Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Enters Australian Market Through Exclusive Partnership with Axius Partners

For Immediate Release

Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Enters Australian Market ThroughExclusive Partnership with Axius Partners

Sydney, New South Wales, March 13, 2025 – Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company,Limited ("SMDAM"), a SMBC Group company, proudly announces its entry into the Australian market through an exclusive partnership with Axius Partners("Axius"), a leading local Capital Formation and Capital Advisory firm.

With a presence across the globe, SMDAM will initially offer its Global Equity and JapaneseEquity Strategies to local institutional and wholesale investors. For over 50years, SMDAM has been dedicated to serving institutional and individual investors. Today, the firm manages assets (AUM) of US$148 billion, supported by over 250 investment professionals worldwide.

"Our expansion into the Australian market signifies an exciting chapter for SMDAM.Our commitment to active management and uncovering market inefficiencies through disciplined investment approaches aligns perfectly with the needs of Australian investors," said Yasuhiro Harada, Executive Officer of International Business Department at SMDAM.

SMDAM seeks to achieve long-term growth through its dedication to active management. The firm identifies existing market inefficiencies and turns them into investment opportunities by establishing disciplined investment approaches to capture excess returns. SMDAM’s Global Strategy has achieved a gross return of 12.53% p.a.since inception (April 2015), compared to the MSCI World Benchmark of 9.96% p.a.resulting in an out performance of 2.57% p.a. Cumulative returns since inception amount to 216.10% for the Portfolio gross of fees versus 152.28% for the Index.

"We are delighted to partner with SMDAM, a firm with a successful investment track record, global and Asian market access, and a strong return profile over five decades. This partnership will bring significant value to our clients,"said co-Founders George Giovas and John Maragiannis at Axius Partners.

Axius Partners was established in 2011 to provide tailored Capital Formation, Funds Management,and Capital Advisory solutions. The firm works with top-tier Fund Managers from across the globe and represents them in the Institutional, Family Office, Private Bank, and Wealth Manager investor segments. The team at Axius has a proven track record of investment success across an array of asset classes, including Australian Equities, Global Equities, Private Equity, Fixed Income, Real Estate, and Alternative investments.

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For more information, please contact:

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John Maragiannis

Managing Director            

jmaraggianis@axiuspartners.com

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George Giovas                                

Managing Director

ggiovas@axiuspartners.com

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