Global law firm White & Case LLP has added funds partner Eriko Sakata in Tokyo.
"There continues to be significant interest from global and regional asset management clients to establish funds in Japan and to invest there, particularly in the private equity, real estate and infrastructure sectors," said White & Case partner Anthony Wong, head of investment funds in Asia-Pacific. "Eriko is a highly experienced and respected funds partner and her addition will further deepen our private equity bench in Tokyo, where she will work closely with Naoya Shiota, Clara Shirota, Jun Usami and Nels Hansen, and our strong existing funds practice in Asia."
Eriko is an investment funds partner with additional expertise in real estate, infrastructure, financial regulation and structured finance. She advises global asset managers and blue-chip corporations on the establishment and operation of large-cap investment platforms, advising on fund formation, financial regulation, structured finance and downstream in-bound acquisitions, including real estate, infrastructure and renewable energy. Eriko brings more than 20 years of experience and joins White & Case from Linklaters, where she was a partner.
"With her vast experience and deep network in Japan and the international funds community, Eriko is an important bengoshi addition to our Tokyo office," said Jun Usami, White & Case Office Executive Partner in Tokyo. "Eriko will also strengthen our real estate and Japanese financial regulatory capabilities in Japan, which are essential areas of expertise for our clients doing business here."
White & Case partner and Vice Chair Oliver Brettle said: "The addition of Eriko in Tokyo continues our global effort to build-out our funds practice, a crucial area for the successful growth of our Global Private Equity Industry Group. Her arrival follows the recent addition of funds partners Emily Brown and Lavanya Raghavan in London, Phillip Sacks in Dubai and Omar Hemady in Boston. Further, the real estate and infrastructure expertise Eriko brings complements that of New York and Hong Kong-based real estate M&A partner John Cahill, who joined White & Case in February, as we continue to respond to the demand from our clients for Asia-Pacific real estate and infrastructure capabilities."