Expert resume of Professor Akihiro Wani

Senior Counselor, Ito and Mitomi (Registered Associated Offices of Morrison and Foerster LLP); Professor, Sophia University Law School; Japan Counsel, ISDA; P.R.I.M.E. Finance Expert

Akihiro Wani is a senior counselor of Ito & Mitomi (Registered Associated Offices of Morrison & Foerster LLP) in Tokyo. Mr. Wani has nearly 30 years of experience as a capital markets lawyer, acting for major international and domestic financial institutions on financial regulations and cutting-edge derivatives transactions. His experience includes advising on derivatives and structured finance transactions, such as the first public offering of credit-linked securities in Japan and the structuring of a new type of alternative investment fund linked to longevity swaps. He has also advised on the regulatory aspects of financial transactions, such as the establishment of head/branch offices of financial instrument business operators, investment management companies, insurance companies, and other financial institutions, as well as acting on a wide variety of matters involving cross-border financial transactions, and general corporate transactions. He further advises financial institutions on inspections by regulators and in dispute resolution related matters.

Mr. Wani is a counsel for the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) in Japan and a founding member of the Financial Law Board sponsored by the Bank of Japan. He served as a member of the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA)’s Financial Systems Council. He also serves as the representative director and the chairman of JBA TIBOR Administration and a Financial Policies Monitor for the FSA.

He has been a Professor of Law at Sophia University Law School in Tokyo since 2004.

Prior to joining Ito & Mitomi / Morrison & Foerster LLP in May 2014, he was a founding bengoshi partner at Linklaters in Tokyo, where he served as joint managing partner from 2005 to 2012.

Mr. Wani graduated from The University of Tokyo, with an LL.B in 1975 and an LL.M in 1977. He also holds an LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law (1982). He is admitted to practice law in New York and Japan.