Growth equity firm Great Hill Partners has agreed to exit Brazil-based data center operator Ascenty to Digital Realty Trust, a U.S.-based data center company, and Brookfield Infrastructure, an affiliate of global alternative asset manager Brookfield Asset Management, for US$1.8 billion. The acquiring consortium will provide an additional US$425 million in capital expenditures to fund ongoing data center development projects. Digital Realty will purchase Ascenty through its Brazil-based subsidiary Stellar Participações, and Brookfield will commit approximately US$613 million, representing half of the initial equity investment, for a 49 percent stake in the company. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018.