OREANDA-NEWS. Aozora Bank, Ltd. today announced the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KASIKORNBANK PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED ('KBank') for the purpose of strengthening cooperation in cross-border M&A advisory services, in addition to the business areas shown below (Scope of Alliance).

In November of last year, Aozora announced 'Aozora Bank's Asian Business Strategy', and as part of this strategy announced business alliances with Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited ('OCBC') and Kanematsu Corporation. In June of this year, the Bank also entered into a business alliance with PT Bank Central Asia TBK ('BCA').The MOU with KBank adds to the Bank's M&A related business tie-ups with banks in Asia, following the alliances with OCBC and BCA.

In recent years, business development in Thailand, which plays a significant role in ASEAN economies, has become an important growth strategy for Japanese companies. This partnership with KBank, a leading bank in Thailand, will allow Aozora to build a framework for providing enhanced cross-border M&A advisory services to meet its customers' business needs in Thailand. The Bank is already engaged in a joint collaboration with KBank from which it expects to achieve great results. Aozora also intends to provide similar M&A services for its regional financial institution customers as necessary. In addition, this alliance will enable KBank to respond to the needs of its customers who are seeking growth opportunities through M&A transactions with Japanese companies.

Aozora aims to earn the trust of its customers as the 'Primary Secondary Bank: Another Reliable Partner', and is committed to responding to the management challenges and needs of its customers in Asia and elsewhere through an enhancement of the scope of its services.