Freshfields advises Allianz Global Investors on its strategic expansion in Asia Pacific

Global law firm Freshfields advises Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI), the asset management arm of the Frankfurt-listed insurer Allianz SE, on its agreement to acquire UOB Asset Management (UOBAM), the asset management business of Singapore-headquartered UOB Group, for SGD 555m (€376m). The acquisition will provide AllianzGI access to a number of important high-growth markets, including Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, while further strengthening its presence in Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia.

Headquartered in Singapore and present in eight key markets across Asia (Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam), UOBAM is a well-established South-East Asian asset manager with €28bn of Assets Under Management. The transaction is accompanied by a long-term distribution agreement, providing access to the retail client network of UOB.

The transaction will significantly deepen AllianzGI’s business footprint in Sout-East Asia, bringing the assets it manages for clients in the Asia Pacific region to more than €170bn and enabling the combined business to develop a market-leading client experience for investors throughout South-East Asia.

The Freshfields multi-jurisdictional team is led by Partners David Schwintowski (Munich/Singapore) and Simon Weller (Singapore/Hong Kong), Counsel Daniel Boyle (Singapore), Senior Associates James Parkin (Hong Kong), Shavonne Oh (Singapore), and Allen Yan (Shanghai) and Associates Kevin Fan and Gordon Choi (both Singapore).
Partner Harry Evans, Senior Associate Harshavardhan Ganesan, and Associate Pauline Tang (all Singapore) are advising on IP matters.
Tax advice is being provided by Partners David Beutel (Munich), Philipp Redeker (Düsseldorf) and Sam Withnall (London), Counsel Martin Rehberg, Principal Associate Philipp Carstens (both Munich) and Associate Ben Rees (London). German Regulatory advice is being provided by Principal Associate Theresa Kreft-Tönningsen (Munich). 
Partner Ninette Dodoo and Associates Chi Chung Chan (both Hong Kong) and Hitoshi Nakajima (Tokyo) are advising on Antitrust matters.
Employment Law advice is being provided by Partner Stephanie Chiu (Hong Kong) and Associate Emily Rigler-Gillingham (London). Associate Bonnie Li (Hong Kong) is advising on regulatory matters.
Compliance advice is being provided by Partner Xin Liu (Beijing/Shanghai) and Senior Associate Tiffany Chan (Hong Kong).
Partner Tomoko Nakajima, Senior Associate Junya Suzuki and Associate Gaku Nakano (all Tokyo) are advising on Japan law matters, with Partner Eric Johnson, Counsel Ha An and Associates Duy Thang Phan and Cong Duy Linh (all Hanoi) advising on Vietnam law matters. Partner Alan Wang (Shanghai/Beijing) and Senior Associate Allen Yan (Shanghai) advised on Corporate Law aspects in China.