Apex Group (Apex) has closed its acquisition of Netherlands-based alternative investment funds service provider Darwin Depositary Services (Darwin).
Following the acquisition, Apex will be able to provide depositary services in Luxembourg, Ireland, the UK, Sweden and Denmark through specialist local entities and its subsidiary European Depositary Bank.
Darwin services clients in areas including hedge funds, real state and private equity funds, and will provide Apex with an additional €4.9 billion of assets under depositary.
Darwin is the latest in a string of recent acquisitions by Apex, with the company expanding into the New Zealand and Australia markets with the procurement of Implemented Investment Solutions (IIS) and InvestNow through their parent company, Implemented Investment Holdings Limited.
IIS allows global fund managers to establish and distribute New Zealand-domiciled funds, currently managing 22 investment schemes and NZ$5 billion in assets under management. Through the company, Apex will gain a wider scope for its third-party management and distribution solutions.
Digital retail investment platform InvestNow is used by more than 25,000 clients, investing approximately NZ$1.3 billion in over 150 managed funds.
Peter Hughes, founder and CEO of Apex, comments: “The acquisition of Darwin brings an experienced local team and is an important step in evolving and strengthening our depositary offering for small and mid-sized clients in the Netherlands, EU and beyond. We are pleased to welcome IIS and InvestNow to Apex Group as we continue to strengthen our presence and single source offering in the New Zealand market.
“As we integrate recent acquisitions and mature operationally, we will continue to extend the depth and reach of our solutions, while ensuring their delivery is underpinned by the highest levels of client service.”
