The strategic partnership aims to educate SME owners about mergers and acquisitions (M&A) opportunities and help them explore the path with greater confidence.
Kuala Lumpur, 10 July 2025 – Nihon M&A Center Malaysia, Japan’s leading M&A advisory firm, has formalised a strategic partnership with YYC, one of Malaysia’s largest SME-focused accounting firms, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
This milestone partnership brings together the strengths of both organisations, Nihon M&A Center Malaysia’s global M&A expertise and international buyer network with YYC’s deep reach into the local SME market, to help more business owners unlock value, pursue growth, or navigate succession with clarity and confidence.
Since 2019, Nihon M&A Center Malaysia and YYC have built a close working relationship – one that had culminated in a landmark acquisition during Covid-19 pandemic, where a Japanese listed company acquired a Malaysian SME that went on to scale its revenue by more than 70% post-merger. With this MoU now in place, the relationship moves into a new phase of structured collaboration, with both firms aligning their resources, networks, and advisory capabilities to make M&A more accessible and actionable for Malaysian SMEs.
YYC’s SME clients will also have access to expert-led M&A seminars, personalised pre-deal consultations by Nihon M&A Center Malaysia’s specialist team, and direct introductions to Nihon M&A Center Malaysia’s extensive list of buyers across Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The announcement comes at a crucial time, as succession gaps, cost pressures, and digital disruption are forcing many SMEs to rethink their future. With few clear options and little M&A know-how in the markets, this partnership helps close that gap, offering professional, accessible guidance tailored to SME realities, and reframing M&A not as a last resort, but as a practical path to scale, modernise, or transition with confidence.
Datin Shin Yap, Group CEO of YYC, said, “Our focus is not just on helping clients survive, but showing them how to build something that is sustainable and ultimately saleable. We estimate that five to ten percent of our 20,000 clients could be viable M&A targets over the next five years. With Nihon M&A Center Malaysia as our partner, we can offer our clients sound, strategic advice to help them move forward, whatever their next chapter may be.”
Established in 1974, YYC has helped thousands of businesses grow, many of which are now publicly listed on Bursa Malaysia and have expanded globally. With this partnership, YYC strengthens its ability to support business continuity by adding M&A to its advisory services.
Meanwhile, Nihon M&A Center Malaysia will leverage YYC’s deep insight of Malaysia’s diverse and dynamic SME landscape to reach a broader pipeline of businesses ready for change.
“YYC brings deep trust and local insight, and we have built a strong working relationship over the years,” said Yusuke Ojima, Regional Head for Southeast Asia at Nihon M&A Center. “With the MoU, we are working towards a more focused, fruitful collaboration, one that gives SMEs access to the professional M&A guidance. This milestone collaboration also reinforces our commitment to helping SME businesses to scale, transition, and succeed with confidence. We look forward to supporting YYC’s clients through clear, actionable advice and connecting them with the right strategic partners.”
With over 30 years of experience and 10,000 deals completed globally, Nihon M&A Center is Japan’s largest independent M&A advisory firm. It is widely regarded for helping business owners both in Japan and international markets achieve success through well-matched M&A strategies.
Nihon M&A Center Malaysia specialises in Japan-Malaysia transactions and is backed by a global team of over 700-plus professionals. It brings unmatched cross-border capabilities to Malaysian SMEs seeking meaningful growth or successful exits.
With SMEs forming over 97% of all businesses in Malaysia and contributing significantly to job creation and GDP, their future is vital to the country’s economic resilience and growth. This partnership between Nihon M&A Center Malaysia and YYC is more than a strategic business alliance; it is an initiative that opens a new chapter of opportunities for Malaysian SMEs to grow stronger, ultimately contributing to a more vibrant, competitive, and sustainable business landscape for Malaysia.
For more information on Nihon M&A Center Malaysia, visit nihon-ma.com.my.
