
Baring-owned Vistra acquires Japan accounting firm
Vistra, a Hong Kong-based corporate services provider and fund administrator owned by Baring Private Equity Asia, has acquired Japanese accounting specialist Routes for an undisclosed sum.
“With this acquisition, Vistra can now provide in-market expertise and services to international clients looking to enter and grow within the Japanese market,” Jonathon Clifton, Vistra’s regional managing director for Asia Pacific, said in a statement.
Founded in 2001, Routes offers bookkeeping, tax compliance, payroll, paralegal, and consulting services for outbound and inbound business expansion. Takatoshi Takahashi, owner of Routes, will lead the business, now known as Vistra Japan, as country managing director.
The company claims to help clients determine whether their goods and services are likely to be successful in the Japanese market without the need of engaging expensive market research companies. This includes internet strategy support in areas such as Japanese-language homepage creation and maintenance, email translation, and registration in Japanese-language search engines.
“Over the years, our clients have become more sophisticated in their business outlook and have increasingly looked to grow their business within and outside of Japan,” Takahashi said. “By becoming a part of Vistra’s global network, we can now offer our clients a broader suite of services while continuing to provide them with excellent, tailored client relationship support.”
Vistra focuses on trust, fiduciary and fund administration services across 45 markets globally, including bases in China, Australia, and Singapore. The company, which employs about 4,600 professionals also maintains a strong presence in India, where it acquired corporate trust services provider IL&FS Trust Company and professional services group Ujwal Management Services in 2016.
Baring acquired Vistra earlier that year for $1.1 billion, facilitating an exit for Europea-based IK Investment Partners.
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