Windfarms: Bank of England governor (pictured) is chairman at Brookfield Asset Management
A Canadian investment giant chaired by Mark Carney is buying a family-run British windfarm developer for more than £800million.
Brookfield Asset Management, where the former Bank of England governor is chairman, has snapped up Banks Renewables.
Banks Renewables is part of the Banks Group, which is controlled by Harry Banks, 82, who set it up with his younger brothers Joe, Graham and Bruce in 1976.
The firm started out in coal mining but expanded into other areas including property and transport.
The renewables business was established in 2006 and has 11 onshore windfarms across the North and Scotland.
The purchase by Brookfield will be seen as a vote of confidence in renewable energy in Britain and land the family run firm a huge windfall.
Banks said: ‘This is also good news for other Banks Group businesses and their employees, who will continue to develop our existing businesses in land, property, mining and in developing our new regional housebuilding business.’