Ashurst represents Sharp Corporation ("Sharp"), who, along with SoftBank Group Corp. ("SBG"), the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mubadala Investment Company of the United Arab Emirates, Apple Inc., Foxconn Technology Group and Qualcomm Incorporated, committed an aggregate total of US$93 billion on the initial closing of the Softbank Vision Fund.

Ashurst worked collaboratively with Sharp's Japanese counsel, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, advising Sharp on their US$1 billion commitment to the Softbank Vision Fund, which closed on aggregate commitments of over US$93 billion at its first major closing in May 2017. The fund anticipates a final closing within six months to bring the total commitments to US$100 billion, making this fund the largest ever raised. It will target meaningful and long-term investments in businesses that are dedicated to the next age of innovation and technology.

Dean Moroz, Asia head of private investment funds, said, "We are very proud to have represented the visionaries at Sharp, one of Japan's most highly regarded technology companies, on their significant investment in what is rightfully regarded as an unprecedented fund raising in the technology - and indeed any - industry."

The Ashurst team was composed of Dean Moroz (Hong Kong), partner Hiroyuki Iwamura (Corporate, London), Nick Goddard (Investment Funds, London), supported by associate Roger Dong (Corporate, Hong Kong).