The focus of Monday's discussions will be the university's endowment fund, worth about 4.2bn. The fund was set up to ensure the organisation's long-term financial security and is managed by the University of Cambridge Investment Management Limited (UCIM), a private company owned by the university. The company operates as a fund of funds a complex financial structure that means its money is spread across a wide range of sectors and overseen by an investment manager.
Guillaume Faury, chief executive of Airbus, Roberto Cingolani, chief executive of Leonardo and Patrice Caine, chief executive of Thales, said in a joint statement that the new company marked a pivotal milestone for Europe's space industry. By pooling our talent, resources, expertise and R&D capabilities, we aim to generate growth, accelerate innovation and deliver greater value to our customers and stakeholders, they said.