Akil Hirani
Managing Partner and Head of Transactions
Akil Hirani is one of India’s leading lawyers having more than 25 years of experience. His particular experience includes structuring investments of foreign companies and financial institutions into India, tax and regulatory advice, M&A, joint ventures, and private equity.
Rankings & Credentials
- Banking and Finance
- Corporate/M&A
- Private Equity and Venture Capital
- Projects and Energy
- Tax
- Technology, Media and Telecommunications
- Consumer and Retail
- Financial Services and Insurance
- Manufacturing and Industrial
- Technology
- Pharmaceuticals and Life-Sciences
- BA, St. Xavier’s College, University of Mumbai
- LLB (Hons.), Government Law College, University of Mumbai
- India
- California (inactive)
- England and Wales (inactive)
- Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa
- Bombay Incorporated Law Society
- State Bar of California
- International Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Law Society for England and Wales
- Inducted into the “Hall of Fame” by Asia Pacific Legal 500, having been recommended as a leading lawyer within corporate/M&A for the last 13 years
- Winner of the 2019 International Advisory Experts Award – Banking & Finance – India
- Finalist under the category of “Managing Partner of the Year” for the ALB 1st India Law Awards
- Top 100 Legal Luminaries of India published by Lexis Nexis and Practical Law Company
- A-list of India’s top 100 lawyers by India Business Law Journal
Recent Transactions
- Represented Pelliconi & C. SPA on acquiring a majority stake in Oricon Packaging Limited engaged in the packaging business in India.
- Represented Hareon Solar Technology Company Limited in connection with a joint venture agreement with ReNew Power Ventures Private Limited to develop a solar project of 72 MW capacity in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
- Advised Capricorn Investment Group, LLC on its existing investment in VAS Data Services Private Limited which runs and operates the online retailer “YepMe.”
- Represented Axis Bank Limited on complex corporate, insurance and securities law issues in respect of the proposed merger of Max Life Insurance Company Limited with HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited (now terminated.)
- Represented Cigna Corporation, Inc. in respect of the proposed increase in stake in its insurance joint venture in India, CignaTTK Health Insurance Company Limited (CignaTTK), from 26% to 49%, and in respect of the proposed replacement of TTK Group, an Indian conglomerate, by the Manipal Education and Medical Group as the Indian joint venture partner of Cigna Corporation.
- Represented NantHealth, Inc. in the sale of its Indian subsidiary to Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. as a part of a global asset purchase agreement to sell the assets of NantHealth forming part of its provider/patient engagement solutions business to Allscripts.
- Represented Utkarsh Global Holdings Private Limited, one of the promoters of Excel Crop Care Limited, in connection with the sale by Utkarsh (along with certain other shareholders) of its stake in Excel to Sumitomo Chemical Company for US$94 million.
- Advised Norinchukin Bank, Singapore in connection with its proposed lending activities in India.
Articles
M&A trends in 2021 and the outlook for 2022
M&A activity worldwide has seen a year-on-year rise due to a myriad of factors, including, relaxed regulatory scrutiny, reduced operating costs, and beneficial tax regimes. The disruption caused by the pandemic led to a rise in protectionist measures in...
Changes proposed to India’s telecom sector – an analysis
Through a press release issued on September 15, 2021, India’s Union Cabinet has announced structural and process reforms to India’s telecommunication sector. These reforms are expected to infuse liquidity, encourage investment and reduce the regulatory burden on...
The Impact of the Proposed Revamp of E-commerce Rules in India
On June 21, 2020, the Indian government issued draft rules (the “Draft Amendment”) to amend the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 (the “E-Commerce Rules”), which were introduced in July 2020. The Draft Amendment been issued against a backdrop of complaints...
India’s pharmaceutical and life sciences sector poised for unbridled growth
India’s pharmaceutical and life sciences industry plays a pivotal role on the world stage, fulfilling over 50% of the global demand for vaccines, 40% of demand for generic drugs in the USA and 25% of all medicine in the UK. India continues to be the world’s largest...
RBI panel issues recommendations to private sector banks in India
On November 20, 2020, the internal working group of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its report listing out some recommendations for changes to banking license requirements and the corporate structure of private sector banks in India. The key recommendations...
M&A in India: post-lockdown trends and issues
Distress Currently, the one word that best describes the situation of many Indian companies and businesses is “distress”. The two-plus months of a fairly stringent lockdown in most major Indian metros, including Mumbai (which contributes 6% of India’s GDP), has badly...