Metzler Corporate Finance strengthens Japanese–German M&A business with Hiroshi Akiyama as new Managing Director

Metzler Corporate Finance, the M&A advisory division of Metzler Bank, continues to expand its international M&A advisory services: Hiroshi Akiyama will join Metzler Corporate Finance as Managing Director on August 1, 2025. Akiyama will be based in Tokyo and focus on client relationships in Japan as well as on cross-border M&A transactions between Japan and Germany.

Akiyama (56) has more than 30 years of experience in international investment banking and M&A advisory. Most recently, he was Managing Director at Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory in Frankfurt, where his responsibilities included the origination of Japanese-German cross-border M&A transactions. Previously, he held senior positions at SMBC Nikko, Credit Suisse, Lazard, UBS, and JPMorgan in Tokyo. His industry focus is particularly on energy, industry, and technology. Akiyama holds a degree in economics from the University of Tokyo and an MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

"With Hiroshi Akiyama, we are gaining an M&A expert with an outstanding international network who has longstanding expertise advising on M&A transactions between Japan and Germany. With his experience and deep understanding of both markets, Hiroshi Akiyama is the ideal addition to our existing team – especially in view of our Japan–Germany cross-border growth strategy," says Kim Comperl, Member of the Executive Board of Metzler Bank and responsible for Metzler Bank’s Corporate Finance division.

"Japan has been a strategically important market for Metzler Bank for decades – and with Hiroshi Akiyama, we are gaining an expert with deep insights into Japan’s industrial landscape and investor community. His extensive experience, strong network, and profound understanding of both cultural and economic dynamics make him a valuable addition to our activities in Japan. I very much look forward to working with him and to further expanding our presence in the Japanese–German M&A business together," says Nina Birke-Wiesheu, President and CEO of Metzler Japan Holdings.