opportunities that are available to the Sponsor. The Sponsor and the BX Managers will generally have sole and absolute discretion in structuring, negotiating and purchasing, financing and eventually divesting Investments on behalf of us (subject to certain specified exceptions). Accordingly, Unitholders are dependent upon the judgment and ability of the Sponsor to source transactions and invest and manage our capital. No potential investor who is unwilling to entrust all aspects of our management to the Sponsor should invest in us.

 

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Role of Investment Professionals. Our success will depend in part upon the skill and management expertise of the Sponsor’s investment professionals. Their interests in the Sponsor, and the vesting and potential forfeiture terms to which their interests are subject, are intended to discourage them from leaving the Sponsor, but there is ever increasing competition among industry participants for hiring and retaining qualified investment professionals. There can be no assurance that any professional will continue to be associated with the Sponsor or involved in us throughout the life of our Fund or that any new hires or replacements will meet expectations. Further, the time, dedication and scope of work of an investment professional varies considerably. In addition, investment decisions are often considered by the BXINFRA Investment Committee or otherwise by multiple investment professionals. Discussion and debate among them are generally helpful to the investment decision-making process but excessive disagreement could adversely impact us. Finally, the Sponsor’s investment professionals work on a variety of projects and funds for Blackstone and/or its affiliates and portfolio entities or have other roles within Blackstone, which will likely result in less than all of their time and attention being allocated to us, and their dedication of a substantial portion of their time and attention being allocated to other matters, aside from us, and the ability of members of the investment team to access other professionals and resources within Blackstone for our benefit may be limited.

Broad Investment Mandate. Our investment strategy covers a broad range of infrastructure asset classes and geographic regions. We rely on the Sponsor to identify, structure and implement investments consistent with our overall investment objectives and policies at such times as it determines. We will make investments in keeping with our investment program. We may make investments throughout the capital structure such as mezzanine securities, senior secured debt, bank debt, unsecured debt, convertible bonds and preferred and common stock and across asset classes including, without limitation, private or public equity, structured equity, minority private equity, commodities and credit. It is expected that, in light of our investment objective, we may make equity, credit and/or debt investments that do not involve control or influence over the underlying entity in which we invest. Additionally, we will be permitted to invest (and may actually invest) in any number of companies operating in a wide range of infrastructure industries, geographies or activities. The Sponsor may also change our investment and operational policies which could result in us making investments that are different from, and possibly riskier or more highly leveraged than, the types of investments otherwise described in this report. Our investment guidelines provide the Sponsor with broad discretion and can be changed in its sole discretion, including being narrowed or expanded as needed for purposes of retaining our eligibility for certain regulatory exemptions under applicable law. A change in our investment strategy may, among other things, increase our exposure to market fluctuations, default risk and interest rate risk, all of which could materially affect the results of our operations and financial condition.

Risk of Certain Events Related to Blackstone. A bankruptcy, change of control or other significant adverse event relating to Blackstone or the Sponsor could cause the Sponsor to have difficulty retaining personnel and may otherwise adversely affect us and our ability to achieve our investment objective.

Proxy Statements, Unitholder Proposals and Other Matters. Holders of our Units are not entitled to vote in the election of our directors. Accordingly, we are not required to file proxy statements or information statements under Section 14 of the Exchange Act except in those limited circumstances where a vote of holders of our Units is required under the Partnership Agreement or Delaware law. Moreover, unitholders are not able to bring matters before meetings of unitholders or nominate directors at such meeting, nor are they generally able to submit unitholder proposals under Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Blackstone has conflicts of interest, or conflicting loyalties, as a result of the numerous activities and relationships of Blackstone, the Sponsor, us, the Other Blackstone Accounts, our and Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities and affiliates, partners, members, shareholders, officers, directors and employees (current and former) of the foregoing, some of which are described herein. Additional conflicts of interest are also expected to arise by virtue of our investments in Third-Party Fund Managers and their investment activities

 

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(including, where applicable, their management of Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles), although such Third-Party Fund Managers and Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles will not be considered “affiliates” of Blackstone or us for any purpose. Not all potential, apparent and actual conflicts of interest are included herein and additional conflicts of interest could arise as a result of new activities, transactions or relationships commenced in the future.

If any matter arises that the Sponsor and its affiliates determine in their good faith judgment constitutes an actual and material conflict of interest, the Sponsor and relevant affiliates will take the actions they determine in good faith may be necessary or appropriate to mitigate and/or disclose the conflict, which will be deemed to fully satisfy any fiduciary duties they may have to us or the Unitholders. Thereafter, the Sponsor and relevant affiliates will be relieved of any liability related to the conflict to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Actions that could be taken by the Sponsor or its affiliates to mitigate a conflict include, by way of example and without limitation (subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement), (a) if applicable, handling the conflict as described herein, (b) obtaining from the Board of Directors (or the Independent Directors) advice, waiver or consent as to the conflict, or acting in accordance with standards or procedures approved by the Board of Directors to address the conflict, (c) disposing of the investment or security giving rise to the conflict of interest, (d) disclosing the conflict to the Board of Directors, including the Independent Directors, as applicable, or Unitholders (including, without limitation, in distribution notices, financial statements, letters to Unitholders or other communications), (e) appointing an independent representative to act or provide consent with respect to the matter giving rise to the conflict of interest, (f) validating the arms’ length nature of the transaction by referencing participation by unaffiliated third parties, (g) in the case of conflicts among clients, creating groups of personnel within Blackstone separated by information barriers (which can be expected to be temporary and limited purpose in nature), each of which would advise or represent one of the clients that has a conflicting position with other clients, (h) implementing policies and procedures reasonably designed to mitigate the conflict of interest, or (i) otherwise handling the conflict as determined appropriate by the Sponsor in its good faith reasonable discretion. There can be no assurance that the Sponsor will identify or resolve all conflicts of interest in a manner that is favorable to us.

We are subject to certain conflicts of interest arising out of our relationship with Blackstone, including the Sponsor and its affiliates. Certain members of the Board of Directors are also executives of Blackstone and/or one or more of its affiliates. There is no guarantee that the policies and procedures adopted by us, the terms of the Partnership Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Investment Management Agreement, or the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors, General Partner, the BX Managers, Blackstone and their affiliates, will enable us to identify, adequately address or mitigate these conflicts of interest, or that the Sponsor will identify or resolve all conflicts of interest in a manner that is favorable to us, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts or have any right to consent to them.

Performance-Based Compensation. The Performance Participation Allocation creates a greater incentive for the Sponsor to make more speculative Investments on our behalf or time the purchase or sale of Investments in a manner motivated by the personal interest of Blackstone personnel than if such performance-based compensation did not exist, as the Sponsor receives a disproportionate share of profits above the preferred return hurdle. A similar incentive exists at the level of the Third-Party Fund Managers in which we may invest. The general partner clawback with respect to our indirect clawback liability pertaining to Third-Party Fund Managers in which we may invest in respect of our applicable share of carried interest generated by such Third-Party Fund Managers, potentially creates other misalignments of interests between such Third-Party Fund Managers, on the one hand, and the investors in the Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicles on the other hand, such as an incentive for the Third-Party Fund Managers to make more speculative investments, to defer disposition of an investment that would result in a realized loss (or a return on investment that was less than the preferred return, where applicable under the organizational documents of the relevant Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle) and trigger the clawback, or delay the dissolution and liquidation of a Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle if doing so would trigger a clawback obligation and/or seek to deploy capital in investments at an accelerated pace.

 

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Blackstone will generally have no control over the decision to dispose of underlying investments made by Third-Party Fund Managers in which it invests, and will be reliant upon such Third-Party Fund Managers to make such decisions in a fair and reasonable manner and on a timely basis. In addition, the Tax Reform Bill enacted in 2017 provides for a lower capital gains tax rate on performance-based compensation from Investments held for at least three years, which can be expected to incentivize Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest to accelerate deployment of capital at the beginning of the investment period of closed-ended funds they manage, and the Sponsor and Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest to hold investments longer to ensure long-term capital gains treatment or dispose of investments prior to any change in law that would result in a higher effective income tax rate on the Performance Participation Allocation or equivalent performance-based compensation respectively. Furthermore, in the event of our liquidation, the Sponsor may receive a Performance Participation Allocation with respect to a distribution in-kind of non-marketable securities. The amount of the Performance Participation Allocation will be dependent on the valuation of the non-marketable securities distributed, which will be determined by the Sponsor and could incentivize the Sponsor to value the securities higher than if there were no Performance Participation Allocation. The Sponsor can engage a third party to determine the value of securities distributed in-kind or non-marketable securities and rely upon the third-party opinion of value, but there can be no assurance such an opinion will reflect value accurately. The Sponsor is entitled to elect to receive its Performance Participation Allocation in the form of an in-kind distribution including if the purpose of such election is to permit Blackstone personnel to donate such securities to charity (which may include private foundations, funds or other charities associated with any such personnel). The tax benefit derived from charitable giving has the effect of reinforcing and enhancing the incentives otherwise resulting from the existence of the Sponsor’s Performance Participation Allocation described above.

In addition, the Investment Manager will be paid a fee for its services based on our NAV, which will be calculated by the Sponsor. The Investment Manager will receive the Management Fee, equal to 1.25% of our NAV per annum, and the Administration Fee, equal to 0.10% of our NAV per annum. The Investment Manager may elect to receive the Management Fee and the Administration Fee in cash or Units. The Management Fee will be payable to the Investment Manager in consideration for its services. The calculation of our NAV includes certain subjective judgments with respect to estimating, for example, the value of our portfolio and its accrued expenses, net portfolio income and liabilities (e.g., exclusion of potentially subjective or contingent liabilities that may arise on or subsequent to the sale of an investment), and therefore, our NAV may not correspond to realizable value upon a sale of those assets. The Investment Manager may benefit from us retaining ownership of our assets at times when Unitholders may be better served by the sale or disposition of our assets in order to avoid a reduction in our NAV. If our NAV is calculated in a way that is not reflective of our actual realizable value or future value, then the purchase price of Units or the price paid for the repurchase of Units on a given date may not accurately reflect the value of our portfolio, and such Units may be worth less than the purchase price or more than the repurchase price.

The Performance Participation Allocation, Management Fee and Administration Fee will be payable without taking into account accrued and unpaid taxes of any Intermediate Entity (including Corporations) through which we indirectly invest in an Investment or taxes paid by any such Intermediate Entity during the applicable reference period or month (as the case may be). Accordingly, this reduces the Sponsor’s incentive to ensure Intermediate Entities are structured in such a manner as to minimize taxes paid or payable by such Intermediate Entities.

Allocation of Personnel. The Sponsor will devote such time and attention to us as it determines to be necessary to conduct our business affairs in an appropriate manner. However, Blackstone personnel, including members of the BXINFRA Investment Committee, will work on other projects, serve on other committees (including boards of directors, as applicable) and source potential investments for and otherwise assist the investment programs of Other Blackstone Accounts and their Portfolio Entities, including other investment programs to be developed in the future. Certain members of the Sponsor’s investment team are also members of other Blackstone investment teams and will continue to serve in those roles (which in some cases is their primary responsibility) and as a result not all of their business time will be devoted to the Sponsor or to us. Certain

 

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non-investment professionals are not dedicated solely to us and are permitted to perform work for Other Blackstone Accounts, which is expected to detract from the time such persons devote to us. In this regard, however, a core group of Blackstone investment professionals will devote such time and attention as is reasonably necessary to the business related to us (and our Investments). Even some key personnel of the Sponsor who devote substantially all of their time to investment programs within the Sponsor group do not devote time predominantly, or solely, to us, as the Sponsor group is one of various programs within Blackstone’s private equity business, and such personnel will, in certain circumstances, also be shared with the other Blackstone businesses. Time spent on these other initiatives diverts attention from our activities, which could negatively impact us and Unitholders. Furthermore, Blackstone and Blackstone personnel derive financial benefit from these other activities, including fees and performance-based compensation. Blackstone personnel outside the Infrastructure Platform share in the fees and performance-based compensation from us; similarly, the Infrastructure Platform’s personnel share in the fees and performance-based compensation generated by Other Blackstone Accounts. These and other factors create conflicts of interest in the allocation of time by Blackstone personnel. The Sponsor’s determination of the amount of time necessary to conduct our activities will be conclusive, and Unitholders rely on the Sponsor’s judgment in this regard.

In addition, professionals of the Sponsor may participate in a Blackstone-sponsored program whereby any professional of the Sponsor may receive carried interest or other compensation from another business unit of Blackstone in connection with such professional’s successful referral of a transaction involving any Third-Party Fund Manager or Third-Party Pooled Investment Vehicle to such other business unit of Blackstone or by virtue of other arrangements within Blackstone. Such compensation may include carried interest generated by a fund managed by such other business of Blackstone (or potentially even in a Third-Party Fund Manager). It is not expected, however, that the amount of any carried interest or other compensation received in connection with any such program will be material.

Outside Activities of Principals and Other Personnel and their Related Parties. Certain personnel of Blackstone will, in certain circumstances, be subject to a variety of conflicts of interest relating to their responsibilities to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their respective Portfolio Entities, and their outside personal or business activities, including as members of investment or advisory committees or boards of directors of or advisors to investment funds, corporations, foundations or other organizations. Such positions create a conflict if such other entities have interests that are adverse to those of ours, including if such other entities compete with us for investment opportunities or other resources. The Blackstone personnel in question may have a greater financial interest in the performance of the other entities than our performance. This involvement would create conflicts of interest in making Investments on behalf of us and such other funds, accounts and other entities. Although the Sponsor will generally seek to minimize the impact of any such conflicts, there can be no assurance they will be resolved favorably for us. Also, Blackstone personnel are generally permitted to invest in alternative investment funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, hedge funds and other investment vehicles (it being understood that such personnel may make such investments for strategic reasons including for purposes of sourcing investment opportunities for us, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone), as well as engage in other personal trading activities relating to companies, assets, securities or instruments it being understood that such personnel may make such investments for strategic reasons including for purposes of sourcing investment opportunities for us, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone (subject to Blackstone’s Code of Ethics requirements), some of which will involve conflicts of interests. Such personal securities transactions will, in certain circumstances, relate to securities or instruments which can be expected to also be held or acquired by us or Other Blackstone Accounts, or otherwise relate to companies or issuers in which we have or acquire a different principal investment (including, for example, with respect to seniority) which may give rise to conflicts of interest related to misaligned interests between us and such persons, it being understood that where Blackstone personnel make investments in alternative investment funds and other investment vehicles with the intent to source investments for us or Other Blackstone Accounts, there is a greater likelihood that we or such Other Blackstone Accounts will invest in companies in which Blackstone personnel hold an indirect interest. There could be situations in which such alternative investment funds invest in the same portfolio companies as us and there could be situations in which such alternative investment funds purchase

 

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securities from, or sell securities to, us. There can be no assurance that conflicts of interest arising out of such activities will be resolved in our favor. This conflict is furthered by the overlap in senior leadership among the Sponsor and various Blackstone business units. Unitholders will not receive any benefit from any such investments, and the financial incentives of Blackstone personnel in such other investments could be greater than their financial incentives in relation to us and may not receive notice should we make investments in which such persons hold indirect interests. Although the Sponsor will generally seek to minimize the impact of any such conflicts, there can be no assurance they will be resolved favorably for us.

Additionally, certain personnel and other professionals of Blackstone have family members or relatives that are actively involved in industries and sectors in which we invest or have business, personal, financial or other relationships with companies in such industries and sectors (including the advisors and service providers described above) or other industries, which gives rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest. For example, such family members or relatives might be officers, directors, personnel or owners of companies or assets which are actual or potential Investments of ours or other counterparties of ours and our Portfolio Entities and/or assets. Moreover, in certain instances, we or our Portfolio Entities can be expected to purchase or sell companies or assets from or to, or otherwise transact with, companies that are owned by such family members or relatives or in respect of which such family members or relatives have other involvement. These relationships have the potential to influence Blackstone, including the Sponsor, in deciding whether to select, recommend or create such service providers to perform services for us or a Portfolio Entity (the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by us or such Portfolio Entity, as applicable) and to incentivize Blackstone to engage such service provider over another third party. The fees for services provided by such service providers may or may not be at the same rate charged by other third parties and the Sponsor undertakes no obligations to select service providers who may have lower rates. The Sponsor undertakes no minimum amount of benchmarking. To the extent the Sponsor does engage in benchmarking, it cannot be assured that such benchmarking will be accurate, comparable, or relate specifically to the assets or services to which such rates or terms relate. Whether or not the Sponsor has a relationship with, or receives financial or other benefit from recommending, a particular service provider, there can be no assurance that no other service provider is more qualified to provide the applicable services or could provide such services at lesser cost. In most such circumstances, the Partnership Agreement will not preclude us from undertaking any of these investment activities or transactions. To the extent Blackstone determines appropriate, conflict mitigation strategies can be expected to be put in place with respect to a particular circumstance, such as internal information barriers or recusal, disclosure or other steps determined appropriate by the Sponsor. The Unitholders rely on the Sponsor to manage these conflicts in its sole discretion.

One or more Portfolio Entities (the “Designated Portfolio Entities”) may employ certain personnel (the “Dedicated Portfolio Entity Personnel”) who devote substantially all of their business time to such Designated Portfolio Entities. Dedicated Portfolio Entity Personnel may have certain qualities of and/or may perform certain functions which were previously performed by Blackstone employees. For example, Dedicated Portfolio Entity Personnel may include a chief investment officer or another individual who will evaluate and source investments with respect to the applicable Designated Portfolio Entity. This person would be an employee of the Designated Portfolio Entity (and receive payments, including salaries, benefits and other compensation (which could include performance-based compensation) from the Designated Portfolio Entity instead of from Blackstone), but he/she could also be expected to participate in regular meetings pertaining to the Designated Portfolio Entity with Blackstone personnel. He/she could also be delegated authority by the investment committee of the Designated Portfolio Entity to make certain investment decisions or otherwise perform management functions with respect to the Designated Portfolio Entity. Dedicated Portfolio Entity Personnel may be offered the ability to invest in (or co-invest alongside) us on preferential terms.

Secondments and Internships. Certain personnel of Blackstone and its affiliates, including Consultants (as defined herein), will, in certain circumstances, be seconded to one or more Portfolio Entities, vendors and service providers or Unitholders of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts to provide finance, accounting, operational support, data management and other similar services, including the sourcing of Investments for us or other parties. The salaries, benefits, overhead and other similar expenses for such personnel during the secondment

 

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could be borne (in whole or in part) by Blackstone and its affiliates or the organization for which the personnel are working or both. In addition, personnel of Portfolio Entities, vendors, service providers (including law firms and accounting firms) and Unitholders of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts will, in certain circumstances, be seconded to, serve internships at or otherwise provide consulting services to, Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts and the Portfolio Entities of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts. While often we, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities are the beneficiaries of these types of arrangements, Blackstone is from time to time a beneficiary of these arrangements as well, including in circumstances where the vendor, personnel or service provider or otherwise also provides services to us, Other Blackstone Accounts or Blackstone in the ordinary course. Blackstone, we, Other Blackstone Accounts or our/their Portfolio Entities may or may not pay salary or cover expenses associated with such secondees and interns, and if a Portfolio Entity pays the cost it will be borne directly or indirectly by us, Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts or our/their respective Portfolio Entities could receive benefits from these arrangements at no cost, or alternatively could pay all or a portion of the fees, compensation or other expenses in respect of these arrangements and if a Portfolio Entity or ours or of an Other Blackstone Account pays the costs or Blackstone seeks reimbursement from us, such Other Blackstone Account or their respective Portfolio Entity for such secondment costs, all or a portion of such costs would be borne directly or indirectly by us or such Other Blackstone Account. If Blackstone pays salaries or covers expenses associated with such secondees and interns, it may seek reimbursement from us for such amounts. Blackstone, we, Other Blackstone Accounts or our/their Portfolio Entities could receive benefits from these arrangements at no cost, or alternatively could pay all or a portion of the fees, compensation or other expenses in respect of these arrangements and if a Portfolio Entity pays the costs or Blackstone seeks reimbursement from us or our Portfolio Entities for such secondment costs, it will be borne directly or indirectly by us.

To the extent such fees, compensation or other expenses are borne by us, including indirectly through our Portfolio Entities or reimbursement of Blackstone for such cost, Fund Fees will not be offset or reduced as a result of these arrangements or any fees, expense reimbursements or other costs related thereto. The personnel described above may provide services in respect of multiple matters, including in respect of matters related to Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts, Portfolio Entities, each of our/their respective affiliates and related parties, and any costs of such personnel may be allocated accordingly. Blackstone will endeavor in good faith to allocate the costs of these arrangements, if any, to Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts, Portfolio Entities and other parties based on time spent by the personnel or another methodology Blackstone deems appropriate in a particular circumstance.

In addition, there may be instances where current and former employees of Other Blackstone Accounts’ Portfolio Entities are seconded or temporarily hired by our Portfolio Entities or, at times, our Investments directly. Such secondments or temporary hiring of current and former employees of Other Blackstone Accounts Portfolio Entities by our Portfolio Entities (or our Investments) may result in a potential conflict of interest between our Portfolio Entities and those of such Other Blackstone Accounts. The costs of such employees are expected to be borne by us or our relevant Portfolio Entities, as applicable, and the fees paid by us or such Portfolio Entities to other Portfolio Entity service providers or vendors do not offset or reduce the Fund Fees. See also “—Conflicts of Interest in Service Providers, Including Portfolio Entity Service Providers and Blackstone-Affiliated Service Providers” herein.

Other Benefits. The Sponsor, its affiliates and their personnel and related parties will receive intangible and other benefits, discounts and perquisites arising or resulting from their activities on our behalf, the value of which will not offset or reduce Fund Fees or otherwise be shared with us, our Portfolio Entities or the Unitholders. For example, airline travel or hotel stays will result in “miles” or “points” or credit in loyalty or status programs, and certain purchases made by credit card will result in “credit card points,” “cash back,” or rebates in addition to such loyalty or status program miles or points. Such benefits will, whether or not de minimis or difficult to value, inure exclusively to the benefit of the Sponsor, its affiliates or their personnel or related parties receiving it, even though the cost of the underlying service is borne by us as fund expenses or by our Portfolio Entities. See also “—Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally” herein. Similarly, the Sponsor, its affiliates and their personnel and related parties, and third parties designated by the foregoing, also receive discounts on

 

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products and services provided by Portfolio Entities and customers or suppliers of such Portfolio Entities. The Unitholders consent to the existence of these arrangements and benefits.

Advisors, Consultants and Partners. The Sponsor, its affiliates and their respective personnel and related parties engage and retain strategic advisors, consultants, senior advisors, operating advisors, industry experts, joint venture and other partners and professionals and market participants, any of whom might be current or former executives or other personnel of the Sponsor, its affiliates or Portfolio Entities of ours or of Other Blackstone Accounts (collectively, “Consultants”), to provide a variety of services. Similarly, we, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities retain and pay compensation to Consultants to provide services, or to undertake a build-up strategy to acquire and develop assets and businesses in a particular sector or involving a particular strategy. Any amounts paid by us or a Portfolio Entity to Consultants in connection with the above services, including cash fees, profits or equity interests in a Portfolio Entity, discretionary bonus awards, performance-based compensation (e.g., promote), retainers and expense reimbursements, will be treated as fund expenses or expenses of the Portfolio Entity, as the case may be, and will not, even if they have the effect of reducing any retainers or minimum amounts otherwise payable by the Sponsor or its affiliates, be chargeable to the Sponsor or its affiliates or deemed paid to or received by the Sponsor or its affiliates, or offset or reduce any Fund Fees to the Sponsor or be subordinated to return of the Unitholder’s capital. Amounts charged by Consultants will not necessarily be confirmed as being comparable to market rates for such services. In certain cases, Consultants will receive intangible and other benefits resulting from their activities on our behalf – for example in the same way that executives from portfolio companies of Other Blackstone Accounts may provide insight and/or deal origination for our benefit, the work performed by executives of our Portfolio Entities may benefit Consultants and/or Other Blackstone Accounts. Consultants may attend events and/or meetings sponsored by our Portfolio Entities and/or Other Blackstone Accounts or other members of the Blackstone network, and similarly, members of the Blackstone network may attend any meetings of ours and may be involved in fundraising activities on behalf of Blackstone. Also, Consultants (including for this purpose, strategic investors described in “—Syndication; Warehousing”) may be afforded the right to co-invest alongside us in Portfolio Entities and Investments or invest directly in products managed by Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest, participate in long-term incentive plans of a Portfolio Entity or Third-Party Fund Manager, and invest directly in us or in vehicles controlled by us, with reduced or waived Fund Fees and performance-based compensation (where permitted by applicable law), including potentially after the termination of their engagement by or other status with Blackstone, and such co-investment or participation (which generally will result in us being allocated a smaller share of an Investment than would otherwise be the case in the absence of such side-by-side co-investment rights and such co-investment or participation (which generally will result in us being allocated a smaller share of an Investment and less co-investment being available to Unitholders)) may or may not be considered part of Blackstone’s side-by-side co-investment rights, as determined by the Sponsor or its affiliates in their sole discretion. Consultants’ benefits described in this paragraph will, in certain circumstances, continue after termination of status as a Consultant. Moreover, in negotiating and structuring transactions with counterparties (such as investment banks, financial intermediaries and other service providers) of ours or Portfolio Entities, the Sponsor will generally not seek to maximize terms as if such transaction was taking place in isolation – it will be free to consider relationship, reputational and market considerations holistically, which can in some circumstances result in a cost to us (or otherwise make the terms of the transaction less favorable for us).

The time, dedication, nature of the relationship and scope of work of a Consultant varies considerably. In some cases, a Consultant advises Blackstone on transactions, provides the Sponsor with industry-specific insights and feedback on investment themes, assists in transaction due diligence, and makes introductions to, and provides reference checks on, management teams. In other cases, Consultants take on more extensive roles, including serving as executives or directors on the boards of Portfolio Entities and contributing to the identification and origination of new investment opportunities. We may rely on these Consultants to recommend the Sponsor and us as a preferred investment partner and carry out our investment program, but there is no assurance that any Consultant will continue to be involved with us for any length of time. We and the Sponsor can be expected to have formal or informal arrangements with Consultants that may or may not have termination

 

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options and may include compensation, no compensation, or deferred compensation until occurrence of a future event, such as commencement of a formal engagement. In certain cases, Consultants have attributes of Blackstone “employees” (e.g., they can be expected to make use of offices at Blackstone, receive administrative support from Blackstone personnel, participate in general meetings and events for Blackstone personnel or work on Blackstone matters as their primary or sole business activity, have Blackstone-related email addresses or business cards and participate in certain arrangements (e.g., the side-by-side investment program) typically reserved for Blackstone employees), even though they are not Blackstone employees, affiliates or personnel for purposes of the Partnership Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement, as applicable, and their salary and related expenses are paid by us as fund expenses or by Portfolio Entities without any reduction or offset to Fund Fees. Some Consultants work only for us and our Portfolio Entities, while other Consultants may have other clients, including Other Blackstone Accounts, as described below. In particular, in some cases, Consultants, including those with a “Senior Advisor” title, have been and will be engaged with the responsibility to source and recommend transactions to the Sponsor potentially on a full-time and/or exclusive basis and, notwithstanding any overlap with the responsibilities of the Sponsor under the Investment Management Agreement and/or the Partnership Agreement, the compensation to such Consultants may be borne fully by us and/or Portfolio Entities (with no reduction or offset to Fund Fees) and not the Sponsor. Consultants could have conflicts of interest between their work for us and our Portfolio Entities, on the one hand, and themselves or other clients, on the other hand, and the Sponsor is limited in its ability to monitor and mitigate these conflicts. Additionally, from time to time, Consultants may provide services on behalf of both us and Other Blackstone Accounts, and any work performed by Consultants retained on our behalf may benefit such Other Blackstone Accounts (and alternatively, work performed by Consultants on behalf of Other Blackstone Accounts could benefit us), and the Sponsor shall have no obligation to allocate any portion of the costs to be borne by us in respect of such Consultant to such Other Blackstone Accounts, except as described below.

As an example of the foregoing, in Investments including a “platform company,” we will in certain circumstances, enter into an arrangement from time to time with one or more individuals (who may be former personnel of Blackstone or current or former personnel of Portfolio Entities of ours or of Other Blackstone Accounts, may have experience or capability in sourcing or managing investments, and may form a management team) to undertake a new business line or a build-up strategy to acquire and develop assets and businesses in a particular sector or involving a particular strategy. The services provided by such individuals or relevant Portfolio Entity, as the case may be, could include the following with respect to Investments: origination or sourcing, due diligence, evaluation, negotiation, servicing, development, management (including turnaround) and disposition. The individuals or relevant Portfolio Entity could be compensated with a salary and equity incentive plan, including a portion of profits derived from us or a Portfolio Entity or asset of ours (which may take the form of a management fee and/or profits allocation (whether paid directly to such individuals or to an affiliate entity controlled by such individuals)), or other long-term incentive plans. Such compensation could be based on assets under management and/or a waterfall similar to a carried interest, respectively, or other similar metric, which will not be subject to the management fee offset. The professionals at such platform company, which in certain circumstances may include former employees or current or former senior advisors or consultants to the Sponsor, its affiliates and/or management of Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts, can be expected to undertake analysis and evaluation of potential investment and acquisition opportunities for such platform company. In such circumstances, we would initially invest capital to fund a portion of the overhead (including rent, utilities, benefits, salary or retainers for the individuals and/or their affiliated entities) and the sourcing, due diligence and analysis of Investments, as well as the compensation for the individuals and entity undertaking the build-up strategy. Such expenses could be borne directly by us as fund expenses (or broken deal expenses, if applicable) or indirectly through expenditures by a Portfolio Entity. None of such Portfolio Entities or Consultants will be treated as affiliates of the Sponsor for purposes of the Partnership Agreement and/or Investment Management Agreement and none of the fees, costs or expenses described above will reduce or offset Fund Fees.

In addition, the Sponsor will, in certain circumstances, engage third parties as Consultants (or another similar capacity) in order to advise it with respect to existing Investments, specific investment opportunities, and

 

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economic and industry trends. Such Consultants from time to time are permitted to receive reimbursement of reasonable related expenses by us or our Portfolio Entities and may have the opportunity to invest in a portion of the assets available to us for investment which may be taken by the Sponsor and its affiliates. If such Consultants generate investment opportunities on our behalf, such Consultants from time to time are permitted to receive special additional fees or allocations comparable to those received by a third party in an arm’s length transaction and such additional fees or allocations would be borne fully by us and/or Portfolio Entities (with no reduction or offset to Fund Fees) and not the Sponsor.

Blackstone provides strategic support services to Third-Party Fund Managers in which Other Blackstone Accounts invest, including, without limitation, client development, fundraising, marketing, strategy, product development, HR / talent management and other operational assistance and value creation (as provided in the constituent documents of such Other Blackstone Accounts). Expenses associated with such services, including the allocation of the compensation and benefits of the strategic support personnel performing such services, is allocated between such Other Blackstone Accounts, the relevant Blackstone investment adviser and/or an affiliate thereof, as determined by the such investment adviser in good faith in accordance with its strategic support expense policy. In connection with an Investment by us in a Third-Party Fund Manager in or alongside Other Blackstone Accounts or related vehicles, we could be required to bear, directly or indirectly, a portion of the expenses associated with the strategic support services provided to such Third-Party Fund Manager.

Multiple Blackstone Business Lines. Blackstone has multiple business lines, including the Blackstone Capital Markets Group (“BXCM”), which Blackstone, us, our Portfolio Entities and Other Blackstone Accounts and third parties will, in certain circumstances, engage for debt and equity financings and to provide other investment banking, brokerage, investment advisory or other services. There will be no limitations on the ability of such other business units to provide services to or engage in transactions with Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest and their affiliates or Portfolio Entities, and Unitholders will not be entitled to share in any fees or payments received in respect of any such services or transactions or receive notice thereof, and any such fees or payments will not result in any offset to Fund Fees. As a result of these activities, Blackstone is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than if it had one line of business. For example, Blackstone may come into possession of information that limits our ability to engage in potential transactions. Similarly, other Blackstone businesses and their personnel may be prohibited by law or contract from sharing information with the Sponsor that would be relevant to monitoring our Investments and other activities, including as a result of information received from Third-Party Fund Managers in connection with such other Blackstone businesses. Additionally, Blackstone or Other Blackstone Accounts can be expected to enter into covenants that restrict or otherwise limit the ability of us or our Portfolio Entities and their affiliates to make investments in, or otherwise engage in, certain businesses or activities. For example, Other Blackstone Accounts could have granted exclusivity to a joint venture partner that limits us and Other Blackstone Accounts from owning assets within a certain distance of any of the joint venture’s assets, or Blackstone or an Other Blackstone Account could have entered into a non-compete in connection with a sale or other transaction or agreed to other restrictions that could impact our ability to consummate investments. These types of restrictions may negatively impact our ability to implement our investment program. See also “—Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities.” Finally, Blackstone personnel who are members of the investment team or the BXINFRA Investment Committee may be excluded from participating in certain investment decisions due to conflicts involving other Blackstone businesses or for other reasons, including other personal or business activities, in which case we will not benefit from their experience. The Unitholders will not receive a benefit from any fees earned by Blackstone or its personnel from these other businesses.

Blackstone is under no obligation to decline any engagements or investments in order to make an investment opportunity available to us. Blackstone and its employees have long-term relationships with a significant number of corporations and their senior management. In determining whether to invest in a particular transaction on our behalf, the Sponsor will consider such relationships (including any incentives or disincentives as part of such relationship) when evaluating an investment opportunity and such relationships can be expected to

 

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influence the Sponsor’s decision to make or not make particular investments on our behalf. We may also co-invest with clients of Blackstone in particular investments, and the relationship with such clients may influence the decisions made by the Sponsor with respect to such investments. Blackstone is under no obligation to decline any engagements or investments in order to make an investments opportunity available to us (e.g., investments in a competitor of a client or other person with whom Blackstone has a relationship). We could be required to sell or hold existing Investments as a result of investment banking relationships or other relationships that Blackstone may have or transactions or investments that Blackstone may make or has made. Therefore, there can be no assurance that all potentially suitable investment opportunities that come to the attention of Blackstone will be made available to us. See “—Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities” and “—Portfolio Entity Relationships Generally” herein. We may also co-invest with Other Blackstone Accounts or other persons with whom Blackstone has a relationship in particular investment opportunities, and other aspects of these Blackstone relationships could influence the decisions made by the Sponsor with respect to our Investments and otherwise result in a conflict. See also “—Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities” herein.

Finally, Blackstone and Other Blackstone Accounts could acquire our Units in the secondary market. Blackstone and Other Blackstone Accounts would generally have greater information than counterparties in such transactions, and the existence of such business could produce conflicts, including in the valuation of our Investments.

Minority Investments in Asset Management Firms. Blackstone and Other Blackstone Accounts regularly make minority investments in alternative asset management firms that are not affiliated with Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their respective Portfolio Entities, and which may from time to time engage in similar investment transactions, including with respect to purchase and sale of investments, with these asset management firms and their sponsored funds and portfolio entities. It is contemplated that we will participate in these kinds of investments. Typically, the Blackstone-related party with an interest in the asset management firm would be entitled to receive a share of carried interest / performance-based incentive compensation and net fee income or revenue share generated by the various products, vehicles, funds and accounts managed by that third-party asset management firm that are included in the transaction or activities of the third-party asset management firm, or a subset of such activities such as transactions with a Blackstone-related party. In addition, while such minority investments are generally structured so that Blackstone does not “control” such third-party asset management firms, Blackstone may nonetheless be afforded certain governance rights in relation to such investments (typically in the nature of “protective” rights, negative control rights or anti-dilution arrangements, as well as certain reporting and consultation rights) that afford Blackstone the ability to influence the firm. Although we, Blackstone, and Other Blackstone Accounts do not intend to control such third-party asset management firms, there can be no assurance that all third parties will similarly conclude that such investments are non-control investments or that, due to the provisions of the governing documents of such third-party asset management firms or the interpretation of applicable law or regulations, investments by Blackstone, us and Other Blackstone Accounts will not be deemed to have control elements for certain contractual, regulatory or other purposes. While such third-party asset managers will not be deemed “affiliates” of Blackstone for any purpose, Blackstone could, under certain circumstances, be in a position to influence the management and operations of such asset managers and the existence of its economic / revenue sharing interest therein may give rise to conflicts of interest. We may from time to time participate in such investments alongside Other Blackstone Accounts. Participation rights in a third-party asset management firm (or other similar business), negotiated governance arrangements and/or the interpretation of applicable law or regulations could expose our Investments to claims by third parties in connection with such Investments (as indirect owners of such asset management firms or similar businesses) that could have an adverse financial or reputational impact on our performance. Furthermore, it is expected that, from time to time, we, our affiliates and our/their respective Portfolio Entities will engage in transactions with, and buy and sell Investments from, any such third-party asset managers and their sponsored funds, and make investments in vehicles sponsored by such third-party asset managers, which may result in the Blackstone-related party earning carried interest / performance-based incentive compensation and/or fee income in respect of such transactions. Subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, such transactions and other

 

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commercial arrangements between such third-party asset managers and us and our Portfolio Entities may not be subject to Board of Directors’ approval. There can be no assurance that the terms of these transactions between parties related to Blackstone, on the one hand, and us and our Portfolio Entities, on the other hand, will be at arm’s length or that Blackstone will not receive a benefit from such transactions, which can be expected to incentivize Blackstone to cause these transactions to occur. Such conflicts related to investments in and arrangements with other asset management firms will not necessarily be resolved in our favor. Unitholders will not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the terms or occurrence of either the investments in alternative asset management firms or transactions therewith and will not receive any benefit from such transactions.

Blackstone Policies and Procedures; Information Walls. Blackstone has implemented policies and procedures to address conflicts that arise as a result of its various activities, as well as regulatory and other legal considerations. Specified policies and procedures, such as Blackstone’s information wall policy, implemented by Blackstone to mitigate potential conflicts of interest and address certain regulatory requirements and contractual restrictions will reduce the synergies and collaboration across Blackstone’s various businesses that we expect to draw on for purposes of identifying, pursuing and managing attractive investment opportunities. Because Blackstone has many different asset management and advisory businesses, including, but not limited to, private equity, growth equity, a credit business, a secondary funds business, an infrastructure business, an insurance solutions business, a hedge fund business, a capital markets group, a life sciences business and a real estate advisory business, it is subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest, greater regulatory oversight and more legal and contractual restrictions than that to which it would otherwise be subject if it had just one line of business. In addressing these conflicts and regulatory, legal and contractual requirements across its various businesses and to protect against the inappropriate sharing and/or use of information between us and the other business units at Blackstone, Blackstone has implemented certain policies and procedures (e.g., Blackstone’s information wall policy) regarding the sharing of information that may reduce the positive synergies that we expect to utilize for the purposes of identifying, pursuing and managing attractive investments. For example, Blackstone will from time to time come into possession of material non-public information with respect to companies in which Other Blackstone Accounts may be considering making an investment or companies that are clients of Blackstone. As a consequence, that information, which could be of benefit to us, might become restricted to those other respective businesses and otherwise be unavailable to us. There can be no assurance, however, that any such policies and/or procedures will be effective in accomplishing their stated purpose and/or that they will not otherwise adversely affect our ability to effectively achieve their investment objective by unduly limiting our investment flexibility and/or the flow of otherwise appropriate information between the Sponsor and other business units at Blackstone. For example, in some instances, personnel of Blackstone may be unable, for example, to assist with our activities as a result of these walls. There can be no assurance that additional restrictions will not be imposed that would further limit the ability of Blackstone to share information internally. In addition, due to these restrictions, we may not be able to initiate a transaction that it otherwise might have initiated and may not be able to arrange for the sale and liquidation of all or any portion of an investment that it otherwise might have purchased or sold, which could negatively affect its operations or performance.

Although Blackstone has implemented information walls and restrictions on information sharing, to the extent that Blackstone is in possession of material non-public information or is otherwise restricted from trading in certain securities, we and the Sponsor may also be deemed to be in possession of such information or otherwise restricted. This could reduce our investment flexibility. Additionally, the terms of confidentiality or other agreements with or related to companies in which any Blackstone fund has or has considered making an investment or which is otherwise a client of Blackstone will from time to time restrict or otherwise limit our and/or our Portfolio Entities’ and our/their affiliates’ ability to make investments in or otherwise engage in businesses or activities competitive with such companies. Blackstone reserves the right to enter into one or more strategic relationships in certain regions or with respect to certain types of investments that, although intended to provide greater opportunities for us, may require us to share such opportunities or otherwise limit the amount of an opportunity we can otherwise take.

 

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Data. Blackstone receives, generates or obtains various kinds of data and information in connection with us, Other Blackstone Accounts, our/their Portfolio Entities, our Unitholders and investors in Other Blackstone Accounts, and service providers, including, but not limited to, data and information relating to business operations, financial results, trends, budgets, plans, suppliers, customers, employees, contractors, ESG, carbon emissions, and related metrics, financial information, commercial and transactional information, customer and user data, employee data, supplier and cost data, and other related data and information, some of which is sometimes referred to as alternative data or “big data.” Blackstone can be expected to be better able to anticipate macroeconomic and other trends, and otherwise develop investment themes or identify specific investment, trading or business opportunities, as a result of its access to (and rights regarding) this data and information from us, Other Blackstone Accounts, our/their Portfolio Entities, our Unitholders and investors in Other Blackstone Accounts. Blackstone has entered and will continue to enter into information sharing and use, measurement and other arrangements, which will give Blackstone access to (and rights regarding, including ownership and distribution rights over) data that it would not otherwise obtain in the ordinary course, with us, Other Blackstone Accounts, our/their Portfolio Entities, and, at their election, certain of our Unitholders and investors in Other Blackstone Accounts, as well as with related parties and service providers. Although Blackstone believes that these activities improve Blackstone’s investment management and other business activities on behalf of us and Other Blackstone Accounts, information obtained from us, our Portfolio Entities, and, at their election, certain Unitholders and investors in Other Blackstone Accounts also provides material benefits to Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts or Portfolio Entities, typically without compensation or other benefit accruing to us, our Unitholders or Portfolio Entities. For example, information from a Portfolio Entity owned by us can be expected to enable Blackstone to better understand a particular industry, enhance Blackstone’s ability to provide advice or direction to a company’s management team on strategy or operations, and execute trading and investment strategies in reliance on that understanding for Blackstone and Other Blackstone Accounts that do not own an interest in the Portfolio Entity, typically without compensation or benefit to us or our Portfolio Entities. Further, this alternative data is expected to be aggregated across us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their respective portfolio companies and, in connection therewith, Blackstone is expected to serve as the repository for such data, including with ownership, use and distribution rights therein. Blackstone may also share data from a Portfolio Entity (on an anonymized basis) with a portfolio entity of an Other Blackstone Account, which may increase a competitive disadvantage for, and indirectly harm, such Portfolio Entity (although the opposite may be true as well, in which case a Portfolio Entity of the Fund may receive data from a portfolio company of an Other Blackstone Account). In addition, Blackstone may have an incentive to pursue an investment in a particular company based on the data and information expected to be received or generated in connection with such investment.

Furthermore, except for contractual obligations to third parties (including confidentiality agreements entered into with Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest) to maintain confidentiality, and regulatory limitations on the use and distribution of material non-public information, Blackstone is generally free to use and distribute data and information from our activities to assist in the pursuit of Blackstone’s various other activities, including but not limited to trading activities or use for the benefit of Blackstone or an Other Blackstone Account. This may include utilizing information received from Third-Party Fund Managers in furtherance of such purpose, subject to confidentiality obligations owed by the Sponsor or its affiliates. Any confidentiality obligations of ours do not limit Blackstone’s ability to do so. For example, Blackstone’s ability to trade in securities of an issuer relating to a specific industry may, subject to applicable law, be enhanced by information provided by or relating to a Portfolio Entity or a Third-Party Fund Manager in the same or related industry. Such trading or other business activities is expected to provide a material benefit to Blackstone without compensation or other benefit to us or our Unitholders.

The sharing and use of “big data” and other information presents potential conflicts of interest and the Unitholders acknowledge and agree that any benefits received by Blackstone or its personnel (including fees (in cash or in-kind), costs and expenses) will not be subject to Fund Fee offset provisions or otherwise shared with us or our Unitholders. As a result, the Sponsor has an incentive to pursue Investments that have data and

 

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information that can be utilized in a manner that benefits Blackstone or Other Blackstone Accounts. See also “—Blackstone-Affiliated Service Providers” and “—Data Management Services herein.

Buying and Selling Investments or Assets from Certain Related Parties. We and our Portfolio Entities can be expected to purchase Investments or assets, including seasoned Investments and interests in Other Blackstone Accounts, from or sell Investments or assets, including seasoned Investments and interests in Other Blackstone Accounts, to Unitholders, Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts or their respective related parties, including the parties which such Unitholders, Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts, own or have invested in. In certain circumstances, it can be expected that the proceeds received by a seller from us in respect of an investment or asset will be distributed, in whole or in part, to a related party (i.e., a Unitholder, Other Blackstone Account and/or portfolio companies thereof) of ours when such related party indirectly holds interests in such underlying investment or asset through the seller (including, for example, in such related party’s capacity as an investor in such seller). In such circumstances, Unitholders, Other Blackstone Accounts, portfolio entities or their respective related parties, may also have limited governance rights in respect of such seller or such investment or asset. Blackstone will generally rely upon internal analysis to determine the ultimate value of the applicable investment or asset, though it could also obtain third-party valuation reports in respect thereof. Such purchases and sales could occur on a programmatic basis. In each such circumstance, it can be expected that the proceeds received by a seller from us (or our Portfolio Entities) in respect of an investment or asset could be distributed, in whole or in part, to a related party (i.e., a Unitholder, Portfolio Entity or Other Blackstone Account when such related party indirectly holds interests in such underlying investment or asset through the seller (including, for example, in such related party’s capacity as an investor in such seller)). In other circumstances where we or a related party of ours (i.e., a Unitholder, Portfolio Entity or Other Blackstone Account) holds publicly traded securities in a Portfolio Entity and we or such related party have entered into a privately negotiated transaction with such Portfolio Entity, we or such related party can be expected to receive (directly or indirectly) proceeds from such related party or us, as applicable, upon the consummation of such privately negotiated transaction. In each such circumstance, Unitholders, Other Blackstone Accounts, portfolio entities or their respective related parties may also have limited governance rights in respect of such seller or such investment or asset. Purchases and sales, directly or indirectly, of Investments or assets between us or our Portfolio Entities, on the one hand, and Unitholders, Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts or their respective related parties, on the other hand, are not subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or any Unitholder unless required under the Advisers Act or other applicable law or regulation. We may originate or initially acquire an Investment (or portfolio of related Investments) in circumstances where we expect that certain portions or tranches thereof (which may be of different levels of seniority or credit quality) will be syndicated to one or more Other Blackstone Accounts or when such Other Blackstone Accounts provide equity or debt financing to us or third-party purchasers in connection with the disposition of such assets as described above (in which case Blackstone will have conflicting duties in determining the tranching thereof). Blackstone will have conflicting duties to us and Other Blackstone Accounts when we (or our Portfolio Entities) buy or sell assets from or to Other Blackstone Accounts (and, potentially, when we buy, sell or redeem interests in Other Blackstone Accounts), including as a result of different financial incentives Blackstone may have with respect to us and such Other Blackstone Accounts. In addition, certain financings between us and Blackstone affiliates may involve structuring that in form is a transaction between us and an affiliate, but will not be treated as the sale of an Investment from or to us from a Blackstone affiliate to us, or from us to a Blackstone affiliate, for any purposes, as determined by the Sponsor in good faith. For example, where we, in anticipation of a take private transaction, purchase publicly traded securities of an issuer in which an Other Blackstone Account holds a de minimis interest, such take private transaction, if structured as a merger between the issuer and one or more subsidiaries of ours would generally not be treated as the sale of an investment in such issuer from such Other Blackstone Accounts to us for purposes of the Partnership Agreement, including in a situation where holders of the securities of the issuer automatically receive cash consideration in exchange for their interest when the merger becomes effective. There can be no assurance that any assets sold by us to an Other Blackstone Account or Portfolio Entities thereof (or where such Other Blackstone Account is providing financing to us or a third party purchaser) will not be valued or allocated a sale price that is lower than might otherwise have been the case if such asset were sold to a third party rather than to an Other Blackstone Account. Blackstone will not be

 

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required to solicit third-party bids prior to causing us to sell an asset to an Other Blackstone Account as provided above. For example, a bidder that is not or has otherwise chosen not to work with an Other Blackstone Account for such financing, may perceive the process as favoring parties that are doing so. While Blackstone will seek to develop sales procedures that mitigate conflicts for us, there can be no assurance that any bidding process will not be negatively impacted by the presence of any Other Blackstone Accounts. In addition, we may “rent” a license of an Other Blackstone Account or a Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account, which may involve us transferring Investments or assets to such licensor, for a fee. Further, a Portfolio Entity may sell its data to Unitholders, Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts or their respective related parties. See also “—Data” and “—Data Management Services” herein. These transactions involve conflicts of interest, as Blackstone may receive fees and other benefits, directly or indirectly, from or otherwise have interests in both parties to the transaction, including different financial incentives Blackstone may have with respect to the parties to the transaction. For example, there can be no assurance that any Investment or asset sold by us to a Unitholder, Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account or any of their respective related parties will not be valued or allocated a sale price that is lower than might otherwise have been the case if such Investment or asset were sold to a third party rather than to a Unitholder, Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account or any of their respective related parties. Blackstone will not be required to solicit third-party bids or obtain a third-party valuation prior to causing us or any of our Portfolio Entities to purchase or sell any Investment or asset from or to a Unitholder, a Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account or any of their respective related parties as provided above (or to purchase, sell or redeem any interests in an Other Blackstone Account). These conflicts relating to buying or selling Investments or assets to or from certain related parties will not necessarily be resolved in our favor, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts (except as provided above).

Selling Assets to Other Blackstone Accounts. Blackstone will have conflicting duties to us and Other Blackstone Accounts when we sell assets to Other Blackstone Accounts, including as a result of different financial incentives Blackstone may have with respect to us and such Other Blackstone Accounts, subject to the Partnership Agreement. There can be no assurance that any assets sold by us to an Other Blackstone Account will not be valued or allocated a sale price that is lower than might otherwise have been the case if such asset were sold to a third party rather than to an Other Blackstone Account. Blackstone will not be required to solicit third-party bids prior to causing us to sell an asset to an Other Blackstone Account as provided above. These conflicts will not necessarily be resolved in our favor and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts.

Blackstone Strategic Relationships. Blackstone has entered, and it can be expected that Blackstone in the future will enter, into strategic relationships with investors (and/or one or more of their affiliates) that involve an overall relationship with Blackstone that could (but is not required to) incorporate one or more strategies (including, but not limited to, a different sector and/or geographical focus within the same or a different Blackstone business unit) (“Strategic Relationships”). A Strategic Relationship often involves (but is not required to involve) an investor agreeing to make a capital commitment to multiple Blackstone funds, one of which may be the Fund. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Unitholders will not receive a copy of any agreement memorializing a Strategic Relationship program (even if in the form of a side letter) and will be unable to elect in the “most-favored nations” election process any such rights or benefits afforded through a Strategic Relationship (and, for the avoidance of doubt, it is not expected that any further disclosure or reporting information will be shared with the limited partners about any Strategic Relationship). Specific examples of such additional rights and benefits have included and can be expected to include, among others, specialized reporting, secondment arrangements, discounts or reductions on and/or reimbursement or rebates of management fees or carried interest, secondment of personnel from the investor to Blackstone (or vice versa), targeted amounts for co-investments alongside Blackstone vehicles (including, without limitation, preferential or favorable allocation of co-investment, and preferential terms and conditions related to co-investment or other participation in Blackstone vehicles (including any carried interest and/or management fees to be charged with respect thereto, as well as any additional discounts, reductions, reimbursements or rebates thereof or other penalties that may result if certain target co-investment allocations or other conditions under such arrangements are not achieved)). The

 

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co-investment that is part of a Strategic Relationship may include co-investment in investments made by us. Blackstone, including its personnel (including our personnel), may receive compensation from Strategic Relationships and be incentivized to allocate investment opportunities away from us or source investment opportunities for Strategic Relationships. Strategic Relationships will therefore, in certain circumstances, result in fewer co-investment opportunities (or reduced allocations) being made available to the Unitholders. See also “—Additional Potential Conflicts of Interest with respect to Co-Investment; Strategic Relationships Involving Co-Investment” herein.

Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities. Blackstone invests its own capital and third-party capital throughout the world, including on behalf of its other investment funds, investment vehicles, permanent capital vehicles, accounts and related entities (including Other Blackstone Accounts), which includes a number of existing Other Blackstone Accounts that have an investment strategy or objective that is adjacent to or overlaps with those of ours. The investment objectives of such Other Blackstone Accounts may be a subset of, overlap significantly with, or be more narrowly focused (e.g., focusing on one asset class, sector and/or one geographic region) than the investment objectives of the BXINFRA Fund Program, and allocations of relevant investment opportunities will be made to such Other Blackstone Accounts on a priority basis. Moreover, Blackstone may establish Other Blackstone Accounts or other vehicles that would otherwise be Other Blackstone Accounts but for the fact that the vehicles will not target multiple investments and/or are publicly-offered (e.g., a special purpose acquisition vehicle), and this is the case even though the initial target company may make additional add-on acquisitions. Such Other Blackstone Accounts may be sponsored and managed by the Sponsor or its affiliates and may participate alongside the BXINFRA Fund Program with respect to investments within such narrower focus, limitation or shared investment objectives (which may reduce, in whole or in part, the allocation thereof to the BXINFRA Fund Program). Unitholders should expect that not all of the investment opportunities suitable for the BXINFRA Fund Program will be presented to the BXINFRA Fund Program. Investment opportunities that might otherwise fall within investment objectives of the BXINFRA Fund Program or strategy may be allocated to Other Blackstone Accounts (in whole or in part). In addition, certain Other Blackstone Accounts have investment objectives, and a history of investing in investments that are a subset of or overlap with the investment objectives of the BXINFRA Fund Program’s investment program.

BXINFRA Fund Program. BXINFRA is expected to invest alongside one or more vehicles with substantially similar investment objectives and strategies that form part of the BXINFRA Fund Platform. While these vehicles will be operated as distinct investment structures, they are expected to have highly overlapping investment portfolios. As a result, certain conflicts may arise between BXINFRA and such other vehicle with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities. Investment opportunities will be allocated between BXINFRA and such other vehicles in accordance with Blackstone’s policies and procedures, which generally provide that allocations are determined on a basis that the Sponsor believes to be fair and reasonable in its sole discretion, subject to the following considerations: (x) any applicable investment strategies, mandates, objectives, focus, parameters, guidelines, limitations, liquidity positions and requirements of us and such other vehicles; (y) available capital of us and such other vehicles; and (z) legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and any other considerations deemed relevant by the Sponsor, including, without limitation, (a) the sector and geography/location of the investment, (b) the specific nature (including size, type, amount, liquidity, holding period, anticipated maturity and minimum investment criteria (to the extent such factors are applicable)) of the investment, (c) expected cash characteristics of the investment (such as cash-on-cash yield, distribution rates or volatility of cash flows), (d) expected capital expenditures required as part of the investment; (e) portfolio diversification and concentration concerns with respect to us and such other vehicles; (f) repurchase or redemption requests and anticipated future subscriptions for us and such other vehicles; (g) anticipated tax treatment of the investment, (h) timing expected to be necessary to execute an investment; and (i) other considerations deemed relevant by the Sponsor in good faith.

Additionally, because the BXINFRA Fund Program invests across Blackstone’s Infrastructure Platform, it is expected that its investment strategy will overlap with that of Other Blackstone Accounts that are actively investing and similarly overlap with future Other Blackstone Accounts. Although the BXINFRA Fund Program

 

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may make unique investments that are not shared by Other Blackstone Accounts outside of the BXINFRA Fund Program, it is expected that investment opportunities will be shared with Other Blackstone Accounts outside of the BXINFRA Fund Program to the extent such opportunities fall within the narrower investment strategy of such Other Blackstone Account and our broader investment strategy across the BXINFRA Fund Program. This overlap will from time to time create conflicts of interest, which the Sponsor and its affiliates will seek to manage in a fair and reasonable manner in their sole discretion in accordance with their policies and procedures. Moreover, under certain circumstances, investment opportunities sourced and/or identified by the Sponsor and that fall within the BXINFRA Fund Program’s investment strategy and objective are expected to be allocated on a priority basis in whole or in part to Portfolio Entities, Other Blackstone Accounts, Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts, or Blackstone.

It is expected that some activities of Blackstone, the Other Blackstone Accounts and their Portfolio Entities, including other vehicles in the BXINFRA Fund Program, will compete with us and our Portfolio Entities for one or more investment opportunities that are consistent with our investment objectives, and as a result such investment opportunities may only be available on a limited basis, or not at all, to us. Blackstone may also from time to time make and hold investments of various types with or in lieu of Other Blackstone Accounts. Although such investments could be limited or restricted by the organizational documents of or other agreements relating to Other Blackstone Accounts, to the extent Blackstone does make or hold such investments, many of the conflicts of interest associated with the activities of Other Blackstone Accounts also apply to such investment activities of Blackstone. The Sponsor and its investment personnel have conflicting loyalties in determining whether an investment opportunity should be allocated to us, Blackstone or an Other Blackstone Account (including but not limited to other vehicles in the BXINFRA Fund Program), and these conflicts may not necessarily be resolved in favor of us. Blackstone has adopted guidelines and policies, which it can be expected to update from time to time, regarding allocation of investment opportunities.

In circumstances in which any Other Blackstone Accounts outside the BXINFRA Fund Program have investment objectives or guidelines that overlap with those of the BXINFRA Fund Program, in whole or in part, the Sponsor generally determines the relative allocation of investment opportunities between or among one or more of the BXINFRA Fund Program and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts on a fair and reasonable basis in good faith according to guidelines and factors determined by it. However, the application of those guidelines and factors may result in the BXINFRA Fund Program not participating, or not participating to the same extent, in investment opportunities in which it would have otherwise participated, or participated to a greater extent, had the related allocations been determined without regard to such guidelines. Among the factors that the Sponsor considers in making investment allocations among the BXINFRA Fund Program and Other Blackstone Accounts are the following: (x) any applicable investment strategies, investment mandates, objectives, focus, parameters, guidelines, investor preferences, limitations and other contractual provisions, obligations and terms relating to the BXINFRA Fund Program and such Other Blackstone Accounts and the duration of the investment periods and holding periods of such Other Blackstone Accounts (as applicable), (y) available capital of the BXINFRA Fund Program and such Other Blackstone Accounts, (z) legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and any other considerations deemed relevant by the Sponsor, including, without limitation, (a) primary and permitted investment strategies, guidelines, liquidity positions and requirements, mandates, focus and objectives of the BXINFRA Fund Program and the Other Blackstone Accounts, including, without limitation, with respect to Other Blackstone Accounts that expect to invest in or alongside other funds or across asset classes based on expected return, (b) sourcing of the investment and the nature and extent of involvement of the respective teams of investment professionals dedicated to the BXINFRA Fund Program and the Other Blackstone Accounts, (c) the sector and geography/location of the investment, (d) the specific nature (including size, type, amount, liquidity, holding period, anticipated maturity and minimum investment criteria (to the extent such factors are applicable)) of the investment, (e) expected investment return, (f) risk/return profile of the investment, (g) expected cash characteristics (such as cash-on-cash yield, distribution rates or volatility of cash flows), (h) capital expenditure required as part of the investment, (i) portfolio diversification and concentration concerns (including, but not limited to, (1) allocations necessary for the BXINFRA Fund Program or Other Blackstone Accounts to maintain a particular concentration in a certain type of investment (e.g., if an Other Blackstone Account follows a liquid

 

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strategy pursuant to which it sells a type of investment more or less frequently than the BXINFRA Fund Program and the BXINFRA Fund Program or such Other Blackstone Account needs a non-pro rata additional allocation to maintain a particular concentration in that type of investment) and (2) whether a particular fund already has its desired exposure to the investment, sector, industry, geographic region or markets in question), (j) relation to existing investments in a fund, if applicable (e.g., “follow on” to existing investment, joint venture or other partner to existing investment, or same security as existing investment), (k) avoiding allocation that could result in de minimis or odd lot investments, (l) redemption or withdrawal requests from a client, fund or vehicle and anticipated future contributions into an account, (m) ability to employ leverage and expected or underwritten leverage on the investment, (n) the ability of a client, fund or vehicle to employ leverage, hedging, derivatives, or other similar strategies in connection with acquiring, holding or disposing of the particular investment opportunity, and any requirements or other terms of any existing leverage facilities, (o) the credit and default profile of an investment or borrower (e.g., FICO score of a borrower for residential mortgage loans), (p) the likelihood/immediacy of foreclosure or conversion to an equity or control opportunity, (q) with respect to investments that are made available to Blackstone by counterparties pursuant to negotiated trading platforms (e.g., ISDA contracts), the absence of such relationships which may not be available for all clients, (r) contractual obligations, (s) co-investment arrangements, (t) potential path to ownership, (u) the relative stage of the BXINFRA Fund Program’s and such Other Blackstone Account’s investment periods (e.g., early in a vehicle’s investment period (where an investment period is applicable), the Sponsor may over-allocate investments to such vehicle), (v) anticipated tax treatment of the investment, (w) timing expected to be necessary to execute an investment, and (x) other considerations deemed relevant by the Sponsor in good faith. Moreover, under certain circumstances, investment opportunities sourced and/or identified by the Sponsor and that fall within the BXINFRA Fund Program’s investment strategy and objective may be allocated in whole or in part to Portfolio Entities, Other Blackstone Accounts or Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts, or Blackstone. The allocation of investments to Other Blackstone Accounts, including as described above, will result in fewer investment opportunities for the BXINFRA Fund Program. Additionally, Other Blackstone Accounts may be incentivized to offer a certain amount of co-investment opportunities to their limited partners, which may result in fewer investment opportunities being made available to us.

The Sponsor makes good faith determinations for allocation decisions based on expectations that will, in certain circumstances, prove inaccurate and such determinations require it to make subjective judgments regarding application of the guidelines and arrangements described herein. Information unavailable to the Sponsor, or circumstances not foreseen by the Sponsor at the time of allocation, may cause an investment opportunity to yield a different return than expected. For example, an investment opportunity that the Sponsor determines to be consistent with the return objectives of an Other Blackstone Account rather than the BXINFRA Fund Program could exceed the Sponsor’s expectations and underwriting and generate an actual return that would have been appropriate for the BXINFRA Fund Program. Conversely, an investment that the Sponsor expects to be consistent with the BXINFRA Fund Program’s return objectives will, in certain circumstances, fail to achieve or exceed them. Any such judgments and application involves inherent conflicts and risks that assumptions regarding investment opportunities may not ultimately prove correct. As such, there can be no assurance that the subjective judgments made by the Sponsor will prove correct in hindsight. Furthermore, in certain circumstances where we are participating alongside one or more Other Blackstone Accounts in an investment opportunity, the Sponsor is expected to be required to make initial investment allocation decisions at the time of the signing of the related purchase agreement (or equivalent) and/or funding of the deposit in respect thereof. The Sponsor could change the applicable investment allocations as between us and such Other Blackstone Accounts between such signing and/or funding of the deposit and the closing of such investment opportunity as it determines appropriate based on factors the Sponsor deems relevant in its sole discretion. In such circumstances, our and such Other Blackstone Accounts’ respective obligations related to any deposit and transaction costs (including broken deal fees and expenses) would be expected to change accordingly, provided that any such adjustments, particularly in respect of funded deposits, are expected to occur at the time of the closing of the investment and interest or other additional amounts will not be due or payable in respect of any such adjustments. In addition, the Sponsor could determine at any point prior to the closing of an investment opportunity that any such investment opportunity that was initially allocated to us based on information available

 

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to the Sponsor at the time the allocation decision is made should subsequently be reallocated in whole or in part to one or more Other Blackstone Accounts (and vice versa) based on subsequent information received by the Sponsor in respect of such investment opportunity. In such circumstance, the Sponsor could determine to reallocate all or any portion of any such investment opportunity from us to such Other Blackstone Accounts (or vice versa) (such fund from which an investment opportunity is being reallocated, a “Reallocating Fund”), including in circumstances where such Reallocating Fund has entered into an exclusivity arrangement or other binding agreement with one or more third parties (any such reallocated investment opportunity, a “Reallocated Investment”). In such cases, if the non-Reallocating Fund agrees to pursue the investment, Blackstone will determine, in its sole discretion, whether and to what extent the non-Reallocating Fund will reimburse the Reallocating Fund for any deferred acquisition costs (including non-refundable or refundable deposits, breakage fees, due diligence costs and other fees and expenses) incurred by the Reallocating Fund relating to such Reallocated Investment, and any such reimbursement would be made without the consent of the Board of Directors, the Unitholders, or otherwise, as applicable.

We will also invest alongside Other Blackstone Accounts (including other vehicles in which Blackstone or its personnel invest) in investments that are suitable for one or more of ourselves and such Other Blackstone Accounts. To the extent we jointly hold securities with any Other Blackstone Account that has a different expected duration or different liquidity terms, conflicts of interest will arise between us and such Other Blackstone Account with respect to the timing and manner of disposition of opportunities. In order to mitigate any such conflicts of interest, we may recuse ourselves from participating in any decisions relating or with respect to the investment by us or the Other Blackstone Account. If the Other Blackstone Account maintains voting rights with respect to the securities it holds, or if we do not recuse ourselves, Blackstone may be required to take action where it will have conflicting loyalties between its duties to us and such Other Blackstone Accounts, which may adversely impact us. Even if we and such Other Blackstone Accounts and/or co-investment or other vehicles invest in the same securities, conflicts of interest may still arise. For example, it is possible that as a result of legal, tax, regulatory, accounting or other considerations, the terms of such investment (including with respect to price and timing) for us and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts and vehicles may not be the same. Additionally, we and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts and/or vehicles will generally have different expiration dates and/or investment objectives (including return profiles) and Blackstone, as a result, may have conflicting goals with respect to the price and timing of disposition opportunities and such differences may also impact the allocation of investment opportunities (including follow-on investments related to earlier investments made by us and Other Blackstone Accounts). Such Other Blackstone Accounts may also have certain governance rights for legal, regulatory or other reasons that we will not have. As such, we and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts may dispose of any such shared investment (or choose whether to invest in related investments (such as follow-on investments)) at different times and on different terms. In addition, Investments alongside Other Blackstone Accounts in public securities may also result in conflicts of interest that do not apply to other joint investments. Following an IPO or subsequent public offering of a Portfolio Entity in which we and any Other Blackstone Account hold an investment or otherwise if at any time we and an Other Blackstone Account both hold public securities in the same Portfolio Entity, we and such Other Blackstone Account are generally permitted to exit such public securities at different times and on different terms through sales on the public markets. Blackstone may reach different conclusions for each such vehicle on the decision of whether, when and at what price to sell such securities based on our different expiration dates and/or investment objectives and of such Other Blackstone Accounts or for other reasons, and this may result in Other Blackstone Accounts exiting earlier or at a higher price than us (or vice versa). Alternatively, we and any Other Blackstone Accounts may dispose of investments together and the timing of such disposition may in part be driven by an Other Blackstone Account’s term or return profile that may be different from ours, particularly in light of our perpetual nature. It is also possible that we and one or more Other Blackstone Accounts will buy certain investments or assets at or about the same time that one or more additional Other Blackstone Accounts are selling the same or related investments or assets. Such circumstances can be expected to arise from time to time for a number of reasons and may depend on various factors including the respective amounts of available capital, expiration dates, investment objectives and/or return profiles of our and/or of Other Blackstone Accounts. The Sponsor will not be required to provide notice or disclosure of the terms or occurrence of any such transactions to the Unitholders or obtain any

 

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consent or approval from the Board of Directors, and there can be no assurance that conflicts of interest arising out of such transactions will be resolved in favor of us.

In addition, in certain circumstances certain other investment vehicles will receive allocations of investments that are otherwise appropriate for us and/or Other Blackstone Accounts, which will from time to time result in us not participating (or participating to a lesser extent) in certain investment opportunities otherwise within its mandate. Under certain circumstances, Blackstone can be expected to determine not to pursue some or all of an investment opportunity within our mandate, including without limitation, as a result of business, reputational or other reasons applicable to us, Other Blackstone Accounts, their respective Portfolio Entities or Blackstone. In addition, the Sponsor will, in certain circumstances, determine that we should not pursue some or all of an investment opportunity, including, by way of example and without limitation, because we have insufficient capital to pursue the investment, we have already invested sufficient capital in the investment, sector, industry, geographic region or markets in question, as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, or the investment is not appropriate for us for other reasons as determined by the Sponsor in its good faith reasonable sole discretion. In any such case Blackstone could, thereafter, offer such opportunity to other parties, including Other Blackstone Accounts or Portfolio Entities, investors in us or Other Blackstone Accounts, joint venture partners, related parties or third parties, and such parties may pursue the opportunity.

When the Sponsor determines not to pursue some or all of an investment opportunity for us that would otherwise be within our objectives and strategies, and Blackstone provides the opportunity or offers the opportunity to Other Blackstone Accounts, Blackstone, including its personnel (including the Sponsor personnel), can be expected to receive compensation from the Other Blackstone Accounts, whether or not in respect of a particular investment, including an allocation of carried interest, referral fees or revenue share, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by us to the Sponsor. As a result, the Sponsor (including the Sponsor personnel who receive such compensation) could be incentivized to allocate investment opportunities away from us or to source investment opportunities for Other Blackstone Accounts, which could result in fewer opportunities (or reduced allocations) being made available to us or to the Unitholders as co-investment. In addition, in some cases Blackstone can be expected to earn greater fees when Other Blackstone Accounts participate alongside or instead of us in an investment. For example, certain Other Blackstone Accounts are multi-strategy funds focused on sourcing, diligencing, and executing special situation investments, pursue investments across asset classes and geographies, operating under a flexible, opportunistic mandate which is expected to overlap with our investment objective. Blackstone, including the Sponsor and its personnel, is expected to receive compensation, including an allocation of carried interest and/or referral fees, as a result of certain investment allocation-related arrangements with certain Other Blackstone Accounts, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by us to the Sponsor and may result in investments that fit within our primary investment mandate being wholly or partially allocated to one or more Other Blackstone Accounts. Certain Other Blackstone Accounts are expected to contractually or legally limit the investment opportunities available to us. For example, certain Other Blackstone Accounts may agree with investors that co-investment opportunities first be offered to the investors in such product prior to any such opportunity being offered to us. By executing their subscription documents with respect to our Fund, the Unitholders will be deemed to have acknowledged that Other Blackstone Accounts will from time to time share and/or receive priority allocation of certain investments that might be otherwise appropriate for us or will from time to time otherwise participate in investments alongside us. As a result of the foregoing, we will not receive an allocation of each investment opportunity within its mandate. To the extent such Other Blackstone Accounts elect not to invest in such investment opportunity (or elect to invest in only a portion of such opportunity), such investment opportunity (or the remainder of such investment opportunity) may be allocated to us.

In addition, as a general matter, it is expected that Blackstone’s Real Estate, Private Equity, Strategic Partners and Credit businesses will receive priority over most real estate opportunities, large control equity opportunities, secondaries and certain types of credit opportunities, respectively. The arrangements described herein will result in investments that fit within our primary investment mandate being wholly or partially allocated to one or more Other Blackstone Accounts. Such Other Blackstone Accounts will from time to time

 

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(a) make or receive priority allocations of certain investments that are appropriate for us and (b) participate in investments alongside us, provided that any such allocation may be subsequently adjusted at Blackstone’s direction. Any such Other Blackstone Accounts may be advised by a different Blackstone business group with a different investment committee, which could determine an investment opportunity to be more attractive than the Sponsor believes to be the case. In any event, there can be no assurance that the Sponsor’s assessment will prove correct or that the performance of any Investments actually pursued by us will be comparable to any investment opportunities that are not pursued by us. Blackstone, including its personnel, will, in certain circumstances, receive compensation from any such party that makes the investment, including an allocation of incentive allocations or referral fees or revenue shares, and any such compensation could be greater than amounts paid by us to the Sponsor. In some cases, Blackstone earns greater fees when Other Blackstone Accounts participate alongside or instead of us in an Investment.

In addition, Other Blackstone Accounts including those pursuing Blackstone’s “Strategic Partners” strategy, sponsor or manage various funds, vehicles and accounts that, like us, invest a substantial amount of their assets in interests in private funds, including both funds sponsored or managed by other Blackstone affiliates and funds sponsored or managed by third parties, through secondary market purchases of such interests and primary commitments to such funds. Such Other Blackstone Accounts may, from time to time, participate in investments alongside us. This will from time to time result in such Other Blackstone Accounts receiving a significant share of an investment opportunity in which we participate, including, potentially, in connection with a substantial portion of the investments made by us. In addition, circumstances could arise where there is an investment opportunity that is suitable for both us and such Other Blackstone Accounts and, instead of us participating in the investment directly alongside such Other Blackstone Accounts, we will participate in the investment indirectly through an investment in one of such Other Blackstone Accounts that, in turn, participates in that investment directly. In such circumstances, although we would not bear management fees or performance fees in connection with a Primary Commitment to such Other Blackstone Accounts, we would bear other expenses related to such Other Blackstone Accounts and thus we could ultimately be required to pay a higher amount of expenses in connection with the investment than we would have otherwise paid had we participated in the investment directly. Additionally, formal information barriers in place between the Other Blackstone Accounts pursuing Blackstone’s “Strategic Partners” strategy and other Blackstone business units could restrict the flow of information about investment opportunities to the Sponsor. Such restrictions could, in some circumstances, prevent the Other Blackstone Accounts from sharing an investment opportunity with the Sponsor (including in cases where the investment opportunity is suitable for us) or from discussing with the Sponsor an investment made jointly by such Other Blackstone Account and ourselves.

Certain Other Blackstone Accounts (including those pursuing Blackstone’s “Total Alternatives Solution” strategy), similar to us, are part of a multi-strategy program designed to provide investors with exposure to a multitude of Blackstone’s investment programs. However, the investment strategy of such Other Blackstone Accounts pursuing Blackstone’s “Total Alternatives Solution” strategy differs from ours in certain important respects. For example, such Other Blackstone Accounts, relative to us, invest in a broader mix of Blackstone’s key investment program. The overlapping objectives of ours and such Other Blackstone Accounts referred to in this paragraph could also give rise to conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities, which Blackstone will seek to resolve in a fair and equitable manner, although there is no assurance that Blackstone will be able to do so.

Potential investors should note that the terms of the existing and future Other Blackstone Accounts alongside which we may invest (including with respect to the economic terms such as management fees and performance-based compensation and the calculations, timing and amount thereof, investment limitations, co-investment arrangements, geographic and/or sector focus/limitations, veto rights with respect to investments, liquidity rights, diversification parameters and any governance rights, reporting rights or information rights afforded to limited partners of such Other Blackstone Accounts and other matters) may materially differ, and may in some instances be materially more favorable to the investors in such Other Blackstone Accounts. For example, one or more Other Blackstone Accounts may have investment objectives that are more narrowly

 

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focused (e.g., focusing on one asset class, sector and/or one geographic region) than our investment objectives. Such different terms will from time to time create potential conflicts of interests for the Sponsor or its affiliates, including with respect to the allocation of investment opportunities and may otherwise impact the calculation and presentation of investment returns. In particular, the existence of different rates of performance-based compensation may create a potential conflict of interest for the Sponsor or its affiliates in connection with the allocation of investment opportunities.

Our investors who independently are also investors in Other Blackstone Accounts may be subject to more concentration risk given the potential exposure to the same underlying deals through multiple avenues.

The Sponsor will share personnel (including members of the BXINFRA Investment Committee and investment team members) and resources with other Blackstone businesses. The overlap between these businesses and the Sponsor may result in us participating to a lesser degree or not at all in certain investments that are allocated to the Other Blackstone Accounts.

Blackstone will be permitted to make investments alongside us (including via participation by Blackstone affiliates and related parties, and entities and other key advisors and relationships of Blackstone, including in certain circumstances, Other Blackstone Accounts). We may also participate in Blackstone’s side-by-side rights with respect to Other Blackstone Accounts. Such side-by-side investments will generally result in us being allocated a smaller share of an investment than would otherwise be the case in the absence of such side-by-side investment rights. Blackstone generally receives no fees in relation to side-by-side investments, but will often receive additional income in fees and performance compensation from Other Blackstone Accounts in connection with such investments. Additionally, Other Blackstone Accounts will be permitted (or have the preferred right) to participate in Blackstone’s side-by-side co-investment rights (and may be allocated a substantial portion of Blackstone’s side-by-side co-investment rights (and in some cases, a majority)). In particular, the Other Blackstone Accounts pursuing Blackstone’s “Total Alternatives Solution” strategy, which invest in, or alongside, multiple Blackstone funds, will participate in investments alongside us pursuant to Blackstone’s side-by-side investment rights, and in such cases Blackstone would be eligible to receive fees and carried interest from the investors in such vehicles (as determined in Blackstone’s sole discretion). Additionally, such Other Blackstone Accounts will participate in investments alongside us or funds outside of Blackstone’s side-by-side program. The amount of performance-based compensation charged and/or management fees paid by us may be less than or exceed the amount of performance-based compensation charged and/or management fees paid by Other Blackstone Accounts. Such variation may create an incentive for Blackstone to allocate a greater percentage of an investment opportunity to us or such Other Blackstone Accounts, as the case may be.

We may from time to time participate in investments in or relating to Portfolio Entities of Blackstone (including BXi, as defined below), Other Blackstone Accounts, and any successor fund of such Other Blackstone Accounts may also participate in investments relating to Portfolio Entities in which we may have an investment (or vice versa), including, for example, investments in or relating to Portfolio Entities that represent “platform” investments where additional opportunities to invest are made available to the Sponsor, where the Sponsor and/or its affiliates determine that doing so is appropriate under the circumstances. Additionally, such related Portfolio Entities may be managed together (including, for example, the use of the same third-party manager(s) or service provider(s)) or otherwise operated as part of the same “platform,” combined and/or otherwise sold together as a part of a single transaction or series of related transactions. Such arrangements may result in our interest in any such investment being subject to dilution and may give rise to other significant risks and conflicts of interest and there can be no assurance that we will not be adversely affected by such arrangements. For example, we, any such platform entities, Portfolio Entities and other vehicles or entities in which one or more affiliates of Blackstone hold an interest (including, but not limited to, Other Blackstone Accounts and their affiliates) may engage in activities that compete with those of ours and certain Other Blackstone Accounts and otherwise make investments of a type that would be suitable for the same. Such activities may result in allocations of investment opportunities to any such “platform” entities, permanent capital vehicles, accounts or other entities controlled by or in which an affiliate of Blackstone holds an interest and consequently may result in us and/or certain Other

 

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Blackstone Accounts not participating (and/or not participating to the same extent) in certain investment opportunities in which it would have otherwise participated. Similarly, we may from time to time invest in Portfolio Entities in which Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone have pre-existing investments. For example, Blackstone, through Blackstone Innovations (“BXi”), frequently makes minority investments in early-stage companies, and we may later also invest in one or more such companies. Additionally, Portfolio Entities of Blackstone may raise additional capital in the future at a time when those funds do not have sufficient reserves to take their pro-rata share of such capital raise, and in such instances we may take any amount that those funds are unable to participate in. Given the potential benefits to BXi and/or Blackstone and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts (including, for example, higher valuations on its investment, the potential receipt of proceeds from our investment or, if the company is distressed, the potential for additional financial support), the Sponsor may be incentivized to cause us to invest in such companies and there can be no assurances that the related conflicts of interests (including as it relates to the valuation at which we invest) will be resolved in a manner favorable to us. In instances where we invest at a significantly higher (or lower) valuation than BXi, Blackstone and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts, we and such other vehicle(s) will potentially have conflicting interests in the event the value of the company declines (or increases) following the time of our investment. Additionally, we, BXi and such Other Blackstone Accounts will generally have different investment periods or expiration dates and/or investment objectives (including return profiles), which differences may be heightened as a result of their investments being made at different times and valuations from us, and Blackstone, as a result, may have conflicting goals with respect to the price and timing of disposition opportunities. As such, we and/or such other parties may dispose of any such shared investment at different times and on different terms. The consent of the Board of Directors is not required in connection with such investments in which Blackstone or Other Blackstone Accounts have a pre-existing interest.

Fund Life Commitments. We will invest in certain Other Blackstone Accounts by making a fund life commitment to such Other Blackstone Accounts. We will participate in such fund life commitments in most instances through an aggregator vehicle controlled by the Sponsor or an affiliate thereof, and we will commence and end our participation in an Other Blackstone Account (through the aggregator vehicle) at different times to other investors. In connection with such fund life commitments, an Other Blackstone Account may provide the Sponsor with investment-by-investment tracking of investment proceeds; that is, such Other Blackstone Account will inform the Sponsor of the particular underlying investment of such Other Blackstone Account to which the investment proceeds relate. In such cases, investment proceeds from such Other Blackstone Accounts will generally be allocated to us based on the particular underlying investment of such Other Blackstone Account that generated such investment proceeds (and, therefore, the allocation of such investment proceeds will take into account our relative contributed capital to the applicable underlying investment). However, in certain cases, an Other Blackstone Account will not provide the Sponsor with investment-by-investment tracking of investment proceeds. With respect to such instances, the Sponsor has adopted a practice, which it may amend, modify, revise or supplement from time to time without notice to the Unitholders, regarding allocation of the investment proceeds it receives from such Other Blackstone Account. The Sponsor will seek to allocate investment proceeds based on a formulaic, time-weighted approach that generally takes into account (a) the amount invested in an Other Blackstone Account by us and (b) our expected hold time of such investment, which is generally based on the total expected number of days of such Other Blackstone Account’s term (generally determined based on such Other Blackstone Account’s governing documents). As it relates to Other Blackstone Accounts that will not provide the Sponsor with investment-by investment tracking of investment proceeds, while the Sponsor believes the foregoing time-weighted approach to the allocation of investment proceeds to us is reasonable, it is expected that the application of such methodology will result in us receiving less, or more, investment proceeds from any such Other Blackstone Account than we would have received had such Other Blackstone Account provided investment-by-investment tracking of investment proceeds. A number of factors will affect when we would receive less, and when we would receive more, investment proceeds from such Other Blackstone Accounts, including, for example and without limitation, the timing of each applicable Other Blackstone Account’s capital calls, investment realizations and distributions of investment proceeds.

 

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Allocation of Portfolios. Blackstone will, in certain circumstances, have an opportunity to acquire a portfolio or pool of assets, securities and instruments that it determines should be divided and allocated among us and Other Blackstone Accounts. Such allocations generally would be based on Blackstone’s determination of, among other things, the expected returns and risk profile of each of the assets and in any such case, the combined purchase price paid to a seller would be allocated among the multiple assets, securities or instruments based on a determination by the seller, by a third-party valuation firm and/or by the Sponsor. For example, some of the assets in a pool may have a higher return profile, while others may have a lower return profile not appropriate for us. Also, a pool may contain both debt and equity instruments that Blackstone determines should be allocated to different funds. In all of these situations, the combined purchase price paid to a seller would be allocated among the multiple assets, securities and instruments in the pool and therefore among us and Other Blackstone Accounts acquiring or selling any of the assets, securities and instruments, in accordance with the allocation of value in respect of the transaction (e.g., accounting, tax or different manner), although Blackstone could, in certain circumstances, allocate value to us and such Other Blackstone Accounts on a different basis than the contractual purchase price. Similarly, there will likely be circumstances in which we and Other Blackstone Accounts will sell assets in a single or related transactions to a buyer. In some cases a counterparty will require an allocation of value in the purchase or sale contract, though Blackstone could determine such allocation of value is not appropriate and should not be relied upon. Blackstone will generally rely upon internal analysis to determine the ultimate allocation of value, though it could also obtain third-party valuation reports. Regardless of the methodology for allocating value, Blackstone will have conflicting duties to us and Other Blackstone Accounts when they buy or sell assets together in a portfolio, including as a result of different financial incentives Blackstone has with respect to different vehicles, most clearly when the fees and compensation, including performance-based compensation, earned from the different vehicles differ. There can be no assurance that an Investment of ours will not be valued or allocated a purchase price that is higher or lower than it might otherwise have been allocated if such Investment were acquired or sold independently rather than as a component of a portfolio shared with Other Blackstone Accounts. In certain cases, we could purchase an investment or an entire portfolio or pool from a third-party seller and promptly thereafter sell the portion of the investment or portfolio or pool allocated to an Other Blackstone Account to that Other Blackstone Account pursuant to an agreement entered into between us and such Other Blackstone Account prior to closing of the transaction (or vice versa), and any such sell down of assets will not be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, any Unitholder, or otherwise, as applicable. These conflicts related to allocation of portfolios will not necessarily be resolved in our favor, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts.

Investments in Which Other Blackstone Accounts Have a Different Principal Investment Generally. We can be expected to hold an interest in a Portfolio Entity that is different (including with respect to relative seniority) than the interests held by Other Blackstone Accounts (and in certain circumstances the Sponsor will be unaware of an Other Blackstone Account’s participation or the size of the Other Blackstone Account’s investments, as a result of information walls or otherwise). Generally, there are no limitations in the Partnership Agreement with respect to such investments (including with respect to terms, price, quantity, frequency, percentage interest therein or otherwise). In these situations, conflicts of interest will arise. In order to mitigate any such conflicts of interest, we may recuse ourselves from participating in any decisions relating or with respect to such investment by us or the applicable investments by the Other Blackstone Accounts, or by establishing groups separated by information barriers (which can be expected to be temporary and limited purpose in nature) within Blackstone to act on behalf of each of the clients. Despite these, and any of the other actions described below that Blackstone may take to mitigate the conflict, Blackstone will, in certain circumstances, be required to take action when it will have conflicting loyalties between its duties to us and such Other Blackstone Accounts, which will, in certain circumstances, adversely impact us. In that regard, actions may be taken for Other Blackstone Accounts that are adverse to us (and vice versa). If we recuse ourselves from decision-making, we will generally rely upon a third party to make the decisions, and the third party could have conflicts or otherwise make decisions that Blackstone would not have made. These transactions involve conflicts of interest, as Blackstone will receive fees and other benefits, directly or indirectly, from, or otherwise have interests in, both parties to the transaction, including different financial incentives Blackstone may have with respect to the parties to the transaction.

 

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In addition, under certain circumstances, we may be prohibited (or may refrain) from decision-making or exercising other rights we would otherwise have with respect to a Portfolio Entity, as a result of our affiliation with Other Blackstone Accounts that own different interests in such Portfolio Entity. While the Sponsor will seek, where applicable, to have a third party exercise rights on our behalf for the purposes of exercising voting rights and/or managing any conflicts of interest related to such investments (which may include third-party co-investors or independent representatives), in certain instances such investments may be made without any such third-party participation (for example, because we own or acquire the entirety of the relevant instrument or tranche), and in such circumstances the absence of any such third party could adversely affect us or our interest in the Portfolio Entity (or the applicable Other Blackstone Account(s)) or its ability to effectively mitigate such conflicts of interest. The Unitholders will in no way receive any benefit from fees paid to the Sponsor or its affiliates from a Portfolio Entity in which any Other Blackstone Account also has an interest (including, for greater certainty, any fees Blackstone received as a result of the provision of services by such affiliates). Moreover, in a case where a conflict of interest arises with respect to a Third-Party Fund Manager in which we have invested, Blackstone will often not be in a position to mitigate or ameliorate the conflict but will instead need to be reliant upon such Third-Party Fund Manager.

Other Blackstone Accounts are likely to have an interest in an investment vehicle sponsored by a Third-Party Fund Manager in which we have invested, or in an investment owned by such Third-Party Fund Manager (directly or indirectly) (or vice versa). There can be no assurances that such situations will not give rise to conflicts of interest, or that they will be resolved in our favor.

Simultaneous Transactions. There may be instances where Blackstone negotiates transactions with counterparties that involve us, an Other Blackstone Account and/or Blackstone in different capacities, subject to the Partnership Agreement. For example, we may sell or purchase an interest in a Portfolio Entity to a counterparty (such as another sponsor’s fund), while the same counterparty acquires or sells an interest in a Portfolio Entity of an Other Blackstone Account or Blackstone. While these transactions may be separate or non-contingent, due to the simultaneous or closely related timing of these transactions, there may be actual or perceived conflicts of interest in connection with such transactions due to Blackstone’s duties to us on one hand, and such Other Blackstone Account or Blackstone participating in the related transaction on the other, for example with respect to ensuring each transaction is separately in the best interest of the applicable Other Blackstone Account and us and that the valuations are fair and reasonable to each respective fund, among other things. To the extent Blackstone believes that such transactions rise to the level of a conflict where mitigation would be appropriate, Blackstone may, for example, negotiate each such transaction independently and ensure there is not a cross-conditioned closing of the two transactions, to ensure that the terms of each such transaction stand on their own, but is not required to do so or to engage in any other conflict mitigation techniques with respect to such transactions.

Related Financing Counterparties. We can be expected to invest in companies or other entities in which Other Blackstone Accounts make an investment in a different part of the capital structure (and vice versa). The Sponsor requests in the ordinary course proposals from lenders and other sources to provide financing to us and our Portfolio Entities. The Sponsor takes into account various facts and circumstances it deems relevant in selecting financing sources, including whether a potential lender has expressed an interest in evaluating debt financing opportunities, whether a potential lender has a history of participating in debt financing opportunities generally and with Blackstone in particular, the size of the potential lender’s loan amount, the timing of the relevant cash requirement, the availability of other sources of financing, the creditworthiness of the lender, whether the potential lender has demonstrated a long-term or continuing commitment to the success of Blackstone and its funds, and such other factors that Blackstone deems relevant under the circumstances. The cost of debt alone is not determinative.

Debt and/or equity financing to us and our Portfolio Entities is expected to be provided by Unitholders, Other Blackstone Accounts and investors therein, their Portfolio Entities and other parties with material relationships with Blackstone, such as shareholders of and lenders to Blackstone and lenders to Other Blackstone

 

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Accounts and their Portfolio Entities, as well as by Blackstone itself. Blackstone could have incentives to cause us and our Portfolio Entities to accept less favorable financing terms from a Unitholder, Other Blackstone Accounts, their Portfolio Entities and investors, Blackstone and other parties with material relationships with Blackstone than it would from a third party. The same concerns apply when any of these other parties invest in a more senior position in the capital structure of a Portfolio Entity than us, even if the form of the transaction is not a financing. We or a Portfolio Entity could also occupy a different position in the capital structure than a Unitholder, Other Blackstone Account, their Portfolio Entities and other parties with material relationships with Blackstone, in which case Blackstone could have an incentive to cause us or a Portfolio Entity to offer more favorable financing terms to such parties. In the case of a related party financing between us or our Portfolio Entities, on the one hand, and Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts or their Portfolio Entities, on the other hand, the Sponsor could, but is not obligated to, rely on a third-party agent to confirm the terms offered by the counterparty are consistent with market terms, or the Sponsor could instead rely on its own internal analysis, which the Sponsor believes is often superior to third-party analysis given Blackstone’s scale in the market. If however any of Blackstone, us, an Other Blackstone Account or any of our/their Portfolio Entities delegates to a third party, such as another member of a financing syndicate or a joint venture partner, the negotiation of the terms of the financing, the transaction will be assumed to be conducted on an arms’ length basis, even though the participation of the Blackstone related vehicle impacts the market terms and Blackstone may have influence on such third parties. For example, in the case of a loan extended to us or a Portfolio Entity by a financing syndicate in which an Other Blackstone Account has agreed to participate on terms negotiated by a third-party participant in the syndicate, it may have been necessary to offer better terms to the financing provider to fully subscribe the syndicate if the Other Blackstone Account had not participated; it is also possible that the frequent participation of Other Blackstone Accounts in such syndicates could dampen interest among other potential financing providers, thereby lowering demand to participate in the syndicate and increasing the financing costs to us. Blackstone does not believe either of these effects is significant, but no assurance can be given to Unitholders that these effects will not be significant in any circumstance. Subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, the Sponsor may not be required to obtain any consent or seek any approvals from Unitholders or the Board of Directors in the case of any of these conflicts.

Blackstone could cause actions adverse to us to be taken for the benefit of Other Blackstone Accounts that have made an investment more senior in the capital structure of a Portfolio Entity than ours (e.g., provide financing to a Portfolio Entity, the equity of which is owned by us) and, vice versa, actions will, in certain circumstances, be taken for the benefit of us and our Portfolio Entities that are adverse to Other Blackstone Accounts. In addition, Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest are managed independently from Blackstone and may take actions that are adverse to Blackstone and/or us. Blackstone could seek to implement procedures to mitigate conflicts of interest in these situations such as (a) a forbearance of rights, including some or all non-economic rights, by us or relevant Other Blackstone Account (or our/their respective Portfolio Entities, as the case may be) by, for example, causing such Other Blackstone Account to decline to exercise certain control-and/or foreclosure-related rights with respect to a Portfolio Entity by agreeing to follow the vote of a third party in the same tranche of the capital structure, or otherwise deciding to recuse itself with respect to both normal course ongoing matters (such as consent rights with respect to loan modifications in intercreditor agreements) and also decisions on defaults, foreclosures, workouts, restructurings and other similar matters, (b) causing us or relevant Other Blackstone Account (or our/their respective Portfolio Entities, as the case may be) to hold only a non-controlling interest in any such Portfolio Entity, (c) retaining a third-party loan servicer, administrative agent or other agent to make decisions on behalf of us or relevant Other Blackstone Account (or our/their respective Portfolio Entities, as the case may be), or (iv) create groups of personnel within Blackstone separated by information barriers (which can be expected to be temporary and limited purpose in nature), each of which would advise one of the clients that has a conflicting position with other clients. As an example, to the extent an Other Blackstone Account holds an interest in a loan or security that is different (including with respect to relative seniority) than those held by us or our Portfolio Entities, Blackstone may decline to exercise, or delegate to a third party, certain control, foreclosure and other similar governance rights of the Other Blackstone Account. In these cases, Blackstone would generally act on behalf of one of its clients, though the other client would generally retain certain control rights, such as the right to consent to certain actions taken by the trustee or

 

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administrative or other agent of the Investment, including a release, waiver, forgiveness or reduction of any claim for principal or interest; extension of maturity date or due date of any payment of any principal or interest; release or substitution of any material collateral; release, waiver, termination or modification of any material provision of any guaranty or indemnity; subordination of any lien; and release, waiver or permission with respect to any covenants. The efficacy of following the vote of third-party creditors will be limited in circumstances where a Unitholder acquires all or substantially all of a relevant instrument, tranche or class of securities.

In connection with negotiating loans and bank financings in respect of Blackstone-sponsored transactions, Blackstone will generally obtain the right to participate (for its own account or an Other Blackstone Account) in a portion of the financings with respect to such Blackstone-sponsored transactions on the same terms negotiated by third parties with Blackstone or other terms the Sponsor determines to be consistent with the market. Although Blackstone could rely on third parties to verify market terms, Blackstone may nonetheless have influence on such third parties. No assurance can be given that negotiating with a third party, or verification of market terms by a third party, will ensure that we and our Portfolio Entities receive market terms.

In certain circumstances, we may be required to commit funds necessary for an investment prior to the time that all anticipated debt (senior and/or mezzanine) financing has been secured. In such circumstance, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone itself (using, in whole or in part, its own balance sheet capital), may provide bridge or other short-term financing and/or commitments, which at the time of establishment are intended to be replaced and/or syndicated with longer-term financing. Such bridge financing and/or commitment would not be considered “co-investment” and would be sold down ahead of equity invested by us. Similarly, we and/or Other Blackstone Accounts may seek to initially acquire investments (including all or part of the relevant tranche of securities) for the purpose of syndicating a portion thereof to one or more Other Blackstone Accounts, co-investors or third parties. The terms of any such acquisition and syndication will be determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, and may involve a client initially acquiring all or substantially all of an instrument or relevant tranche or class of securities with a view towards syndication. In any such circumstance, third parties may not be available for purposes of mitigating any potential conflicts of interest and the Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone itself may receive compensation for providing such financing and/or commitment (including ticking or commitment fees), which fees will not be shared with and/or otherwise result in an offset of Fund Fees. The conflicts applicable to Other Blackstone Accounts who invest in different securities of Portfolio Entities will apply equally to Blackstone itself in such situations. See also “—Securities and Lending Activities” and “—Syndication; Warehousing” herein. In addition, conflicts can also be expected to arise in determining the amount of an investment, if any, to be allocated among potential investors and the respective terms thereof.

In addition, the Sponsor or its affiliates may make short-term advances to us, which advances will accrue interest comparable to those received by a third party in an arm’s length transaction and will be repaid from subscriptions or other funds of ours. If the Sponsor or any of its affiliates lends funds to us, the terms of such lending will be disclosed to the Unitholders if the accrued interest thereon is allocated to the Unitholders; provided, that such disclosure is not required for advances for fund expenses in the ordinary course.

In addition, it is anticipated that in a bankruptcy proceeding our interests will likely be subordinated or otherwise adverse to the interests of Other Blackstone Accounts with ownership positions that are more senior to those of ours. For example, an Other Blackstone Account that has provided debt financing to an Investment of ours may take actions for its benefit, particularly if our Investment is in financial distress, which adversely impact the value of our subordinated interests.

Although Other Blackstone Accounts can be expected to provide financing to us and our Portfolio Entities, there can be no assurance that any Other Blackstone Account will indeed provide any such financing with respect to any particular Investment. Participation by Other Blackstone Accounts in some but not all financings of ours and our Portfolio Entities may adversely impact our and our Portfolio Entities’ ability to obtain financing from third parties when Other Blackstone Accounts do not participate, as it may serve as a negative signal to market participants.

 

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Any financing provided by the Unitholders or an affiliate thereof to us or a Portfolio Entity is not a subscription to us and does not increase the NAV of such Unitholder’s interest. To the extent the Unitholders (or any limited partner in any Other Blackstone Account) or any of their affiliates provide debt financing to us or our Portfolio Entities, it will not be considered “co-investment.”

These conflicts relating to financing counterparties will not necessary be resolved in our favor, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts.

Conflicting Fiduciary Duties to Debt Funds. Other Blackstone Accounts include funds and accounts that make investments in senior secured loans, distressed debt, subordinated debt, high-yield securities, CMBS and other debt instruments, including any of the investment funds or vehicles sponsored or managed by Blackstone Credit, an affiliate of Blackstone. As discussed above, it is expected that these Other Blackstone Accounts or investors therein will be offered the opportunity to provide financing to us with respect to investments made by us and its Portfolio Entities. Blackstone owes a fiduciary duty to these Other Blackstone Accounts and investors therein as well as to us and will encounter conflicts in the exercise of these duties. For example, if an Other Blackstone Account purchases high-yield securities or other debt instruments of a Portfolio Entity of ours, or otherwise occupies a senior (or other different) position in the capital structure of an investment relative to ours, Blackstone will encounter conflicts in providing advice to us and to these Other Blackstone Accounts with regard to appropriate terms of such high-yield securities or other instruments, the enforcement of covenants, the terms of recapitalizations and the resolution of workouts or bankruptcies, among other matters. For example, in a bankruptcy proceeding, in circumstances where we hold an equity investment in a Portfolio Entity, the holders of such Portfolio Entity’s debt instruments (which may include one or more Other Blackstone Accounts) may take actions for their benefit (particularly in circumstances where such Portfolio Entity faces financial difficulties or distress) that subordinate or adversely impact the value of our investment in such Portfolio Entity. In addition, we could hold an investment that is senior in the capital structure, such as a debt instrument, to an Other Blackstone Account. Although measures described above in “—Related Financing Counterparties” can mitigate these conflicts, they cannot completely eliminate them. These conflicts related to fiduciary duties to such Other Blackstone Accounts will not necessarily be resolved in our favor, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts.

Similarly, certain Other Blackstone Accounts can be expected to invest in securities of publicly traded companies that are actual or potential investments of ours or our Portfolio Entities. The trading activities of Other Blackstone Accounts may differ from or be inconsistent with activities that are undertaken for our or our Portfolio Entities’ account in any such securities. In addition, we may not pursue an investment in a Portfolio Entity otherwise within our investment mandates as a result of such trading activities by Other Blackstone Accounts.

Joint Investments. We may enter into joint investments with Other Blackstone Accounts and may do so where such funds have certain governance rights for legal, regulatory or other reasons. Any such Other Blackstone Account may sell any such investment to any person or entity at any time and we may or may not participate with such Other Blackstone Account in such sale.

Related Financing of Counterparties to Acquire Investments or Assets from, or Sell Investments or Assets to, us and our Portfolio Entities. In certain transactions, Other Blackstone Accounts will commit to and/or provide financing to third parties that bid for and/or purchase Investments or assets from us and our Portfolio Entities. Generally, there are no limitations in the Partnership Agreement or otherwise with respect to such arrangements (including with respect to terms, price, quantity, frequency, percentage interest therein or otherwise). In addition, we and our Portfolio Entities will from time to time purchase assets or Portfolio Entities from third parties that obtain, or currently have outstanding, debt financing from Other Blackstone Accounts. See “—Related Financing Counterparties” herein. Although Blackstone believes that the participation by Other Blackstone Accounts in such debt financings could be beneficial to us by supporting third parties in their efforts to bid on the sale of Investments or assets by, and to sell Investments or assets to, us and our Portfolio Entities,

 

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Blackstone will have an incentive to cause us or the relevant Portfolio Entity to select to sell an Investment or asset to, or purchase an Investment or asset from, a third party that obtains debt financing from an Other Blackstone Account to our potential detriment. For example, although price is often the deciding factor in selecting from whom to acquire, or to whom to sell, an Investment or asset, other factors at times may influence the buyer or the seller, as the case may be. The Sponsor could thereafter cause us or a Portfolio Entity to sell an Investment or asset to, or buy an Investment or asset from, a third party that has received financing from an Other Blackstone Account, even when such third-party has not offered the most attractive price for the Investment or asset. Unitholders rely on the Sponsor to select in its sole discretion the best overall buyer in sales of, and the best overall seller in the acquisition of, our Investments or assets, despite any conflict related to the parties financing the buyer or the seller, as applicable.

Co-Investment Opportunities. We may allocate co-investment opportunities to Unitholders, Other Blackstone Accounts and their investors, Blackstone affiliates and other parties with whom Blackstone has a material relationship. The offering and allocation of co-investment opportunities is entirely and solely in the discretion of the Sponsor. Furthermore, co-investment offered by Blackstone will be on such terms and conditions (including with respect to management fees, performance-based compensation and related arrangements and/or other fees applicable to co-investors) as Blackstone determines to be appropriate in its sole discretion on a case-by-case basis, which can be expected to differ amongst co-investors with respect to the same co-investment. In addition, the performance of Other Blackstone Accounts co-investing with us is not considered for purposes of calculating the Performance Participation Allocation payable by us to the Sponsor. Furthermore, we and co-investors will often have different investment objectives and limitations, such as return objectives, leverage limitations and maximum hold period. Blackstone, as a result of the foregoing, will have conflicting incentives in making decisions with respect to such opportunities. Even if we and any such parties invest in the same securities on similar terms, conflicts of interest will still arise as a result of differing investment profiles of the investors, among other items.

Blackstone has established and may in the future establish more investment vehicles managed or advised by Blackstone to facilitate the participation of third party co-investors (who may or may not be Unitholders of ours and/or investors in Other Blackstone Accounts), including “standing,” dedicated or committed co-investment vehicles (the “Other Co-Invest Vehicles”), which may or may not be subject to more favorable rights and/or terms than us and to which Blackstone, in its capacity as general partner of the Other Co-Invest Vehicles, may make a capital commitment for tax or regulatory purposes. Certain Other Co-Invest Vehicles may be fully committed and provide the investors therein with no discretion regarding the deployment of capital. The use of such vehicles may have the impact of blending a Unitholder’s effective Fund Fee rate down and Blackstone may be incentivized to allocate co-investment opportunities to discretionary vehicles with higher effective fees, carried interest or other performance-based compensation rates. Blackstone may also provide certain Other Co-Invest Vehicles with priority rights to participate in co-investment opportunities alongside us, or Blackstone may agree to allocate co-investment opportunities to one or more Other Co-Invest Vehicles in a programmatic manner. The terms of any Other Co-Invest Vehicle agreed to with a Unitholder who is an investor therein will not be subject to any “most favored nations” rights, notwithstanding that such Other Co-Invest Vehicle may invest alongside us periodically or programmatically, effectively modifying the economic terms of such Unitholder’s participation in such shared investments. The amount and frequency of co-investment by any Other Co-Invest Vehicles would be at the discretion of the Sponsor, subject to the terms of such Other Co-Invest Vehicles. It is possible that the existence of any Other Co-Invest Vehicles established by the Sponsor may result in us investing less than we would have in the related investments. Furthermore, to the extent that Blackstone establishes any Other Co-Invest Vehicles, it may result in fewer investment opportunities for us and fewer co-investment opportunities being made available to the Unitholders. The number and scale of co-investment opportunities made available to the Unitholders (if any) may be higher or lower than those made available to the Other Co-Invest Vehicles.

General Co-Investment Considerations. There are expected to be circumstances where an amount that would have otherwise been invested by us is instead allocated to co-investors (who may or may not be Other

 

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Blackstone Accounts, Unitholders or limited partners of Other Blackstone Accounts, and may include Blackstone affiliates and/or third parties) or supplemental capital vehicles, and there is no guarantee that any Unitholder will be offered any particular co-investment opportunity. As a general matter, the allocation of co-investment opportunities is entirely discretionary on the part of Blackstone and/or the Sponsor, and it is expected that many investors who may have expressed an interest in co-investment opportunities will not be allocated any co-investment opportunities or may receive a smaller amount of co-investment opportunities than the amount requested or expected. Blackstone and/or the Sponsor will take into account various facts and circumstances deemed relevant by the Sponsor in allocating co-investment opportunities, including, among others, whether a potential co-investor has expressed an interest in evaluating co-investment opportunities, the Sponsor’s assessment of a potential co-investor’s ability to invest an amount of capital that fits the needs of the investment (taking into account the amount of capital needed as well as the maximum number of investors that can realistically participate in the transaction) and the Sponsor’s assessment of a potential co-investor’s ability to commit to a co-investment opportunity within the required timeframe of the particular transaction. Additional considerations can be expected to also include, among others and without limitation, the size of a potential co-investor’s commitments to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and strategic third-party investors; whether a potential co-investor has a history of participating in co-investment opportunities with Blackstone; the size of the potential co-investor’s interest to be held in the underlying Portfolio Entity as a result of our investment (which is likely to be based on the size of the potential co-investor’s capital commitment and/or investment in us); whether the potential co-investor has demonstrated a long-term and/or continuing commitment to the potential success of Blackstone, us, other affiliated funds and/or co-investments (including size of commitment), and/or Other Blackstone Accounts (including whether a potential co-investor will help establish, recognize, strengthen or cultivate relationships that may provide indirectly longer-term benefits to us or Other Blackstone Accounts and their Portfolio Entities, or whether the co-investor has significant capital under management by Blackstone or intends to increase such amount); whether the potential co-investor has an overall strategic relationship with Blackstone that provides it with more favorable rights with respect to co-investment opportunities; whether the potential co-investor is considered “strategic” to the investment because it is able to offer us certain benefits, including, but not limited to, the ability to help consummate the investment, the ability to aid in operating or monitoring the Portfolio Entity or the possession of certain expertise; the transparency, speed and predictability of the potential co-investor’s investment process; whether Blackstone has previously expressed a general intention to seek to offer co-investment opportunities to such potential co-investor; whether a potential co-investor has the financial and operational resources and other relevant wherewithal to evaluate and participate in a co-investment opportunity; the familiarity Blackstone has with the personnel and professionals of the potential co-investor in working together in investment contexts in us or Other Blackstone Accounts (which may include such potential co-investor’s history of investment in us or Other Blackstone Accounts and/or other Blackstone co-investment opportunities); whether the co-investment opportunity is being provided in connection with a potential investment in, or acquisition of interests through a secondary transfer of, us or an Other Blackstone Account (i.e., a stapled co-investment opportunity); the extent to which a potential co-investor has been provided a greater amount of co-investment opportunities relative to others; the ability of a potential co-investor to invest in potential follow-on or add-on acquisitions for the Portfolio Entity or participate in defensive investments; the likelihood that the potential co-investor would require governance rights that would complicate or jeopardize the transaction (or, alternatively, whether the potential co-investor would be willing to defer to Blackstone and assume a more passive role in governing the Portfolio Entity); any interests a potential co-investor may have in any competitors of the underlying Portfolio Entity; the tax profile of the potential co-investor and the tax characteristics of the investment (including whether or not the potential co-investor would require particular structuring implementation or covenants that would not otherwise be required but for its participation or whether such co-investor’s participation is beneficial to the overall structuring of the investment); whether a potential co-investor’s participation in the transaction would subject us and/or any of our Portfolio Entities to additional regulatory requirements, review and/or scrutiny, including any necessary governmental approvals required to consummate the investment; the potential co-investor’s relationship with the potential management team of the Portfolio Entity; whether the potential co-investor has any existing positions in the Portfolio Entity (whether in the same security in which we are investing or otherwise); whether there is any evidence to suggest that there is a heightened risk with respect to the potential co-investor maintaining

 

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confidentiality; whether the potential co-investor has demonstrated a long-term and/or continuing commitment to the potential success of us, other affiliated funds and/or other co-investments, including the size of such commitment; whether the potential co-investor has any known investment policies and restrictions, guideline limitations or investment objectives that are relevant to the transaction, including the need for distributions; whether the expected holding period and risk-return profile of the investment is consistent with the stated goals of the potential co-investor; and such other factors that Blackstone may in good faith deem relevant and believe to be appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, the Sponsor and/or its affiliates may be incentivized to offer the Other Co-Invest Vehicles and/or other certain potential co-investors opportunities to co-invest (and may also be incentivized to offer such co-investment opportunities on more favorable terms than other potential co-investors) since the amount of carried interest (or other performance-based compensation) and/or Management Fee to which the Sponsor and/or its affiliates are entitled under the arrangements with such co-investors, including with respect to such co-investors’ participation in us and/or Other Blackstone Accounts, may depend on, among other things, the extent to which such co-investors participate or have been offered the opportunity to participate in co-investments (which participation may be in such co-investors’ discretion). Blackstone has established, and can be expected to in the future establish, co-investment vehicles (including dedicated or “standing” co-investment vehicles, which include both “opt-out” or “opt-in” vehicles where the co-investor determines whether to participate in co-investment opportunities presented to it either through affirmative or negative consent as well as committed vehicles where Blackstone (in some or all circumstances), and not the co-investor, has discretion in determining whether the co-investment vehicle will participate in co-investment opportunities) for one or more investors (including third-party investors and investors in us) in order to co-invest alongside us in one or more future investments. These co-investment vehicles may nevertheless only participate in co-investment opportunities after the initial acquisition of an investment. The existence of these vehicles could reduce the opportunity for other limited partners to receive allocations of co-investment, and the amount and frequency of co-investment by any such co-investment vehicles would be at the discretion of the Sponsor. Also, Blackstone will, in certain circumstances, agree with investors (including limited partners, Blackstone strategic relationships and third-party investors) to more favorable rights or pre-negotiated terms with respect to co-investment opportunities, including with respect to targeted, preferential or favorable allocation of co-investment opportunities and discounts or rebates of performance-based compensation or management fees (where permitted by applicable law). To the extent any such arrangements are entered into, they can be expected to result in fewer co-investment opportunities being made available to the Unitholders. In addition, the allocation of investments to Other Blackstone Accounts, including as described under “Other Blackstone Accounts; Allocation of Investment Opportunities” herein, can be expected to result in fewer co-investment opportunities to Unitholders who do not participate therein and allocations to the co-investment vehicle can be expected to result in us investing less than we would have in the related investments.

Additional Potential Conflicts of Interest with respect to Co-Investment; Strategic Relationships Involving Co-Investment. The Sponsor and its affiliates will in certain circumstances be incentivized to offer certain potential co-investors (including, by way of example, as a part of an overall strategic relationship with Blackstone) opportunities to co-invest in priority or on more favorable terms than other potential co-investors due to the amount of performance-based compensation or management fees or other fees paid by the co-investor receiving the priority allocation or better terms (as well as any additional discounts or rebates avoided by allocating co-investments to such co-investor with respect to such co-investor’s participation in us and/or any Other Blackstone Accounts) or other aspects of such co-investor’s relationship with Blackstone. The management fees, carried interest (or equivalent performance-based compensation) and other fees received by Blackstone from and the amount of expenses charged to us can be expected to be less or more than such amounts paid by or charged to co-investment vehicles pursuant to the terms of such vehicles’ partnership agreements and other agreements with co-investors, and such variation in the amount of fees and expenses can be expected to create an economic incentive for Blackstone to allocate a greater or lesser percentage of an investment opportunity to us or such co-investment vehicles or co-investors, as the case may be. In addition, other terms of existing and future co-investment vehicles can be expected to differ materially, and in some instances can be expected to be more favorable to Blackstone, than our terms, and such different terms can be expected to create

 

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an incentive for Blackstone to allocate a greater or lesser percentage of an investment opportunity to us or such co-investment vehicles, as the case may be. Such incentives will give rise to conflicts of interest, and there can be no assurance such conflicts of interest will be resolved in our favor or that any investment opportunities that would have otherwise been offered to us or limited partners through co-investment will be made available. In circumstances where we are investing alongside Other Blackstone Accounts, the Sponsor and its affiliates may be incentivized to cause us, on the one hand, or such Other Blackstone Accounts, on the other hand, to offer co-investment opportunities depending on the economic and other terms each may be permitted to offer co-investors.

There may be circumstances, including in the case where there is a seller who is seeking to dispose of a pool or combination of assets, properties, securities or instruments, where we and Other Blackstone Accounts participate in a single or related transactions with a particular seller where certain of such assets, properties, securities or instruments are specifically allocated (in whole or in part) to any of us and such Other Blackstone Accounts. The allocation of such specific items generally would be based on the Sponsor’s determination of, among other things, the expected returns and risk profiles for such items (e.g., specific items with lower expected returns and risk profiles may be allocated to us whereas those with higher relative expected returns and risk profiles may be allocated to an Other Blackstone Account), and in any such case the combined purchase price paid to a seller would be allocated among the multiple assets, properties, securities or instruments based on a determination by the seller, by a third-party valuation firm and/or by the Sponsor and its affiliates.

Additionally, it can be expected that Blackstone will, from time to time, enter into arrangements or strategic relationships with third parties, including other asset managers, financial firms or other businesses or companies, which, among other things, provide for referral, sourcing or sharing of investment opportunities. Blackstone will, in certain circumstances, pay management fees and performance-based compensation in connection with such arrangements. Blackstone will, in certain circumstances, also provide for or receive reimbursement of certain expenses incurred or received in connection with these arrangements, including diligence expenses and general overhead, administrative, deal sourcing and related corporate expenses. The amount of such reimbursements can be expected to relate to allocations of co-investment opportunities and increase if certain co-investment allocations are not made. While it is possible that we will, along with Blackstone itself, benefit from the existence of those arrangements and/or relationships, it is also possible that investment opportunities that would otherwise be presented to or made by us would instead be referred (in whole or in part) to such third party, either as a contractual obligation or otherwise, resulting in fewer opportunities (or reduced allocations) being made available to us. Some co-investment vehicles, including some Other Co-Invest Vehicles, may not bear broken deal expenses from time to time unless Blackstone determines otherwise in its discretion. Such determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis by Blackstone and may result in differing treatment of co-investment vehicles under certain circumstances. The foregoing will under certain circumstances result in us bearing more than our pro-rata share of broken deal expenses although the General Partner will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any of our third-party co-investors that have agreed in writing to participate in a potential Investment alongside us to bear their pro-rata share of any broken deal expenses. This may give rise to conflicts of interest in connection with our investment activities, and, while the Sponsor will seek to resolve any such conflicts in a fair and equitable manner, there is no assurance that any such conflicts will be resolved in our favor.

Liability Arising From Transactions Entered into Alongside Blackstone and/or Other Blackstone Accounts. Because of the opportunistic and flexible nature of our investment strategies, we will also co-invest from time to time with one or more Other Blackstone Accounts (including co-investment or other vehicles in which Blackstone or its personnel invest and that co-invest with such Other Blackstone Accounts) or Blackstone (including BXi) in investments that are suitable for both us, such Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone. Participating in investments alongside Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone will subject us to a number of risks and conflicts (and in certain circumstances the Sponsor will be unaware of an Other Blackstone Account’s and/or Blackstone’s participation, as a result of information walls or otherwise). For example, it is possible that as a result of legal, tax, regulatory, accounting or other considerations, the terms of such investment

 

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(including with respect to price and timing) for us, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone may not be the same. Additionally, we, such Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone will generally have different investment objectives (including return profiles) and Blackstone, as a result, may have conflicting goals with respect to the price and timing of disposition opportunities and such differences may also impact the allocation of investment opportunities (including follow-on investments related to earlier investments made by us, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone). Such Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone may also have certain governance rights for legal, regulatory or other reasons that we will not have. As such, we, such Other Blackstone Accounts and/or Blackstone may dispose of any such shared investment at different times and on different terms, and investors therein may receive different consideration (e.g., we may receive cash whereas other investors in comparable funds or Other Blackstone Accounts may be provided the opportunity to receive distributions in-kind in lieu thereof).

At times, a transaction counterparty will, in certain circumstances, require facing only one fund entity, which can be expected to result in (a) if we are a direct counterparty to a transaction, we being solely liable with respect to our own share as well as Other Blackstone Accounts’ shares of any applicable obligations, or (b) if we are not the direct counterparty, we having a contribution obligation to the relevant Other Blackstone Accounts (including other vehicles in the BXINFRA Fund Program). Alternatively, a counterparty may agree to face multiple funds, which could result in us being jointly and severally liable alongside Other Blackstone Accounts for the full amount of the applicable obligations. In cases in which we could be responsible for the liability of an Other Blackstone Account, or vice versa, the applicable parties would generally enter into a back-to-back or other similar contribution or reimbursement agreement. Likewise, for certain Investment-related hedging transactions, it can be expected to be advantageous for counterparties to trade solely with us. For these transactions, it is anticipated that we would then enter into back-to-back trade confirmations with deal-specific aggregators as well as guarantees, keepwells or other similar arrangements with the relevant Other Blackstone Accounts. The party owing under such an arrangement may not have resources to pay its liability, however, in which case the other party will bear more than its pro-rata share of the relevant loss. In certain circumstances where we participate in an investment alongside any Other Blackstone Account, we could bear more than our pro-rata share of expenses relating to such investment, including, but not limited to, as the result of such Other Blackstone Account not having resources to bear such expenses (e.g., as a result of the Other Blackstone Account’s insufficient reserves or inability to call capital contributions to cover such expenses.) It is not expected that we or Other Blackstone Accounts will be compensated for agreeing to be primarily liable vis-à-vis a third-party counterparty. Moreover, in connection with the divestment of all or part of a Portfolio Entity (e.g., an initial public offering), Blackstone will seek to track the ownership interests, liabilities and obligations of us and any Other Blackstone Accounts owning an interest in the Portfolio Entity comprising such operating business, but it is possible that we and applicable Other Blackstone Accounts will, in certain circumstances, incur shared, disproportionate or crossed liabilities. Furthermore, depending on various factors including the relative assets, expiration dates, investment objectives and return profiles of each of us and such Other Blackstone Accounts, it is possible that one or more of us/them will have greater exposure to legal claims and that we/they will have conflicting goals with respect to the price, timing and manner of disposition opportunities.

Additionally, in connection with seeking financing or refinancing of Portfolio Entities and their assets, it may be the case that better financing terms are available when more than one Portfolio Entity provides collateral, particularly in circumstances where the assets of each Portfolio Entity are similar in nature. As such, rather than seeking such financing or refinancing on its own, a Portfolio Entity of ours may enter into cross collateralization arrangements with another Portfolio Entity of ours or Portfolio Entities of one or more Other Blackstone Accounts. While Blackstone would expect any such financing arrangements to generally be non-recourse to us and the Other Blackstone Accounts, as a result of any cross-collateralization, we could also lose our interests in otherwise performing Investments due to poorly performing or non-performing investments of the Other Blackstone Accounts.

Third-Party Fund Managers May Have Conflicts. Third-Party Fund Managers in which we invest and their affiliates generally will engage in a wide range of activities and will have other interests and relationships that

 

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may create a variety of conflicts of interest. The Third-Party Fund Managers’ activities will not be coordinated. From time to time, the Third-Party Fund Manager may buy or sell securities for the benefit of one or more other vehicles or accounts at the same time that such Third-Party Fund Manager buys or sells those same securities with respect to vehicles in which we invest. Different Third-Party Fund Managers may also engage in conflicting activities with respect to the same companies or issuers, including buying or selling at opposite times or at different prices and terms since their activities are not coordinated. This may lead to additional costs and expenses and indirectly losses, which would be borne by us to the extent of its ownership interest in such Third-Party Fund Managers.

Syndication; Warehousing. Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts, joint venture partners, or affiliates or related parties of the foregoing could acquire an investment as principal and subsequently sell some or all of it to us, Other Blackstone Accounts or co-investment vehicles in an affiliate or related party transaction. Similarly, we may acquire an investment and subsequently syndicate, or sell some or all of it, to Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts, co-investment vehicles (including co-investment vehicles managed outside the Sponsor’s investment program or committed co-investment vehicles), joint venture partners, Consultants or affiliates or related parties of the foregoing or other third parties (including any person (including, if applicable, Unitholders other than solely in their capacity as such and Consultants) that the Sponsor determines has the ability to add value to an Investment in light of its relationships, experience, geographic location, market or industry knowledge and/or other relevant attributes as determined by Blackstone), notwithstanding the availability of capital from the Unitholders and other investors thereof or applicable credit facilities. If any such intended syndication is not ultimately consummated, Blackstone, we or the other party that initially acquires such portion will be expected to retain it, leading to us or such other party having more of the Investment (including expenses relating to such unconsummated syndication) initially intended to by syndicated than it would otherwise have had if such syndication had not initially been contemplated. For the avoidance of doubt, we and Other Blackstone Accounts participating in such investment will likely not take part in any such syndication in the same manner or to the same extent (if at all), or may participate in a syndication alongside us but at a different interest rate, due to legal, regulatory, accounting, administrative or other considerations. The Sponsor reserves the right to cause these transfers to be made at cost, or cost plus an interest rate or carrying cost charged from the time of acquisition to the time of transfer, notwithstanding that the fair market value of any such Investments may have declined below or increased above cost from the date of acquisition to the time of such transfer. The Sponsor also reserves the right to determine another methodology for pricing these transfers, including fair market value at the time of transfer. Also, the Sponsor will, in certain circumstances, charge fees on these transfers to either or both of the parties to them. The Sponsor or its affiliates will be permitted to retain any portion of an Investment initially acquired by them with a view to syndication to co-investors or other potential purchasers to the extent such portion has not been syndicated after reasonable efforts to do so.

Conflicts of interest are expected to arise in connection with these transactions, including with respect to timing, structuring, pricing and other terms. For example, the Sponsor will have a conflict of interest when the Sponsor receives fees, including an incentive allocation, from an Other Blackstone Account acquiring from or transferring to us all or a portion of an investment. Furthermore, the Sponsor and its affiliates have the right to commit to or initially acquire a portion of an investment alongside us if the Sponsor intends to syndicate such amounts to Other Blackstone Accounts or third parties (which may include one or more investors in Other Blackstone Accounts), and to retain such amounts not ultimately syndicated after having used reasonable efforts to syndicate. The equity committed/used in any such underwriting by the Sponsor and its affiliates may come from Blackstone’s own balance sheet and/or from one or more third parties that enter into arrangements with Blackstone with respect thereto, and may come from an Other Blackstone Account. In such circumstances, Blackstone will have the right to earn underwriting and/or syndication fees from us, the Portfolio Entities, or the purchasers of such equity, and we and the Unitholders will not be entitled to share in or receive the benefit of any such underwriting and/or syndication fees. As a result, the Sponsor may be incentivized to underwrite and/or syndicate amounts of equity in investments due to the right to earn fees not subject to offset in favor of the Unitholders, even if the capital used to underwrite such amounts does not come entirely from Blackstone’s own balance sheet as described above, and Blackstone may share such fees with one or more third parties that commit

 

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to such equity investments and may charge purchasers of the equity fees and carried interest with respect thereto. See also “—Securities and Lending Activities” herein.

More specifically, we could initially acquire a portion of certain Investments (including from Blackstone itself) intended as co-investments as described herein and syndicate all or part of such co-investments to one or more co-investors (and we may similarly acquire a portion of certain investments with the intent to syndicate such portion to one or more Other Blackstone Accounts). Depending on the change in value of the Investment during such interim period, we may not receive the full benefit of any increase in value.

These conflicts related to syndication of Investments and warehousing will not necessarily be resolved in our favor, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts. By subscribing for Units, Unitholders will be deemed to have consented to the syndication of Investments and warehousing to the extent the terms of such transactions are approved by our Independent Directors.

Continuation Vehicles and Continuation Transactions. The Sponsor could, subject to the requirements of the Partnership Agreement, from time to time establish other investment vehicles for the purpose of purchasing one or more investments from us, which may be made in connection with, or alongside, an Other Blackstone Account making the investment (such vehicles, “Continuation Vehicles,” and such transactions, “Continuation Transactions”). In such circumstances, the Sponsor is acting on behalf of, and making the investment decision for, both us and the applicable Continuation Vehicle. As a result, Continuation Transactions implicate the conflicts of interest described herein in “—Buying and Selling Investments or Assets from Certain Related Parties” between the Fund and the Continuation Vehicle more generally. Further, because the Sponsor and/or its affiliates will have the opportunity to earn additional management fees and/or receive additional carried interest and other benefits in respect of such Continuation Transactions, and because each purchaser’s commitment to acquire interests in a Continuation Vehicle will ordinarily be conditioned upon completion of the Continuation Transaction, the Sponsor will have a potential conflict of interest in determining transaction terms and participants. While certain conflicts of interest related to Continuation Transactions may require approval by our Board of Directors, certain Continuation Transactions may be able to be completed at the initiation of the Sponsor without any such approval, in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement.

Broken Deal Expenses. Investments in infrastructure often require extensive due diligence activities prior to acquisition, including legal costs. If a proposed Investment by us is not consummated (generally referred to as a “broken deal”), all or a portion of such third-party expenses (for example, but not limited to, expenses attributable to investment bankers, legal and tax advice and consultants), which may be significant, may be borne by us. The General Partner will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any of our third-party co-investors that have agreed in writing to participate in a potential Investment alongside us to bear their pro-rata share of any broken deal expenses. Fund expenses relating to Investments shall generally be allocated among us and Other Blackstone Accounts pro-rata based upon their relative investment size in the Investment (and in good faith in the case of broken deal expenses and related expenses for unconsummated transactions based on their relative expected investment sizes thereof). Examples of such broken deal expenses include, but are not limited to, reverse termination fees, extraordinary expenses such as litigation costs and judgments, meal, travel and entertainment expenses incurred, costs of negotiating co-investment documentation (including non-disclosure agreements with counterparties), the costs from onboarding (i.e., know your customer) investment entities with a financial institution, commitment fees that become payable in connection with a proposed investment, legal, tax, accounting and consulting fees and expenses (including all expenses incurred in connection with any tax audit, investigation settlement or review of the Fund, and any expenses of the Fund’s representative or its designated individual), printing and publishing expenses, and legal, accounting, tax, structuring and other due diligence and pursuit costs and expenses (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Consultant expenses and including, in certain instances, broken deal expenses associated with services provided by Portfolio Entities, as detailed below), which may include expenses incurred prior to the commencement of the Effective Date. Although broken deal expenses will generally be shared between us and any Other Blackstone Accounts pro-rata according to capital invested by each in such investment, any such broken deal expenses could, in the reasonable discretion of

 

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Blackstone acting in good faith, be allocated solely to us and not to Other Blackstone Accounts or co-investment vehicles (including such standing co-investment vehicles) that could have made the Investment (including any situation where an Other Blackstone Account was initially allocated an investment opportunity and incurred such expenses before such investment opportunity was reallocated to us), even when the Other Blackstone Account or co-investment vehicle commonly invests alongside us in its Investments or Blackstone or Other Blackstone Accounts in their investments. In such cases our share of expenses would increase. As a general matter, the Sponsor expects that until a potential Investment is formally allocated to an Other Blackstone Account (it being understood that final allocation decisions are typically made shortly prior to signing an investment), we are expected to bear the broken deal expenses for the Investment, which may result in substantial amounts of broken deal expenses. In the event broken deal expenses are allocated to an Other Blackstone Account or a co-investment vehicle, the Sponsor or we will, in certain circumstances, advance such fees and expenses without charging interest until paid by the Other Blackstone Account or co-investment vehicle, as applicable. In addition, certain Portfolio Entities will provide transaction support services (including identifying potential investments) to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and their respective Portfolio Entities in respect of certain investments that are not ultimately consummated. See also “—Conflicts of Interest in Service Providers, Including Portfolio Entity Service Providers and Blackstone-Affiliated Service Providers” herein. The Sponsor will endeavor in good faith to allocate the costs of such services to us and such Other Blackstone Accounts as it deems appropriate under the particular circumstances. Any methodology used to determine such allocation (including the choice thereof) involves inherent conflicts and may not result in perfect attribution and allocation of such costs, and there can be no assurance that a different manner of allocation would result in us and our Portfolio Entities bearing less or more of such costs. Further, any of the foregoing costs, although allocated in a particular period, could be allocated based on activities occurring outside such period. Additionally, the allocation of such costs can be expected to generally be based on the relative expected investment sizes (as determined by the General Partner in good faith), in certain circumstances they may be based on different methodologies, including, without limitation, the aggregate value or number of, or invested capital in, transactions consummated in the applicable prior quarter, and therefore we could pay more than its pro-rata portion of such cost based on its actual usage of such services. See also “Item 2. Financial Information—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Expenses.”

Other Blackstone Business Activities. Blackstone, we, Other Blackstone Accounts, our/their Portfolio Entities, and personnel and related parties of the foregoing will receive fees and compensation, including performance-based and other incentive fees, which could be substantial, for products and services provided to us and our Portfolio Entities, such as fees for asset management (including, without limitation, management fees and carried interest/incentive arrangements), development and property management; underwriting (including, without limitation, evaluation regarding value creation opportunities and ESG risk mitigation), syndication or refinancing of a loan or investment (including loan modification or restructuring fees); loan servicing; special servicing; administrative services; advisory services on purchase or sale of an asset or company; advisory services; investment banking and capital markets services; treasury and valuation services; placement agent services; fund administration; internal legal and tax planning services; information technology products and services; insurance procurement, brokerage, solutions and risk management services; data extraction and management products and services; and other products and services (including but not limited to restructuring, consulting, monitoring, commitment, syndication, origination, organization and financing, and divestment services). Other than as expressly set forth in the Partnership Agreement and/or Investment Management Agreement, such fees shall not be applied to offset Management Fees and Unitholders will not share therein. Such parties will also provide products and services for fees to Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities, and our/their personnel and related parties, as applicable, as well as third parties. Further, such parties could provide products and services for fees to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities in circumstances where third-party service providers are concurrently providing similar services to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities. Through its Innovations group, Blackstone incubates (or otherwise invests in) businesses that are expected to be introduced to, and therefore frequently provide goods and services to, us and Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities, as well as other Blackstone-related parties and third parties. By contracting for a product or service from a business

 

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related to Blackstone, we and our Portfolio Entities would provide not only current income to the business and its stakeholders, but could also create significant enterprise value in them, which would not be shared with us or the Unitholders and could benefit Blackstone directly and indirectly. Also, Blackstone, Other Blackstone Accounts and their Portfolio Entities, and their personnel and related parties will, in certain circumstances, receive compensation or other benefits, such as through additional ownership interests or otherwise, directly related to the consumption of products and services by us and our Portfolio Entities. We and our Portfolio Entities will incur expenses in negotiating for any such fees and services, which will be treated as fund expenses. In addition, the Sponsor may receive fees associated with capital invested by co-investors relating to investments in which we participate or otherwise, in connection with a joint venture in which we participate or otherwise with respect to assets or other interests retained by a seller or other commercial counterparty with respect to which the Sponsor performs services. Finally, Blackstone and its personnel and related parties will, in certain circumstances, also receive compensation for origination activities and unconsummated transactions.

We will, as determined by the Sponsor, bear the cost of fund administration, and accounting (including, without limitation, maintenance of our books and records, preparation of net asset value and other valuation support services, as applicable (e.g., valuation model and methodology review, review of third party due diligence conclusions and sample testing), preparation of periodic investor reporting and calculation of performance metrics, central administration and depositary oversight (e.g., periodic and ongoing due diligence and coordination of investment reconciliation and asset verification); audit support (e.g., audit planning and review of annual financial statements); risk management support services (e.g., calculation and review of investment and leverage exposure), ESG and sustainability support services, regulatory risk reporting, data collection and modeling and risk management matters and tax support services (e.g., annual tax and VAT returns and FATCA and CRS compliance)), in-house attorneys to provide transactional legal advice and related tax advice, tax planning and other related services (including, without limitation, entity organization, structuring, due diligence, document drafting and negotiation, closing preparation, post-closing activities (such as compliance with contractual terms and providing advice for investment-level matters with respect to fiduciary and other obligations and issues), litigation or regulatory matters, reviewing and structuring exit opportunities) provided by Blackstone personnel and related parties to us and our Portfolio Entities, including the allocation of their compensation (including, without limitation, salary, bonus and benefits) and related overhead otherwise payable by Blackstone, or pay for their services at market rates, and except in certain limited circumstances or with respect to us, such amounts will not offset Management Fees. In certain circumstances, we may engage a third-party administrator and, in such circumstances, there may be some overlap in the services performed by the third-party administrator and Blackstone personnel and we will bear all such costs. The services of in-house attorneys generally include, without limitation, services with respect to M&A, capital markets or financing transactions, tax structuring, supervision of external counsel and service providers, attending internal and external meetings (including investment committee meetings) and/or communicating with relevant internal and external parties. Such allocations or charges can be based on any of the following methodologies: (a) requiring personnel to periodically record or allocate their historical time spent with respect to us or Blackstone approximating the proportion of certain personnel’s time spent with respect to us, and in each case allocating their compensation (including, without limitation, salary, bonus and benefits) and allocable overhead based on time spent, or charging their time spent at market rates, (b) the assessment of an overall dollar amount (based on a fixed fee or percentage of assets under management) that Blackstone believes represents a fair recoupment of expenses and a market rate for such services or (c) any other similar methodology determined by Blackstone to be appropriate under the circumstances. Certain Blackstone personnel will provide services to few, or only one, of us and an Other Blackstone Account, in which case Blackstone could rely upon rough approximations of time spent by the employee for purposes of allocating the salary and overhead of the person if the market rate for services is clearly higher than allocable salary and overhead. However, the provision of such services by Blackstone personnel and related parties and any such methodology (including the choice thereof and any benchmarking, verification or other analysis related thereto) involves inherent conflicts. Any amounts paid to Blackstone and/or its affiliates for such services, as well as the expenses, charges and costs of any benchmarking, verification or other analysis related thereto, will be borne by us as fund expenses, will not result in any offset to the Fund Fees and will, in

 

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certain circumstances, result in incurrence of greater expenses by us and our Portfolio Entities than would be the case if such services were provided by third parties.

The Sponsor, we, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities, and our/their affiliates, personnel and related parties could continue to receive fees, including performance-based or incentive fees, for the services described in the preceding paragraphs with respect to investments sold by us or a Portfolio Entity to a third-party buyer after the sale is consummated. Such post-disposition involvement will give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest, particularly in the sale process. Moreover, the Sponsor, we, Other Blackstone Accounts and our/their Portfolio Entities, and our/their affiliates, personnel and related parties may acquire a stake in the relevant asset as part of the overall service relationship, at the time of the sale or thereafter.

The Sponsor does not have any obligation to ensure that fees for products and services contracted by us or our Portfolio Entities are at market rates unless the counterparty is considered an “Affiliate” of Blackstone, as defined in our organizational documents, and given the breadth of Blackstone’s investments and activities the Sponsor may not be aware of every commercial arrangement between us and our Portfolio Entities, on the one hand, and Blackstone, other funds, Other Blackstone Accounts and their Portfolio Entities, and personnel and related parties of the foregoing, on the other hand.

Except as set forth above, we and Unitholders will not receive the benefit (e.g., through an offset to Fund Fees or otherwise) of any fees or other compensation or benefit received by the Sponsor, its affiliates or their personnel and related parties (see also “—Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally” and “—Other Blackstone Business Activities” herein). The Sponsor and its affiliates and their personnel and related parties will receive fees attributable to us, Other Blackstone Accounts (including co-investment vehicles, permanent capital vehicles, accounts and/or third parties) and third parties and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the amount of such fees allocable to us, Other Blackstone Accounts (including co-investment vehicles, permanent capital vehicles, accounts and/or third parties) will not result in an offset of Fund Fees payable by Unitholders or otherwise be shared with us, our Portfolio Entities or the Unitholders, even if (a) such Other Blackstone Accounts (including co-investment vehicles, permanent capital vehicles, accounts and/or third parties) provide for lower or no management fees for the investors or participants therein (such as the vehicles established in connection with Blackstone’s side-by-side co-investment rights, which generally do not pay a management fee or carried interest) or (b) such fees result in an offset to management fees or carried interest payable by any of such Other Blackstone Accounts (including co-investment vehicles, permanent capital vehicles, accounts and/or third parties). As noted in “—Co-Investment Opportunities” herein, this creates an incentive for Blackstone to offer co-investment opportunities and can be expected to result in other fees being received more frequently (or exclusively) with investments that involve co-investment.

In addition, to the extent Blackstone receives any of the fees described above in-kind, instead of in cash, in whole or in part, Blackstone would in certain circumstances elect to become a co-investor (or otherwise hold an interest) in such investments alongside us, the Sponsor and/or Other Blackstone Accounts, which may give rise to potential or actual conflicts of interest, including with respect to the timing and manner of sale by Blackstone, on the one hand, and other participating funds, including us, on the other hand. Blackstone’s receipt of such interests in-kind generally would not be at the same time or on substantially the same terms, price and conditions as us, the Sponsor and/or the Other Blackstone Accounts, as applicable. With respect to any dispositions of securities or investments held by Blackstone resulting from receiving such fees in-kind, since we and/or Other Blackstone Accounts, as applicable, are not similarly situated and may have different terms affecting the timing of our/their respective dispositions, there may be certain situations where Blackstone would not dispose of its securities or interests at the same time and/or on substantially the same terms, price and conditions as such other funds, which would be evaluated by Blackstone on a case-by-case basis taking into account the circumstances at the relevant time. There can be no assurance that any actual or perceived conflicts will be resolved in favor of us or the Unitholders. Blackstone and its employees have long-term relationships with a significant number of corporations and their senior management. In determining whether to invest in a particular transaction on our behalf involving any such corporations, the Sponsor will consider those relationships (including any incentives or

 

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disincentives as part of such relationship) when evaluating the investment opportunity, which may result in the Sponsor choosing not to make such an investment on our behalf due to such relationships. We may also co-invest with clients of Blackstone in a particular investment, and the relationship with such clients could influence the decisions made by the Sponsor with respect to such investments. Blackstone is under no obligation to decline any engagements or investments in order to make an investment opportunity available to us (e.g., investments in a competitor of a client or other person with whom Blackstone has a relationship). We may be required to sell or hold existing Investments as a result of investment banking relationships or other relationships that Blackstone may have or develop, or transactions or investments Blackstone may make or have made.

Fees Received by the Sponsor. Break-up or topping fees, commitment fees, transaction, monitoring and director fees and organization, financing, divestment, and other similar fees (which does not include amounts received with respect to group purchasing, healthcare brokerage, insurance and other similar services to Portfolio Entities) with respect to the Investments can be paid to the Sponsor, in which case Management Fees may be offset by the amount of net break-up, topping, commitment (including fees received in respect of guarantees as contemplated by the Partnership Agreement), monitoring, transaction, directors’, and organizational fees attributable to a potential Investment by us, but not to any amount attributable to a potential investment by Other Blackstone Accounts, vehicles participating in Blackstone’s side-by-side co-investment rights, permanent capital vehicles, and/or accounts (including insurance accounts, Everlake, Corebridge and Resolution Life (each as defined below)) managed by affiliates of Blackstone and related entities or third parties. See “—Other Blackstone Business Activities” herein. Alternatively, we could receive the break-up, topping, commitment (including fees received in respect of guarantees as contemplated by the Partnership Agreement), monitoring, transaction, directors’, and organizational fees directly, in which case there will be no Management Fee offset. The Sponsor will generally receive a greater economic benefit by structuring the break-up or topping, commitment (including fees received in respect of guarantees as contemplated by the Partnership Agreement), monitoring, transaction, directors’, and organizational fees to be paid to it directly, subject to the Management Fee offset, and may do so in its sole discretion. Break-up, topping, commitment (including fees received in respect of guarantees as contemplated by the Partnership Agreement), monitoring, transaction, directors’, and organizational fees paid to the Sponsor or us in connection with a transaction could be allocated, or not, to Other Blackstone Accounts, co-investment vehicles and other investment vehicles participating in investments that invest (or are expected to invest) alongside us, as determined by the Sponsor to be appropriate in the circumstances. Generally, the Sponsor would not allocate break-up, topping fees, commitment (including fees received in respect of guarantees as contemplated by the Partnership Agreement), monitoring, transaction, directors’, and organizational fees with respect to a potential Investment to us, an Other Blackstone Account or co-investment vehicle unless such person would also share in broken deal expenses related to the potential Investment. With respect to fees received by Blackstone relating to our Investments or from unconsummated transactions, Unitholders will not receive the benefit of any fees relating to our Investments (including, without limitation, as described above) other than as set forth in our organizational documents. Any potential offset of the Management Fee will only accrue to the extent the fees giving rise to such offset are paid as part of and during the course of our investment in the relevant Portfolio Entity, and, without regard to the nature of such fees, there will be no offset of the Management Fees with respect to any fees paid to Blackstone after we have exited the relevant Investment. Following an exit of our Investment in a Portfolio Entity, Other Blackstone Accounts may continue to hold interests (debt and/or equity) in such Portfolio Entity, and Blackstone may begin to earn fees or continue to earn fees from such Portfolio Entity for providing services to such Portfolio Entity, including, but not limited to, capital markets advice, group purchasing and health care brokerage, insurance and other similar services, which in each case will not offset or reduce the Management Fee. Also, in the case of fees for services as a director of a Portfolio Entity, the Management Fee will not be reduced or offset to the extent any Blackstone personnel continues to serve as a director after we have exited (or are in the process of exiting) the applicable Portfolio Entity and/or following the termination of such employee’s employment with Blackstone. Conflicts of interest are expected to arise when a Portfolio Entity enters into arrangements with Blackstone on or about the time we exit our Investment in such Portfolio Entity. To the extent any investment banking fees, consulting (including management consulting) fees, syndication fees, capital markets syndication and significant sums in advisory fees (including underwriting fees (including, without limitation, evaluation regarding value creation

 

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opportunities and ESG risk mitigation)), origination fees, servicing fees, healthcare consulting / brokerage fees, fees relating to group purchasing, financial advisory fees and similar fees for arranging acquisitions and other major financial restructurings and other similar operational and financial matters, loan servicing and/or other types of insurance fees, data management and services fees or payments, operations fees, financing fees, fees for asset services, title insurance fees, energy procurement/ brokerage fees, fees for ESG services, fees associated with aviation management including origination fees, servicer fees (e.g., services relating to lease collections/disbursements, maintenance, insurance, lease marketing and sale of aircraft/parts), asset management fees (e.g., services relating to the preparation of monthly cash flow models and industry asset management fees, incentive fees and other similar fees and annual retainers (whether in cash or in-kind)) are received by Blackstone, such fees will not be required to be shared with us or the Unitholders and will not result in any offset to the Management Fee payable by the Unitholders.

Outsourcing. The Sponsor is expected to outsource to third parties many of the services performed for us and/or our Portfolio Entities, including services (such as administrative, legal, accounting, tax or other related services) that can be and/or historically have been performed in-house by the Sponsor and its personnel, and the fees, costs and expenses of such third-party service providers will be borne by us as fund expenses. Outsourced services include certain services that often would be provided at the Sponsor’s expense if such services had been performed in-house by the Sponsor’s personnel. In such cases, the fees, costs and expenses associated with the provision of such services will be borne by us instead of the Sponsor, thereby increasing the fund expenses borne by the Unitholders. Outsourced services also include certain services (such as fund administration, transactional legal advice, tax planning and other related services) that may also be provided by the Sponsor in-house at our expense. From time to time, the Sponsor may provide such services alongside (and/or supplement or monitor) a third-party service provider on the same matter or engagement and, in such cases, to the extent the Sponsor’s services are reimbursable as fund expenses, the overall amount of fund expenses borne by the Unitholders will be greater than would the case if only the Sponsor or such third party provided such services.

Determining whether to engage a third-party service provider and the terms (including economic terms) of any such engagement will be determined by the Sponsor in its discretion, taking into account such factors as it deems relevant under the circumstances. Certain third-party service providers and/or their employees will dedicate substantially all of their business time to us, Other Blackstone Accounts and/or our/their respective Portfolio Entities, while others will have other clients. In certain cases, third-party service providers and/or their employees may spend a significant amount of time at Blackstone offices, have dedicated office space at Blackstone, receive administrative support from Blackstone personnel or participate in meetings and events for Blackstone personnel, even though they are not Blackstone employees or affiliates. The Sponsor will have an incentive to outsource services to third parties due to a number of factors, including because the fees, costs and expenses of such service providers will be borne by us as fund expenses (with no reduction or offset to Fund Fees) and retaining third parties will reduce the Sponsor’s internal overhead and compensation costs for employees who would otherwise perform such services in-house. Such incentives likely exist even with respect to services where internal overhead and compensation are chargeable to us. Moreover, the involvement of third-party service providers may present a number of risks due to, among other factors, the Sponsor’s reduced control over the functions that are outsourced. There can be no assurances that the Sponsor will be able to identify, prevent or mitigate the risks of engaging third-party service providers. We may suffer adverse consequences from actions, errors or failures to act by such third parties, and will have obligations, including indemnity obligations, and limited recourse against them.

Outsourcing may not occur uniformly for all Blackstone managed vehicles and accounts and the expenses that may be borne by such vehicles and accounts vary. Accordingly, certain costs may be incurred by (or allocated to) us through the use of third-party (or internal) service providers that are not incurred by (or allocated to) certain Other Blackstone Accounts for similar services.

Material Non-Public Information. By reason of their responsibilities in connection with other activities of Blackstone and potentially by virtue of their activities outside of Blackstone, certain employees of Blackstone

 

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may acquire confidential or material non-public information or be restricted from initiating transactions in certain securities. We will not be free to act upon any such information. Due to these restrictions, we may not be able to initiate a transaction that it otherwise might have initiated and may not be able to sell an investment that it otherwise might have sold.

Data Management Services. Blackstone or an affiliate of Blackstone formed in the future will provide data management services to Portfolio Entities, and to certain Unitholders, investors in Other Blackstone Accounts, and to us and Other Blackstone Accounts and other Blackstone affiliates and associated entities (including funds in which Blackstone and Other Blackstone Accounts make investments, and Portfolio Entities thereof) (collectively, “Data Holders”). Such services may include assistance with obtaining, analyzing, curating, processing, packaging, organizing, mapping, holding, transforming, enhancing, distributing, marketing and selling such data (among other related data management and consulting services) for monetization through licensing or sale arrangements with third parties and, subject to any applicable contractual limitations, with us, Other Blackstone Accounts, Portfolio Entities, Unitholders, investors in Other Blackstone Accounts, and other Blackstone affiliates and associated entities (including funds in which Blackstone and Other Blackstone Accounts make investments, and Portfolio Entities thereof). If Blackstone enters into data services arrangements with Portfolio Entities and receives compensation from such Portfolio Entities for such data services, we will indirectly bear our share of such compensation based on our pro-rata ownership of such Portfolio Entities. Where Blackstone believes appropriate, data from one Data Holder may be aggregated or pooled with data from other Data Holders. Any revenues arising from such aggregated or pooled data sets would be allocated between applicable Data Holders on a fair and reasonable basis as determined by Blackstone in its sole discretion, with Blackstone able to make corrective allocations should it determine subsequently that such corrections were necessary or advisable. Blackstone is expected to receive compensation for such data management services, which may include a percentage of the revenues generated through any licensing or sale arrangements with respect to the relevant data, and which compensation is also expected to include fees, royalties and cost and expense reimbursement (including start-up costs and allocable overhead associated with personnel working on relevant matters (including salaries, benefits and other similar expenses)) will not be offset against Fund Fees or otherwise shared with us or the Unitholders. Additionally, Blackstone is also expected to determine to share and distribute the products from such Data Management Services within Blackstone or its affiliates (including Other Blackstone Accounts or their Portfolio Entities) at no charge and, in such cases, the Data Holders may not receive any financial or other benefit from having provided such data to Blackstone. The potential receipt of such compensation by Blackstone may create incentives for Blackstone to cause us to invest in Portfolio Entities with a significant amount of data that it might not otherwise have invested in or on terms less favorable than it otherwise would have sought to obtain on our behalf. See also “—Data” herein.

Securities and Lending Activities. Blackstone, its affiliates and their related parties and personnel participate in underwriting and lending syndicates and otherwise act as arrangers of financing, including with respect to the public offering and private placement of debt or equity securities issued by, and loan proceeds borrowed by, us and our Portfolio Entities or advising on such transactions. Underwritings and financings can be on a firm commitment basis or on an uncommitted, or “best efforts,” basis, and the underwriting or financing parties are under no duty to provide any commitment unless specifically set forth in the relevant contract. Blackstone can also be expected to provide, either alone or alongside third parties performing similar services, placement, financial advisory or other similar services to purchasers or sellers of securities (including in connection with primary offerings, secondary transactions and/or transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies), including loans or instruments issued by Portfolio Entities and Other Blackstone Accounts. Blackstone’s compensation for such services is expected to be paid by the applicable seller (including us (for example, in the case of secondary sales by us) and Portfolio Entities), one or more underwriters or financing parties (including amounts paid by an issuer and reimbursed by one or more underwriters) and/or other transaction parties. A Blackstone broker-dealer will from time to time act as the managing underwriter, a member of the underwriting syndicate or broker for us or our Portfolio Entities, or as dealer, broker or advisor to a counterparty to us or a Portfolio Entity, and purchase securities from or sell securities to us, Other Blackstone Accounts or Portfolio Entities of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts, or advise on such transactions.

 

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Blackstone will also from time to time, on behalf of us or our Portfolio Entities, or other parties to a transaction involving us or our Portfolio Entities, effect transactions, including transactions in the secondary markets, that result in commissions or other compensation paid to Blackstone by us or our Portfolio Entities or the counterparty to the transaction, thereby creating a potential conflict of interest. This could include, by way of example, fees and/or commissions for equity syndications to co-investment vehicles. Subject to applicable law, Blackstone will from time to time receive underwriting fees, discounts, placement commissions, loan modification or restructuring fees, servicing fees, capital markets, advisory fees (including capital markets advisory fees), lending arrangement fees, asset/property management fees, insurance (including title insurance) fees and consulting fees, monitoring fees, commitment fees, syndication fees, origination fees, organizational fees, operational fees, loan servicing fees and financing and divestment fees (or, in each case, rebates in lieu of any such fees, whether in the form of purchase price discounts or otherwise, even in cases where Blackstone, we, an Other Blackstone Account or our/their Portfolio Entities are purchasing debt) or other compensation with respect to the foregoing activities, which are not required to be shared with us or the Unitholders, and Fund Fees will not be reduced by such amounts. The Sponsor has sole discretion, subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, to approve the foregoing arrangements if the Sponsor believes in good faith that such transactions are appropriate for us.

Sales of securities for our and our Portfolio Entities account will from time to time be bunched or aggregated with orders for other accounts of Blackstone including Other Blackstone Accounts. It could be impossible, as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion (subject to the terms of the Partnership Agreement), to receive the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities sold, and the various prices will, in certain circumstances, therefore be averaged which may be disadvantageous to us.

When Blackstone serves as underwriter with respect to securities of ours or our Portfolio Entities, we and such Portfolio Entities could be subject to a “lock-up” period following the offering under applicable regulations during which time we or our Portfolio Entity would be unable to sell any securities subject to the “lock-up.” This may prejudice our and our Portfolio Entities’ ability to dispose of such securities at an opportune time. See also “—Related Financing Counterparties” and “—Portfolio Entity Relationships Generally” herein.

Blackstone employees, including employees of the Sponsor, are generally permitted to invest in alternative investment funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, hedge funds or other investment vehicles, including potential competitors of ours. The limited partners will not receive any benefit from any such investments.

PJT. On October 1, 2015, Blackstone spun off its financial and strategic advisory services, restructuring and reorganization advisory services, and its Park Hill Group fund placement businesses, and combined these businesses with PJT Partners Inc. (“PJT”), an independent financial advisory firm founded by Paul J. Taubman. While the combined business operates independently from Blackstone and is not an affiliate thereof, it is expected that there will be substantial overlapping ownership between Blackstone and PJT for a considerable period of time going forward. Therefore, conflicts of interest will arise in connection with transactions between or involving us and our Portfolio Entities, on the one hand, and PJT, on the other. The pre-existing relationship between Blackstone and its former personnel involved in financial and strategic advisory services at PJT, the overlapping ownership and co-investment and other continuing arrangements between PJT and Blackstone can be expected to influence the Sponsor to select or recommend PJT to perform services for Blackstone, Blackstone managed funds, including us or our Portfolio Entities, the cost of which will generally be borne directly or indirectly by us and the Unitholders. Given that PJT is no longer an affiliate of Blackstone, the Sponsor and its affiliates are able to cause us and Portfolio Entities to transact with PJT generally without restriction, notwithstanding the relationship between Blackstone and PJT. See also “—Service Providers, Vendors and Other Counterparties Generally” herein. In addition, one or more investment vehicles controlled by Blackstone have been established to facilitate participation in Blackstone’s side-by-side investment program by employees and/or partners of PJT.

Portfolio Entity Relationships Generally. Blackstone, Portfolio Entities of ours including special purpose vehicle Portfolio Entities that may be formed in connection with Investments, and Other Blackstone Accounts are

 

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and will be counterparties or participants in agreements, transactions and other arrangements with us, Other Blackstone Accounts, and/or Portfolio Entities of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts or other Blackstone affiliates and/or any portfolio entities of the foregoing for the provision of goods and services, purchase and sale of assets and other matters (including information sharing and/or consulting). In addition, certain Portfolio Entities may be counterparties or participants in agreements, transactions and other arrangements with Other Blackstone Accounts for the provision of goods and services, purchase and sale of assets and other matters. For example, from time to time, certain Portfolio Entities of ours or of Other Blackstone Accounts will provide or recommend goods or services to Blackstone, us, Other Blackstone Accounts, or other Portfolio Entities of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts or other Blackstone affiliates (or vice versa) (including “platform” investments of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts). As another example, it can also be expected that the management of one or more Portfolio Entities may consult with one another (or with one or more portfolio entities of an Other Blackstone Account in respect of seeking its expertise, industry view, or otherwise on a particular topic including but not limited to an asset and/or the purchase and /or sale thereof). Moreover, we and/or an Other Blackstone Account may consult with a Portfolio Entity or a portfolio entity of an Other Blackstone Account as part of the investment diligence for a potential investment by us or such Other Blackstone Account. As a result of or as part of such interactions or otherwise, personnel (including one or more members of the management team) at one Portfolio Entity may transfer to or become employed by another Portfolio Entity (or a portfolio entity of an Other Blackstone Account), us, Blackstone or our/their respective affiliates (or vice versa). Any such transfer may result in payments by the entity that such personnel is going to or to the entity such personnel is departing from, without obtaining any consent from the Board of Directors or the Unitholders. These agreements, transactions and other arrangements will involve payment of fees and other amounts and/or other benefits to Blackstone, Blackstone affiliates and/or a Portfolio Entity, none of which will result in any offset to Fund Fees, notwithstanding that some of the services provided by a Portfolio Entity are similar in nature to the services provided by the Sponsor and that certain Portfolio Entities are expected to be special purpose vehicles created by us. Such agreements, transactions and other arrangements will generally be entered into without the consent or direct involvement of ours and/or such Other Blackstone Accounts or the consent of the Board of Directors or Unitholders (including, without limitation, in the case of minority Investments by us in such Portfolio Entities or the sale of assets from one Portfolio Entity to another). This is because, among other considerations, Portfolio Entities of ours and Portfolio Entities of Other Blackstone Accounts are not considered “affiliates” of Blackstone, us or the Sponsor under the Partnership Agreement and therefore not covered by the affiliate transaction restrictions included in the Partnership Agreement. There can be no assurance that the terms of any such agreement, transaction or other arrangement will be as favorable to us as otherwise would be the case if the counterparty were not related to Blackstone.

In addition, it is possible that certain Portfolio Entities of ours, Other Blackstone Accounts or entities in which the Other Blackstone Accounts have an interest will compete with us or a Portfolio Entity thereof for one or more investment opportunities. It is also possible that certain Portfolio Entities of the Other Blackstone Accounts or companies in which the Other Blackstone Accounts have an interest will engage in activities that may have adverse consequences on us and/or our Portfolio Entities (including, by way of example only, as a result of laws and regulations of certain jurisdictions (e.g., bankruptcy, environmental, consumer protection and/or labor laws) that may not recognize the segregation of assets and liabilities as between separate entities and may permit recourse against the assets of not just the entity that has incurred the liabilities, but also the other entities that are under common control with, or part of the same economic group as, such entity, which may result in our and/or our Portfolio Entities’ assets being used to satisfy the obligations or liabilities of one or more Other Blackstone Accounts, their Portfolio Entities and/or affiliates).

In addition, Portfolio Entities, Blackstone and affiliates of Blackstone may also establish other investment products, vehicles and platforms focusing on specific asset classes or industry sectors that fall within our investment strategy (such as reinsurance), which may compete with us for investment opportunities (it being understood that such arrangements may give rise to conflicts of interest that may not necessarily be resolved in our favor).

 

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In addition, Portfolio Entities with respect to which we may elect members of the board of directors may, as a result, subject us and/or such directors to fiduciary obligations to make decisions that they believe to be in the best interests of any such Portfolio Entity. Although in most cases our and any such Portfolio Entity’s will be aligned, this may not always be the case. This may create conflicts of interest between the relevant director’s obligations to any such Portfolio Entity and its stakeholders, on the one hand, and our interests, on the other hand. Although the Sponsor will generally seek to minimize the impact of any such conflicts, there can be no assurance they will be resolved favorably for us.

These conflicts related to Portfolio Entity relationships will not necessarily be resolved in our favor, and Unitholders may not be entitled to receive notice or disclosure of the occurrence of these conflicts.

Conflicts of Interest in Service Providers, Including Portfolio Entity Service Providers and Blackstone-Affiliated Service Providers. We, Other Blackstone Accounts, Portfolio Entities of each of the foregoing and Blackstone can be expected to engage Portfolio Entities of ours and of Other Blackstone Accounts to provide some or all of the following services: (a) corporate administrative and support services (including, without limitation, accounts payable, accounts receivable, accounting/audit (including valuation support services), account management (e.g., treasury, customer due diligence), insurance, procurement, placement, brokerage and consulting services, cash management, accounts receivable financing, corporate secretarial and executive assistant services, domiciliation, data management, directorship services, finance/budget, human resources (e.g., the onboarding and ongoing development of personnel), communication, public relations and publicity, information technology and software systems support, corporate governance and entity management (e.g., liquidation, dissolution and/or otherwise end-of-term services), risk management and compliance, internal compliance, know-your-client reviews and refreshes, judicial processes, legal, environmental and/or sustainability due diligence support (e.g., review of asset condition reports, energy consumption), climate accounting services, ESG program management services, engineering services, services related to the sourcing, development and implementation of renewable energy, ESG data collection and reporting services, capital planning services, operational coordination (i.e., coordination with JV partners, third-party service providers), risk management, reporting (such as tax, debt, portfolio or other similar topics), tax and treasury, tax analysis and compliance (e.g., CIT and VAT compliance), transfer pricing and internal risk control, treasury and valuation services), business intelligence and data science services, fundraising support, legal/business/finance optimization and innovation (including legal invoice automation), and vendor selection; (b) borrowing management services (including, without limitation, monitoring, restructuring and work-out of performing, sub-performing and non-performing loans, consolidation, cash management, financing management, administrative support, lender relationship management (e.g. coordinating with a lender on any ongoing obligations under any relevant borrowing, indebtedness or other credit support (including any required consultation with or reporting to such lender). And whole loan servicing oversight (e.g., collateral management, due diligence and servicing oversight); (c) operational services including personnel (i.e., gen