Apex Group Ltd, the Bermudian-based global financial services provider, is to expand its presence in Malta with the announcement of the planned acquisition of ZASMalta, a specialist provider of regulatory compliance and risk management services.

The company said ZAS provided a full range of regulatory compliance and risk management, reporting and internal audit services to $20 billion of assets across 50 clients.

ZAS’s client base includes top tier global MiFID firms, AIFMs, UCITS management companies, collective investment schemes including self-managed and standalone schemes.

Apex said it has been actively involved in the funds industry in Malta since 2008 and was a local market leader in the provision of fund administration services, delivered by a team of more than 120 experienced professionals.

ZAS’s clients will now benefit from access to Apex’s single-source solution, including services such as global compliance solutions, ESG rating, reporting and advisory, and digital banking.

Following the completion of announced acquisitions, Apex will operate from 85 offices in 42 countries worldwide, with 10,000 employees servicing an expected $2.75 trillion in assets across administration, depositary, custody and under management.

Peter Hughes, founder and CEO of Apex Group, said: “We are committed to providing our clients with the widest range of high-quality services, delivered locally.

“Our acquisition strategy is focused on enhancing client experience and enables us to deepen our local presence in key financial markets around the world.

“We are pleased to welcome the ZASMalta team to the group, further strengthening our offering in Malta – a forward-thinking and robust regulatory jurisdiction for funds, including emerging asset classes.”

Adam de Domenico, the founder and director of ZASMalta, added: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of ZASMalta by Apex Group.

“Apex has a strong reputation in the Malta market as an experienced, global financial service provider and our clients will now benefit from access to the group’s international reach and comprehensive suite of solutions to meet all of their service requirements.”