Maples Group Advises Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company on EQT NEXUS Fund Launch

Maples and Calder, the Maples Group’s law firm, is pleased to announce that its Asia Funds & Investment Management practice has advised Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company, Limited (“SMDAM”) on the launch of EQT NEXUS Fund (the “Fund”).

The Fund, which launched on 17 June 2025, is structured as a Cayman Islands unit trust and is authorised for public offering in Japan. Ceres Fund Management (Cayman) Limited acts as the manager of the Fund and Maples Trustee Services (Cayman) Limited acts as the trustee. SMDAM acts as the investment manager.

A team of lawyers based in the firm’s Hong Kong and Singapore offices acted as Cayman Islands counsel to SMDSM and was led by Funds & Investment Management Partner, Nick Harrold and assisted by Associate, Costa Valtas and Senior Paralegal, Veronica Chen, and Regulatory & Financial Services Associate, Daniel Moore. The Maples Group Cayman Islands Fiduciary team was led by Funds Fiduciary Co-Heads William Shaw and Abali Hoilett, with assistance from Senior Vice President, Tanya Campbell and Vice President, Agne Miller.

Commenting on the transaction, Nick Harrold said, “The launch of the Fund reflects the increasing appetite for private equity investments among Japanese investors and is part of a broader trend of Japanese investors making increasing allocations to private markets”.

Japanese legal advice was provided by White & Case LLP and Mori Hamada.

The Maples Group’s Japanese Funds practice advises and provides funds services to the industry’s heavyweights, as well as new entrants to the market, on the structuring and establishment of Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, Irish and Jersey funds targeted at Japanese investors.