Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management (SMD-AM), one of Japan’s leading asset managers, is expanding its international footprint with the opening of a new office in Frankfurt am Main. The move underscores the strategic importance of the European market for the company’s global growth. SMD-AM manages more than USD 170 billion in assets worldwide and will initially offer investment funds for a broad range of institutional clients across the EU, including pension funds, financial institutions, and public sector investors.
The establishment of the Frankfurt office was supported by FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH International Marketing of the Region (FRM GmbH), working closely with the Frankfurt Economic Development.
Mike Josef, Mayor of Frankfurt and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FRM GmbH, welcomed the decision: “Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management’s arrival demonstrates once again that Frankfurt is an attractive location for global financial institutions. We rank among the top 20 financial centers worldwide. With its strong banking sector, Germany’s largest stock exchange, excellent infrastructure, and European regulatory institutions such as the European Central Bank, Frankfurt is a must for international financial firms.”
SMD-AM was created in 2019 through the merger of two asset management subsidiaries of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Daiwa Securities Group, two major players in Japan’s financial sector. Their combined expertise continues to shape the company’s investment approach today.
The firm's investment capabilities span several core asset classes, including Japanese and global equities, fixed income, global high-yield bonds, and real estate private debt. SMD-AM also manages funds focused on international infrastructure investments. Around 260 investment specialists worldwide support the company’s global client base. Alongside its headquarters in Tokyo, SMD-AM operates offices in Singapore, Shanghai, New York, London—and now Frankfurt.
“We are delighted to introduce SMD-AM’s high‑quality investment solutions to investors across the EU,” said Takashi Kume, Managing Director of Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management (Germany) GmbH. “Frankfurt, with its strong international financial profile, is the ideal starting point. We aim to give investors access to the strengths of the Japanese market and to products managed with Japanese expertise, contributing to deepening the economic relationship between our countries.”
Thomas Waldhart-Knopp, Managing Director of SMD-AM Germany, added: “With our new presence, we are laying the groundwork to build long-term trust with investors across Germany and Europe.”
The new Frankfurt subsidiary will initially focus on investment brokerage and advisory services, with a particular emphasis on expanding access to UCITS funds for European investors. SMD-AM begins operations with a four‑person team and plans to expand its local presence in the coming years.
“Japanese companies have long played a vital role in the FrankfurtRheinMain region,” said Eric Menges, CEO of FRM GmbH. “More than 250 Japanese firms operate here, employing around 10,000 people. With over 5,000 Japanese citizens living in the area, Frankfurt RheinMain offers a well-developed Japanese infrastructure—from schools and healthcare to restaurants, supermarkets, and Europe’s largest Japanese film festival, ‘Nippon Connection’.”
FRM GmbH provided SMD-AM with detailed market intelligence on the Frankfurt RheinMain region, assisted with questions regarding work and residence permits, and facilitated access to key networks as well as the Frankfurt Economic Development.