Natixis CIB to expand Tokyo investment banking business with acquisition

Natixis CIB to expand Tokyo investment banking business with acquisition

French banking group plans to strengthen its Japanese M&A and real assets capabilities, subject to regulatory approval, with the SSA team set to join on January 1, 2027.

Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (Natixis CIB) has agreed to acquire Japan-based M&A advisory firm Sangyo Sosei Advisory Inc. (SSA) as part of plans to expand its investment banking and real assets (IBRA) and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) capabilities in Tokyo.

The transaction, which is subject to approval from Japan’s Financial Services Agency, will bring SSA’s team into Natixis CIB’s Japan operations from January 1, 2027, it says in a statement. The move marks a further step in the bank’s expansion in Japan, following the establishment of its Tokyo Banking Branch in July 2025.

Gary Chan, SSA’s co-founder and managing partner, will become head of investment banking, real assets and M&A for Japan at Natixis CIB, overseeing the newly established businesses. He will report to regional executives Emmanuel Gillet-Lagarde and Raghu Narain, as well as Makito Nagahiro, senior country manager for Japan.

Kentaro Relnick, a managing director at SSA, will take on the role of head of M&A for Japan, reporting to Miranda Zhao, head of M&A for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, and Chan. SSA co-founder and managing partner Fumiaki Sato will become executive advisor to Natixis’ Tokyo branch.

Independent Financial Adviser Focused on TMT

Founded in 2009 as Japan’s first independent financial adviser focused on the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sectors, SSA has since expanded into infrastructure. The firm has established a strong position in its specialist markets, advising major international corporations and financial sponsors.

Natixis CIB said the combination of SSA’s local market expertise and the bank’s global platform would enable it to provide a broader range of financial solutions to clients in Japan, including advisory services, capital access, investments and divestments, and capital structure and risk management solutions.

“Building out our IBRA and M&A practice in Japan will drive forward our global and regional Scale Up ambitions and deliver value not only to clients, but the Japanese economy overall,” said Bruno Le Saint, CEO for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at Natixis CIB.

He added that the bank would draw on its international expertise to serve Japanese companies and global clients operating in the country, particularly across infrastructure, energy and renewables, insurance, transportation, healthcare, telecommunications and technology.

Fabrice Croppi, global head of IBRA at Natixis CIB, described the expansion as an opportunity to develop the bank’s global offering in Japan and support clients as they navigate strategic decisions and increasingly complex business challenges.

For Natixis, the acquisition is part of a broader effort to build its presence in the Japanese market and deepen its relationships with domestic and international clients. Nagahiro said the addition of SSA’s experienced team would accelerate the bank’s growth strategy and reinforce its commitment to understanding the evolving financial needs of Japanese companies.

SSA’s leadership also highlighted the opportunity to expand beyond traditional M&A advisory into a wider range of financial services.

“Their transition from M&A specialist to a diversified financial solutions provider comes at a perfect time,” Chan and Sato said in a joint statement, pointing to the potential to deliver additional value to clients through Natixis CIB’s broader network and capabilities.

The planned integration will bring together SSA’s specialist advisory experience and Natixis CIB’s international reach as the bank seeks to broaden its investment banking offering in one of Asia’s major financial markets.