Asia’s richest man Li Ka-Shing has expanded his portfolio of UK assets by buying passenger and freight train-owner Eversholt Rail for £2.5 billion.
The Hong Kong-based billionaire, known as “Superman” because of his deal-making skills, already controls Northumbrian Water and mobile phone network Three through his business empire and is understood to be in talks to buy O2 for £9 billion.
Li is estimated to be worth about $30 billion (£19 billion) although he has in the past accused people of understating his wealth.
In this latest deal, his CK Investments has bought Eversholt from owners 3i Infrastructure, Morgan Stanley and STAR Capital.
Eversholt was once part of British Rail and owns about 28% of the UK’s fleet of passenger trains.
Peter Sedgwick, chairman of 3i Infrastructure, which stands to make about £358 million from the sale, said: “Although 3i Infrastructure generally aims to hold its core investments over the long term, it will sell investments from time to time where this generates significant additional value for shareholders.”
