(Bloomberg) -- AirTrunk’s owners are planning to kick off a process to sell the Australian data center operator, people familiar with the matter said, in what could be one of Asia Pacific’s biggest digital infrastructure deals this year.

AirTrunk’s backers including Macquarie Asset Management and PSP Investments could seek a valuation of about A$12 billion ($7.9 billion) in a potential sale, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. Other options include selling a controlling or partial stake, the people said.

A formal sale process could start as early as the coming weeks, the people said. Private equity firms and infrastructure-focused funds have shown preliminary interest in the asset, one of them said.

No final decision has been made and the owners of AirTrunk could still decide against a transaction, the people said. 

A representative for Macquarie declined to comment. PSP and AirTrunk didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. 

Bloomberg News reported in October that AirTrunk had been working with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Macquarie Group Ltd. to explore options to fuel its growth, including a minority stake sale.

AirTrunk runs data centers in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia, its website shows. A group led by Macquarie’s infrastructure arm took control of the company in 2020 in a deal that valued it at about A$3 billion, Bloomberg News reported at the time. Prior to that it was owned by investors including Goldman’s special situations division. 

--With assistance from Harry Brumpton and Dong Cao.

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