Mills & Reeve advises award-winning sustainable asset manager on partnership funding deal

London-based Osmosis, which was launched in 2009, has more than $13.6bn of sustainable assets under management. Its clients include government pension funds, insurance companies, family offices and banks across the UK, Europe, the Nordics, North and South America, Asia and Australia.

Under the strategic partnership, Nikko AM will be given exclusive distribution and client service rights in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Australia and New Zealand), as well as the Middle East for Osmosis investment products and strategies.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval by the Financial Conduct Authority and is likely to be completed by the end of April 2024.

Osmosis’ chief executive officer, Ben Dear, said: “Osmosis is excited to sign this partnership with Nikko AM. It is a partnership based on a shared vision of the scale of the opportunity, an alignment of values, and a belief that the capital markets have a pivotal role to play in directing capital towards companies that are leading the transition to a more sustainable planet. Through Nikko AM’s established distribution networks, we have already made significant strides in Asia, including our first Japanese institutional investor. We look forward to further raising awareness of our unique investment approach in the region.”

Thilo Schneider, corporate partner at Mills & Reeve and head of the London corporate team, said: “Osmosis is a long-standing client, and its distinctive strategy has seen the firm become a market leader in sustainable investment. The strategic partnership with Nikko AM will provide the ideal platform to achieve its international expansion plans. We are very proud to count such a progressive business as our client.”