Linklaters And Nishimura & Asahi Advised On Citadel's Entry Into Japan With Energy Grid Acquisition

Linklaters And Nishimura & Asahi Advised On Citadel's Entry Into Japan With Energy Grid Acquisition

Global US hedge fund Citadel has entered the Japanese Market with its Inaugural Acquisition, taking over Tokyo-based Private Power Firm Energy Grid Corporation for an undisclosed amount.

The buyout, marking Citadel's first foray into Japan's electricity trading sector, is expected to finalize in the third quarter of this year.

Linklaters is providing Legal Counsel to Citadel, with a team led by London Partner Tracey Lochhead, and Tokyo-based Partners Hirofumi Taba, specializing in energy and infrastructure, and Yoshiyuki Asaoka, focusing on corporate matters.

Nishimura & Asahi, Japan’s largest law firm by headcount, represented Energy Grid Corporation. The legal team is spearheaded by Tokyo Partners Shingo Yamada and Maya Ito. Energy Grid was founded in 2021 by Yohei Jozaki, a former energy trader at Enron and Goldman Sachs.

The acquisition takes place amid a trend of increasing buyouts of Japanese companies by foreign multinational corporations, driven by a weakening yen.