Amit Kumar is a Partner in the General Corporate practice at the Firm, and specialises in Projects and Project Finance, Private Equity, Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets.

Amit has played a key role in structuring some of the biggest M&As, Financing, Securitisation, Cross Border Acquisitions, and Disinvestment Transactions at the firm. In the course of his professional career, Amit has had the opportunity to be involved in sectors ranging from Media, Technology, Entertainment, Pharmaceutical, Energy (electricity, oil and gas), Mining, and Aviation.

Amit has advised some of the largest Indian and international companies, along with advising the government of India on critical policy issues. Some of his notable transactions include advising some of the leading media companies with respect to entry into Indian market and doing business in India. The firm has advised RTL Group, part of Bertelsmann, which has worldwide presence in around 50 countries with its core businesses of media and services in establishing a corporate centre in India including Penguin Random House, RTL Group, Gruner + Jahr, Arvato and Be Printers.

Select Experience Statement

Projects and Project Financing

• Advised GDF Suez Tractebel S.A in relation to acquisition of interest in a power company.
• Advised Norfund, a Norwegian entity in the finalization of their entry strategy to develop and implement hydro power projects in India and Nepal.
• Acted as domestic legal counsel to consortium of IDBI Bank Limited, Dubai and Standard Chartered Bank, London (as ECB Lenders)and was involved in conducting legal due diligence on the Borrower, vetting of the facility agreement from Indian law perspective, drafting of the tripartite agreement, various security documents and intercreditor agreement governed by Indian law.

Media, Entertainment and Technology

• Advised Astro, a Malaysian entity, in connection with their joint venture with Kalanithi Maran for setting up DTH services in India. The scope of work included structuring the transaction in view of the DTH and MIB licensing regime. The deal value was close to USD 600 Million.
• Advised Astro in connection with the formation of joint venture with Sun Group in connection with setting FM Radio Business in India. The scope included a maze of structuring issues arising from FM Radio licensing regime.
• Advised Astro with regard to joint-venture for a 24 hours food channel in India with Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

General Corporate – Acquisitions and Joint Ventures

• Advised Mitsui & Co., Ltd. on all aspects related to the transaction. Claris Lifesciences Limited (“Claris”), a listed company in India, intends to transfer the business of common solutions, anti-infectives, plasma volume expanders and parental nutrition, in India and several international markets, to a new company (“JV”). Subsequent to such transfer, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc. (“OPF”), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (“Mitsui”) would invest in the JV, such that post completion of the transaction the shareholding of the JV would be: OPF: 60%, Mitsui: 20%, and Claris: 20%.
• Advised Carrefour Group, France, in connection with firming up their entry strategy in India in light of the extant FDI prohibition in multi brand trading. The scope includes negotiation with potential Indian partners and structuring the transaction.

Private Equity Transactions 

• Advised Trinity Capitals in relation to their investments in various real estate projects in India – Phoenix Mills, Manjeera Constructions, and Pipavav Ports. The scope of advice included structuring of transactions taking into account of FDI implications, drafting and negotiating transactions documents. The cumulative deal value for the transactions would be approximately USD 200 Million.
• Advised DE Shaw in connection with a real estate transaction with deal value worth USD 500 million.
• Advised IL&FS Investment Advisors LLC in relation to proposed investment in a golf based township in Ludhiana.

Cross-border Acquisition Transactions – Energy

• Advised and assisted GAIL India Limited on its acquisition of certain equity stake in city gas distribution companies promoted by Shell in Egypt. The scope of work involved conducting legal due diligence on the target company situated in Egypt along with the Egyptian local counsel, discussions with the management on the key issues identified during the legal due diligence process and negotiating the transaction documents with the promoter/stakeholder of such target company.
• Advised Indian Oil Corporation Limited in relation to its acquisition of certain equity stake in a holding company having controlling interest in petrochemical companies in Indonesia.

Government Privatisations

• Advised the Ministry of Disinvestment, Government of India on the various disinvestment transactions undertaken by the Government of India in public sector undertakings. Some of such transactions include Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Paradeep Phosphates Limited, Hindustan Organics Chemicals Limited, Maruti Udyog Limited. The scope of work included advising the Government on the structures and sensitivities surrounding a privatization transaction, drafting of the transaction documents and negotiation with the Bidders.

A detailed experience statement can be shared on a confidential basis.

Professional Memberships

• Bar Council of Delhi

Education

• LL.B, Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi
• B.A. (Hons.), University of Delhi