Michel van Leeuwen, CEO of Hawksford; Credit: Hawksford

On Thursday 2 October 2025, Hawksford, a global service provider, announced the expansion of its European capabilities, building on its recent acquisition of Equiom in Luxembourg by acquiring United Group’s businesses in both Luxembourg and Malta.

According to Hawksford, the acquisition of United Group’s fund services business in Luxembourg, licensed by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), will strengthen its offering in the Grand Duchy across a range of fund and corporate services, including accounting and administration, director services, as well as tax and payroll support. The business is managed by Co-Country Managing Directors Claude Crauser and Sinan Sar.

In Malta, the acquired business is regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) and provides corporate, private client and fund services, such as entity formation, administration, bookkeeping, company secretarial, trustee and payroll services. The team will continue to be led by Managing Director Mihai Cheregi.

Both acquisitions have received regulatory approval. They follow Hawksford’s earlier integrations of YT Group and Equiom in Luxembourg, bringing the firm’s headcount in the jurisdiction to more than 80 professionals.

In its statement, Hawksford noted that these additions are part of its “ongoing ambitious growth strategy” supported by STAR Capital. The company now employs around 700 professionals in key locations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia and the Americas.

Hawksford Chief Executive Michel van Leeuwen commented: “These latest acquisitions represent another milestone in our growth strategy in Europe, where we are focused on adding expertise and extending our footprint at pace in high quality jurisdictions.” He added: “As well as further building our presence in Luxembourg, these acquisitions add Malta - another key European jurisdiction - to our global network, bolstering our capability in delivering cutting-edge expertise to support both the ambitions of global asset managers and the growth trajectories of international businesses."