A US investment banking and wealth management house is strengthening its presence in Asia.

Evercore, the investment banking and wealth advisory house, is ramping up its Asian investment banking business with a new Tokyo office. The firm has also bolstered a cross-border mergers and acquisitions partnership with an Australian firm. 

New York-listed Evercore said yesterday that Masuo Fukuda has joined its investment banking business as senior managing director, given the task of setting up an office in Tokyo. Evercore has had a cross-border alliance with Japanese financial group Mizuho since 2006.

Fukuda was latterly co-head of the investment banking group at Mizuho Securities. He was previously the global head of M&A at SMBC Nikko Securities and, prior to this role, head of investment banking at Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.

"Masuo's joining us is an important step in strengthening Evercore's world-class M&A and capital market advisory capabilities in Japan and across Asia, as we continue to build the most elite independent investment banking advisory firm globally. Once established, our office in Japan, combined with existing offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as our strategic alliances in Australia, China, India and Korea, will allow Evercore to better serve both our Asian clients and our global clients with interests in Asia,” said Ralph Schlosstein, Evercore's president and chief executive.

Australia
Separately, Evercore and Sydney-based Luminis Partners, an independent corporate advisory firm, announced they have strengthened their cross-border M&A activity, with Evercore buying a 19 per cent stake in Luminis for an undisclosed sum.

Luminis Partners is a partnership formed by Ron Malek, Simon Mordant, Jamie Garis and Peter Brownie. The firm was founded in 2015.

Evercore provides investment banking and investment services, with clients including high net worth individuals. It was set up in 1995 and has 27 offices across the world.