The innovative financing for the French A28 highway project included the first inflation-linked bond for a private company in the euro zone and sparked hopes of similar financing schemes for public-private partnership (PPP) schemes across Europe.

CDC Ixis acted as financial adviser for the €908m ($890m) project to construct the highway between Rouen and Alençon, and in July was the sole lead manager of the E460m bond, which was linked to the French inflation rate.