"The company acquiring merger and acquisition are dependable upon its planning and strategies whether they will profitable or in losses. India has many cases through which they proved its not lagging in this aspect of merger and acquisition from worldwide. The concept of merger and acquisition can also be a risky process which has to be adopted, as it may bring various problems to the company in terms of the management, it working, etc., To bring out such extraordinary mergers and acquisitions that are making massive changes in the peoples’ lives, we have come up with this interesting issue titled, “The 10 Highly Trusted Merger & Acquisition Consulting Firms in 2018”
4. Editorial
erger and acquisition (M&A) a path business take to achieve
Mexponential and not just linear growth and therefore continues to
generate interest.
“Flaming enthusiasm, backed by horse sense and persistence, is the quality
that most frequently makes for success.” A quote that holds good for M&A in
India, and a credo to which Indian companies seem to subscribe given their
successes to date in completing acquisitions.
There is little to stop Indian companies that desire to be global names for
playing the merger and amalgamation game globally. With a plethora of
financing options, this aspiration has become a reality for many business
houses, who now boast of having the best in the industry under their wings.
Both within and beyond the national frontiers the Indian companies have often
surpassed their foreign counterparts in corporate restructuring. The legal
framework for such corporate restructuring must be accessible and facilitative
and not restrictive and mired in bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles.
At a time when Indian business houses are continually looking at inorganic
growth through acquisitions of other businesses, the M&A arena appears
stronger than ever before now. Recently, much consolidation in the form of
mergers, share acquisitions, and business acquisitions has been observed in
telecom, cement, banking, power and insurance.
Within a business, a merger or acquisition is often treated as a standalone
project to manage, with individuals within the company consolidating financial
records, analyzing human resources, and paving a new path forward. It requires
significant attention to detail and cooperation from both sides, and in some
cases, the deal falls through before everything is finalized.
Many M&A dealings are based on the premise that it makes perfect logic to
inorganically acquire key customers or key suppliers of the target enterprise as
it gives the opportunity to add margins to the company with little incremental
effort. Most of the time, one sees front-end companies obtaining their back-end
suppliers with the reason that the margin that the back-end company is
producing can be easily further added and increased as well as cut down when
it becomes a captive unit.
“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility
for our future”, and the future of India is bright indeed.
Mergers and
Acquisitions Potent
Indicators of a
Robust and
Growing Economy
Shweta Priyadarshini
Shweta Priyadarshini
6. AZB & Partners
Providing Reliable, Practical and
Full-service Advice to Clients
28
INTERVIEWS WITH INSIGHTS SUCCESS
ARTICLES
Editor’s Pick
Mergers and Acquisitions:
Where, One plus One
Equals to Three
22
Merger Talk
Reshaping Startup
India with M&A
36
CONTENTS
Luthra & Luthra Law Ofces
Leading Law Firm Offering
Exceptional Legal Solutions
08
7. CXO
Industry Outlook
Challenges and
Opportunities in
Business Consulting
32
How Legal Service Providers
are transforming Corporate
Legal Departments
14
Expert’s View
ANOVA Corporate Services
Providing Strategic Solutions to Clients
through Mergers & Acquisitions (M&As)
16
BIORx Venture Advisors
Providing Highly Specialized Financial
and Strategic Advisory Services
20
Oakcapita Advisory LLP
Offering a Myriad Range of Swift
and Seamless Services Globally
26
PDS Legal
A New-Age Firm Building a
Robust Legal Practice
40
Veritas Legal
Imparting Specialized Solutions
42
ONGO Framework
A Trailblazer in the Vertical of Enterprise
Mobility and Digital Transformation
34
8. he basic purpose of merging the company is to achieve faster growth in the corporate world. Faster growth of
Tthe company may be shelf through product improvement and other purpose for acquisitions. The company by
the way of merging and acquisition can safeguard the sources of supplies of raw materials and to obtain
economies of purchase in the form of discount, saving cost of transportation costs, overhead costs in buying
department etc. When the company acquire merger and acquisition it depends upon its planning and strategies
whether they will profitable or in losses. India has many cases through which they proved its not lagging in this
aspect of merger and acquisition from worldwide. The concept of merger and acquisition can also be a risky process
which has to be adopted, as it may bring various problems to the company in terms of the management, it working,
etc.,
To bring out such extraordinary mergers and acquisitions that are making massive changes in the peoples’ lives, we
have come up with this interesting issue titled, “The 10 Highly Trusted Merger & Acquisition Consulting Firms
in 2018”
In this issue, we have featured Oakcapita Advisory LLP is a boutique middle market M&A advisory firm
headquartered in India. It strives to provide a broad spectrum of strategic M&A solutions in due diligence, capital
raising, equity offerings, debt issuances, and derivatives. PDS Legal is a full service law firm with offices in Mumbai
and New Delhi. Recognized for its industry focus, the firm has a strong presence across all the key industry sectors
including financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, aviation, manufacturing, technology and innovation.
Veritas Legal, a Mumbai based law firm has successfully carved a niche for itself. Established in 2015, the Firm is
known for agile thinking, pro-activeness and commitment to clients. ONGO Framework a B2B IT and Digital
solution provider that assists SMEs and start-ups with enterprise mobility and digital transformation. BIORx offers
advisory services to a wide range of companies and is set to become the most preferred financial and strategic partner
for the life-sciences industry of India. ANOVA is a fast-growing Chennai-based Investment Banking and Advisory
company that specializes in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) activities such as Transaction Advisory, Buy-side or
Sell-side Opportunities, Due Diligence, Business Valuation, Financial Modelling, Fundraising, Re-Financing and
Re-Structuring.
We have also taken an Interview with Insights Success; Rajiv K Luthra is the Founder and Managing Partner of
L&L Partners highlighting the influences made by his company to take Luthra & Luthra Law Offices to a new level
and AZB & Partners, providing reliable, practical and full-service sadvice to clients. The firm is considered an
M&A powerhouse and a one-stop shop which provides clients, services across all major practice areas. The firm is
considered one of the top 2 law firms in India.
We have article How Legal Service Providers are transforming Corporate Legal Departments written by
Jaspreet Kaur, Vice- President of Mind Merchant and Challenges and Opportunities in Business Consulting
written by Lalit Khanna – Founder & Managing Director, SL Consultants
Our in-house editors have also written article on Reshaping Startup India with M&A
This issue being the break of our voyage towards unveiling many such phenomenal businesses, we have set sail on
the tides of the business world to discover new horizons.
Come relish the essence of Business with us.
Merger and Acquisitions:
The Path Businesses take to Achieve
Exponential Growth
10T
H
E
HIGHLY
TRUSTED
MERGER & ACQUISITION
CONSULTING FIRMS IN 2018
11. LUTHRA & LUTHRA
LAW OFFICES:
Leading Law Firm Offering Exceptional Legal Solutions
n an interview with Insights Success, Rajiv K Luthra is the Founder and
IManaging Partner of L&L Partners gave some insightful answers
highlighting the influences made by his company to take Luthra & Luthra
Law Offices to a new level.
1.Brief us about your company and what kind of solutions/services/products
does your company offer at par with the current industry standards?
L&L Partners [formerly known as Luthra & Luthra Law Offices] is a leading
full service law firm, with a team of over 350 Counsel, and offices at New
Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
In keeping with the Firm’s legacy of offering exceptional legal solutions &
client advice; teams at the Firm ensure that clients receive practical, innovative
& cost-effective advice in a responsive manner, while upholding the highest
ethical standards. Enormous amounts of knowledge, experience &
commitment, successfully help close/ resolve complex & high value
transactions & disputes, with practical & creative legal solutions.
Consistently ranked and globally recognized as leaders in the field, we adopt a
forward-looking approach towards the practice of law, combining both
conventional practice areas & emerging sectors, setting benchmarks and the
highest technical standards within the legal fraternity.
Whilst handling clients across major industry practice areas & sectors, we
provide legal guidance & assistance to a wide range of domestic &
international clients as well as foreign firms, adding to a multitude of global
clients.
Since its inception in 1990 which coincides with India’s economic
liberalization, L&L has assisted numerous multinational corporations to set up
their presence in India, and navigate the complex Indian legal system.
Offering precedent-setting solutions to complex legal issues, the Firm advises
on transactions and matters involving Banking & Finance; Capital Markets;
Competition & Anti-trust; Corporate Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions;
Rajiv K Luthra
Founder & Managing Partner
Interview with Insights success
December 2018| 09
12. Dispute Resolution (Litigation & Arbitration); Anti-Corruption & Compliance; International Trade (WTO) Laws and
Policy & Advisory; Project, Infrastructure & Energy; Tax (Direct & Indirect); Real Estate & Construction;
Aerospace & Defence (Procurement & Production); Insurance & Re-Insurance; Intellectual Property - Patent &
Trademark; Oil & Gas; Health & Pharmaceuticals; Private Equity & Venture Capital Investments.
The Firm and its lawyers have been consistently ranked and recognised by leading legal publications across each
of our practice areas. Our clients include many of the world’s leading corporations, funds, banks and financial
institutions.
2. During the journey towards growth, what are the challenges the company has faced?
The challenges we have faced as a Firm are far too many to enumerate. We have never perceived them as an
impediment to our growth, but as lessons learnt over time enabling us to fine tune ourselves to nuances of
different personalities. We, as a Firm have not had any difficulty in coming together collectively and acting as a
cohesive unit working in perfect synchronization and harmony, during trying times. And in our experience, there
is no tide which we are not able to sail through, when we stand united.
3. Share your point of view on the current scenario of the Industry and its future.
It is our understanding that the legal profession is continuing to gain its due respect and recognition in the
domestic space as well as on the global platform. Legal professionals in In-House roles are steadily becoming an
important voice to ‘Promoters’, ‘Board of Directors’ and ‘Chief Executives’ alike. Legal advisory services are no
longer looked upon as ‘support services’, but their importance has been acknowledged by many an industry
leader, as their legal teams have helped them counter many risks and helped bring efficiencies in the
organization’s overall operations, while continuing to follow the letter of Law.
Statisticians from top analytics institutions around the world are very optimistic about the Indian economy,
corporate sector and capital markets. We believe the growth of the Indian legal industry is pegged to India’s
growth story, for which, we too have a very positive outlook.
4. Tell us something about the CEO/founder/MD of the company?
Rajiv K Luthra is the Founder and Managing Partner of L&L Partners (former Luthra and Luthra Law Offices).
He has over three decades of experience as a trusted advisor to the Indian government and top domestic and
international corporations, and serves on numerous corporate boards.
He has been awarded the ‘National Law Day Award’ by the Prime Minister of India, for his “… his singular
contribution to the practice of corporate and commercial law in India and for being one of the country’s earliest
pioneers in international transaction lawyering” and is the recipient of the ‘International Jurists Award’ by the
Attorney-General and Chief Justice of the United Kingdom, for his unique contribution in the field of cross-
border transactions and banking & finance law in India. At the Economic Times’ Asian Business Leaders
Conclave in Kuala Lumpur, he was recognized as ‘The Most Promising Business Leader of Asia’. He has received
the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his accomplishments & achievements in the International M&A sector at
the 4th Annual International M&AAdvisor Awards in New York. He has also been inducted in the M&A Hall of
Fame, New York and has been honored as a “Legend in Indian Corporate Law” and as an “Ace Legal Eagle for
Indian corporate law, specializing in tax, regulatory & compliance laws” at the Asian Business Leadership
Forum Excellence Awards in Dubai.
December 2018|10
13. Most recently he has been appointed by the Hon’ble Minister for Corporate Affairs, on the High Level
Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, shortly before which, he was also
appointed as a Member of a High Level Advisory Group in the Department of Commerce by the Hon’ble Minister of
Commerce & Industry to make recommendations on pursuing opportunities, addressing challenges and finding a
way forward amidst emergent issues in the contemporary global trade scenario. He is the only legal expert in this
esteemed group.
5. What are the benefits and support your clients are getting from your company in this fastest growing
competitive world?
Our vision for our relationship with a client is not myopic or limited to one transaction/mandate/case. For us each
interaction with our client is an opportunity for us to build on our relationship with them. We intend to be their
trusted advisor in all legal and business issues they grapple with, to extent we can. We go the extra mile in
suggesting other financial advisors/business consultants as the case may be, to help them attain their desired
goals. What we have developed a reputation for with our clients over the past three decades, is that we are with
them each step of their journey through, what is for them – unchartered territory. We only rest, when see them
through the finish line, not a moment before that.
6. Kindly brief us about your strategies to tackle the competition in your sector. What steps are you taking to
ensure that you continue to grow and develop?
It may come as a surprise, but we are happy to report that we do not have any strategy in place, which targets or is
centered around competition. It is our Founder’s and Senior Partners belief that we must strive to act in our
clients best interest and help them with advise which brings about maximum benefit while striking a balance our
client and the counterparty involved. This is because no case/matter can be seen in isolation; we want to ensure
that a mutually beneficial agreement and conclusion is arrived at, because as legal professionals, to us, justice and
fairness is paramount. This core belief can very well be considered our Firm’s purpose and mission.
7. Tell us something about your upcoming services/plans.
As a full service law firm, our advisory spans across legal practice areas and industry sectors. We intend to lay
emphasis and strengthen our effort to expand our scope of services by partnering with global law firms, and
domestic law firms in other jurisdictions to be able to provide services to our clients, wherever they are present or
have interest.
8. What are the future plans of your company? How are you/is your company contributing in making it
better?
We are investing in technology to ensure that we are aligned with the advancements in systems and processes that
act as enablers for better service delivery and allow us to measure our performance in an organized and efficient
manner. More importantly, we continue to invest in our human capital, which we value above all else. We do this
by taking on budding legal professionals in our internship program, allowing both the individual and our firm to
assess whether we are a natural fit. Young professionals are assigned a mentor to help them navigate through
difficulties they may face in their path of growing to be full-rounded, accomplished professionals. For our
existing family, i.e. counsels at the Firm, we do our best to help them grow in their individual path of professional
ascension within the Firm's ranks. We wish to maintain cordial relations with those of our counsels who choose a
different path for their career; we mean to formalize this by means of hosting events for our Alumnus, as a
goodwill gesture.
December 2018| 11
14. Read it FirstRead it First
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15.
16. Jaspreet Kaur heads global client engagement
across all service lines warranting Mind
Merchants’ commitment towards catering to
latest and ever-growing legal technology
solutions. As an in-house Counsel and Head of
Operations, she has been instrumental in
contributing and facilitating Mind Merchants
growth with a focus on delivering best in class
legal operation solutions. Jaspreet’s contribution
in providing business analytical direction for
specic product groups or business objectives in
order to improve the total customer experience
is pivotal to Mind Merchants.
She works closely with the sales division to help
dene opportunities and close large opportunities
with the right solutions and mapping key value
propositions to customers business.
She has been efcaciously and effectively
contributing as part of revenue generation group
of the company. She brings in her decade long
experience and has helped numerous GC’s
undertake strategic reviews, efciency and
process optimisations, and technology
deployments and managed the successful
integration of software. Jaspreet is a
change-maker, and highly skilled in identifying and
enacting practical solutions to complicated,
multi-faceted issues.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HOW LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
ARE TRANSFORMING
CORPORATE LEGAL DEPARTMENTS
Jaspreet Kaur
December 2018|14
17. n our interlinked world, business lifecycles are getting
Ishorter and shorter. Organisations have anticipated
changes in business models continuously every once in a
while, but now many keep changing their strategies rapidly.
There are times when the model continues meeting the
organisational goals concerning revenue, competitiveness
and cost differentiation and doesn’t require to be shifted right
away. However, an organisation should be prepared to
upgrade it whenever it is needed and should know when and
how todoassuch.
Corporate legal departments are better braced than ever to
explore, analyse and redesign their vital activities. Driving
this new flexibility of the business model is the underlying
reality that changes in competitive action don’t adhere to
yearly schedules. Change is being driven by what occurs in
themarketandnotintheconferenceroom.
SuccessfulGeneralCounselsaretheonesthatutiliseharddata
to set up priorities for their organisations, to show results
based on different scenarios and to design their business
models while still depending on the existing plans. Like how
phones nowadays can be swiftly updated with new software
downloaded over the internet, business models should be
tested and continuously evaluated to keep up with economic
conditionsandtrends.
Changes in technology and its related advancements allow for
significant innovation in business models. The organisations
in the future will amaze us with ground-breaking and
unconventional plans of action. It is by definition hard to
predict what will overwhelm us or what will prove to be
creative. In any case, we can to some degree cast our look over
the organisations that are currently rising- because the future
beginstoday.
The legal industry has always been identified as being
conventional, unsusceptible to change, and led by precedent
instead of innovation. Even though when compared to other
sectors, the legal industry has lagged behind, the pace, reach
and scope of technology in the legal industry, in the course of
themostrecentyearsmadesignificantstrides.
Powerful forces are reshaping the corporate legal market,
including digitisation of data. Legal technology solutions can
help legal departments thrive in this new period, only if they
comprehend the tech scene and revaluate crucial critical
componentsoftheirbusiness model.
The legal industry is encountering an era of transformation
globally.The changes are diverse and unmistakable. Software
solutions are substituting paperwork; trans-national borders
arelegallygettingnarrower;economicpowers are
re-characterising law practices; in-house law departments are
driving notable value creation; customer patterns have started
todominatethelegalscene,togivesomeexamples.
Furthermore, new jogs of progress in the legal business have
developed: millennial lawyers are transforming the work
culture; technologists are bringing in artificial intelligence,
and General Counsels are functioning as entrepreneurs and
not just lawyers. These and other revolutionary changes will
be more articulated in the years to come. The changes in the
industry are putting pressure on all the stakeholders- lawyers,
in-house teams, law firms,consultancies- to react to the
change(s)rapidly.
While innovation gradually penetrated the legal industry, it
has now started to affect the business models of legal services.
Services which rely upon judgement and experience can’t be
replaced by technology; however, everything else is “open to
change”. Legal research and due diligence can be automated
and outsourced through cutting-edge tools mobilising
Artificial Intelligence (“AI”). The use of AI software can
potentially enhance how all organisations contract – and it
will do as such in three different ways: by changing the tools
firms use to contract, impacting the content of contracts, and
influencingtheproceduresbywhichfirms contract.
Contract Lifecycle Management tools enable companies to
access control over contracts across the company, letting them
streamline contract creation, simplify the negotiation process
and guarantee that best practices are observed all through the
contract delivery process. An affiliated signature solution
guarantees that each document gets signed as required, by all
relevant parties. Digitization ensures contracts are stored in a
centralised repository, data is secured with adaptable security
controls, customized approval policies are set up, and that
users canusetheplatformthroughtheirfavouredmedium.
In an undeniably complicated and fast-paced business
environment, companies need to evaluate and revisit their
business model more often than before. They have to
continually change and upgrade their models, particularly
amid times of economic unrest and industry changes.
Companies need to ensure their business models are lined up
with client value (and regularly updated), are logical (they
gain knowledge from evolved intelligence), and are versatile
(theyareempoweredbyanadaptableworkingmodel).
”
Exper’s View
December 2018| 15
18. ANOVA
Corporate
Services
Providing Strategic Solutions
to Clients through Mergers
& Acquisitions (M&As)
process. ANOVA also assists with DD Preparedness for its
Clients, with the aim of providing an end-to-end assistance
for M&A / Fundraise Advisory for Corporates and
Investors.
ANOVA also offers Business Valuation services to provide
independent advisory to corporate board of directors,
helping them determine the right price to pay or accept for a
business. It helps evaluate shareholder value for
stakeholders by providing comparatives such as Sales,
EBITDA and P/E multiples, to the extent possible, besides
identifying the business synergies.
Meet the Persona
Chandrashekar Kupperi, Founder, ANOVA Corporate
Services and an Angel Investor has two decades of
experience in various multinationals with diversified sector
experience – FMCG, Life Insurance, Audit & Assurance
and Oil & Gas sectors. Shekar has been part of over 11
Acquisitions and 6 Divestments, including 100% divestment
of Lornamead Group to Hong Kong-based consumer goods
group Li & Fung for $190 million.
He is a Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant and a
Company Secretary by qualification; a Rank Holder and
Medalist in both ICAI and ICWAI. He is also a member of
Institute of Management Accountants, US; Institute of
Public Accountants, Australia and Chartered Institute for
oday's business world is of growing economy and
Tglobalization, so most of the companies are
struggling to achieve the optimal market share
possible in both – Domestic and International markets.
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) inorganically provides a
business with a potentially bigger market share and it opens
the business up to a more diversified market. The phrase
mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate
strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with
the buying, selling and combining of different companies
that can aid, finance, or help a growing company in a given
industry grow rapidly without having to create another
business entity.
ANOVA Corporate Services specializes in Mergers &
Acquisitions and provides an end-to-end solution to its
clients. Given the experience with domestic and cross
border deal structures, ANOVA can arrive at possible
effective options to maximize value creation for clients and
provide strategic support on pre-transition and post-
transition matters. It works closely with the clients during
the process and also liaises with advisors on the buyer /
seller side to ensure smooth closure and transition.
Critical Elements of Transactions
ANOVA provides DD & VDD (Vendor Due Diligence)
services with the intent of maximizing value, minimizing
disruption and avoiding late surprises through the disposal
Chandrashekar Kupperi
Founder
December 2018|16
19. “We offer world class
customized solutions to
the clients, with SMART
analytical, financial &
commercial insights
• Finding the right fit between investor, investee and
creating a philosophy-value synergy by the right match.
• Structuring the deal to ensure the right execution and
transition during the said change.
Ensuring Growth and Tackling Competition
Since ANOVA works pre-dominantly with MSME
companies, including early stage start-ups, their work
philosophy does not just stop with creating synergies by
making the right transactions but also by addressing the fact
that it needs to journey through their maturity by mentoring,
positioning, and bringing financial discipline through
Strategic CFO advisory services. That’s where ANOVA has
a differentiating approach from the competition.
Along with acting right and responding according to the
changing market dynamics, it is the achievement-oriented
and customer-centric strategy that helps ANOVA to excel in
every area of their operation. An aggressive plan is required
to be the industry leaders, and this is what the organization
is continuously doing. Such an approach is motivating their
workforce, helping them get the best talent pool from the
market and facilitating their growth story.
Upcoming Services
ANOVA plans to extend its corporate advisory services
segment in order to support larger corporates including
MNCs and help them mature in business process
optimization and efficiency in financial information
management and utilization by mentoring them and helping
them build a system.
Futuristic Approach
ANOVA is constantly striving to reach beyond the horizons
and in that pursuance, is looking to get involved in larger
transactions and move towards creating many more cross
border transactions. It believes the day of managing the own
fund is not far away.
Securities and Investments, UK. He holds a Master’s degree
in Business Administration and has also completed a Senior
Management certification programme from IIM-Calcutta.
Assisting with Fundraise
The company assists with Fundraising services required to
support not only the initial capital requirements but also the
growth strategies. The team interacts closely with PE, VC
and HNI investors on an on-going basis and has a good
understanding of their culture, functioning, investment
philosophy and preferences which help facilitate the most
appropriate investor–company fit, thus delivering the best
value. On the debt side, they arrange funding including
banking, asset-based lending, securitization, project debt,
senior debt, mezzanine financing, raising debt to finance
LBOs or MBOs, acquisition financing and recapitalizations.
Value-Driven Approach
ANOVA helps its clients make distinctive, lasting, and
substantial improvements in their performance and supports
them to achieve:
• Assessment of the business position and future prospects.
• Providing the right valuation opinion and expectation that
bridges the gap between aspirations and practicality.
“
December 2018| 17
10T
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HIGHLY
TRUSTED
MERGER & ACQUISITION
CONSULTING FIRMS IN 2018
20.
21.
22. BIORx Venture
Advisors
Providing Highly Specialized
Financial and Strategic
Advisory Services
had worked with various Govt. agencies in
conceptualization and implementation of the funding
schemes. Some of marquee transactions he worked on
includes financing of India’s largest Multi-Specialty single
location hospital “Medanta Medicity” at NCR- Gurgaon.
Vishal has authored/presented six Knowledge papersand,
published few articles related to various facets of
Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices.
Value-Based Offerings for BIORx
The company strives to cater to its customer base according
to the requirement in keeping with the best industry
standards and below is a snippet of their offerings.
• Private Equity Placement/ Venture Capital Placement
• Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory & Financing
Arrangement
• Project feasibility studies
• Joint venture partner search
• Identification of buyers for sale
• Technology Transfer, etc
• Term Debt Syndication-Arrangement of INR Term Debt,
Project Finance and External Commercial Borrowings
• Arrangement and Management of working capital
facilities
• Structured Finance
Smooth Seas do not make Skillful Sailors
Vishal Gandhi says the challenges the company has faced
has made them grew, bloomed and are six years older and
counting. The company has never perceived them as an
he wealth management industry is facing one of its
Tgreatest challenges in decades as demographic and
cultural shifts are simultaneously increasing the
demand for investment services and thinning the ranks of
qualified financial advisors.
BIORx Venture Advisors Private Limited (BIORx) is
committed to provide highly specialized financial and
strategic advisory services. It has a proven track record of
various transactional closures towards supporting superior
investment growth opportunities and is committed to
provide highly specialized financial and strategic advisory
services.
An Astute and a Fascinating Leader of the Organisation
Vishal Gandhi, the Founder and CEO of BIORx Venture
Advisors Pvt Ltd (BVA) leads an accomplished team of
MBAs, Chartered Accountants and Life -Sciences Domain
Experts. The focus of BVA has been on providing Mergers
and Acquisitions (M&A) /J.V advisory services,
Technology Transfer, Commercial and Technical due
diligence and helping clients raise capital. He has provided
opinions and reports on over 100 valuations in his career.
Prior to starting his own company, Vishal had a 7 year stint
with YES Bank, where he significantly developed the Life
Sciences and Healthcare Vertical bringing in business from
over 35 significant transactions in the area of M&A/Private
Equity /Debt Space.
He was extensively involved in financial, technical and
commercial due diligence for Bank In -house clients and
Vishal Gandhi
Founder & CEO
December 2018|20
23. “Committed to provide
life science-focused
specialized financial
and strategic
advisory services
Learning from them, BIORx grew keeping relationship as
their top most priority.
The support/ benefits the clients get from BIORx side are:-
• Less fees but global reach.
• Better knowledge of the market to help connect relevant
companies/investors.
Training and Development
Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the
knowledge base of all employees. The company believes
that the training will give the employee a greater
understanding of their responsibilities within their role, and
in turn build their confidence. Most employees will have
some weaknesses in their workplace skills. A training
program allows one to strengthen those skills that each
employee needs to improve. A development program brings
all employees to a higher level so they all have similar
skills and knowledge.
Funding- Fuel that powers BIORx
BIORx plans to practice raising of money for working
capital or capital expenditures by issuing debt to individuals
or institutional investors. It plans to provide funding at
lower rates than equity financing, especially in periods of
historically low interest rates.
Competitive Spirit to Tackle Competition
It is always better to be Master of one than to be jack of all.
The organisation understood this and chose to establish
itself only in one sector that is healthcare and not to be in
many. This is one of the way of that the company chooses
to tackle the competition.
The Director of the company has a good experience of more
than a decade in same industry which helps to grow
continuously.
Advancing towards a Brighter Future
To ensure that it is aligned with the advancements, BIORx
have many plans for better future to flourish.
Some of them are:-
• Installation of CRM, which means more human time for
other fruitful works.
• Using Social Media and other digital platforms by hiring
people from same background.
impediment to our growth, but as lessons learnt over time
enabling us to fine tune ourselves to nuances of different
personalities.
During the journey towards growth the challenges faced
were:-
• It was new to business with many established competitors.
• No proven track record to lure customers.
• Low working capital and income made it difficult to hire
brighter minds.
View on Current Situation
Trust is tested in times of crisis, and advisers should be
aware of whether their clients fear crisis and market
volatility. The founder feels that the industry we operate in
is full of new entrants. Anyone with some knowledge of
finance tries to become a financial advisor. Free entry and
exit supports them whereas the repetitive business models
applying for fund makes it difficult to get financed and
acquired. Talking about its future looking at the current
scenario, he believes that the future belongs to old players.
Customers at the Core of Business
Creating relationships with customers before and after the
business in order to drive repeat business, loyalty and
profits delivers high-quality products.
Vishal Gandhi further adds that we have seen many well-
established companies fail, not because they were not
technology enabled or they lacked capital to grow but
because they were not client/customer centric.
“
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24. Mergers and Acquisitions
ith evolving
Wbusinesses, only the
most nimble and
pioneering is capable of survival.
Therefore it is an essential
strategic call for a company to
decide for any arrangements of
mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
M&A is considered as a crucial
part of a corporate finance world.
Two distinct establishments
together generate more value
compared to being on a separate
stand and hence M&A is brought
into existence. Companies assess
various opportunities in order to
amplify their wealth through
merger and acquisition. Mergers
are the blend of two enterprises
to form a single alliance, whereas
an acquisition is taking over of
one enterprise by the other.
Many steps are involved in
M&A; pre-acquisition review is
the first step where
self-assessment of acquiring
enterprise with concerns to need
for M&A and evaluation of
growth plan is included. In the
second step, searching and
screening of potential targets to
take over is performed. This
December 2018|22
26. process is carried out to scan strategic fit for acquiring
enterprise. The third step includes the detailed analysis
of shortlisted target company also denoted to as due
diligence. A negotiation to come to the agreement for a
negotiated merger is started after the target company is
selected. Agreement to the deal between the two
companies is done at this step. The final step is post-
merger integration, in this step formal announcement of
the approval of the merger by both companies will be
done if all the above steps work out well.
A merger is distinguished in three forms, and is
grounded on the competitive relations between the
merging companies. In a vertical merger, a firm acquires
either a supplier or customer, and in a horizontal merger,
a firm acquires another firm that sells or produces the
similar product. All acquisitions are encompassed by
conglomerate mergers, where merging companies are not
related to each other.
M&A can take place by purchasing common shares,
exchange of shares for assets, purchasing assets, and
purchasing common shares. There are several motives
for the formation of M&A which includes, strategic
realignment, technological change, branching out for
higher growth markets, financial collaboration for lower
cost capital, upsurge market share, tax considerations,
enhancing company's performance, and to speed up
growth.
For corporate M&A transactions, various M&A tools are
available and are used by corporates. An important
outcome from a study suggests benefits such as reduced
timelines and cost reduction, both for post-deal
integration and deal execution, are observed with the use
of tools. Conflicts decrease during deals through deeper
data analytics which helps strengthen assumptions and
enhance findings when tools are used. The use of M&A
technology tools supports in integrating and reporting.
The reason behind the success of numerous deals is the
tools which assist in reducing costs, conflicts, and time.
With the advancements in technology all over the world,
numerous businesses are thriving. The technology giants
are competing for leading artificial intelligence
technologies. According to a study, acquiring technology
assets has turned out to be the leading driver of M&A
pursuits. Besides earning technology, adding to product
contributions and growing customer sources are the
strategic imperatives of M&A sales. Digital strategy and
talent acquisition are the following drivers for the deals.
The converging industries are construction and
manufacturing, energy and construction, retail and
technology, and telecommunications and technology.
Sectors which continue an ongoing move towards
consolidation within their industries have the highest
expectation for sector convergence. Example of which is
merging of healthcare plans and healthcare providers.
To manage share price through M&A and integration,
some key aspects need to be taken into consideration.
One must ensure that they have strong M&A
experienced investor relation support in the pre-deal
process. Market and competitive landscape should be
apparent to the enterprise. One must beforehand prepare
the market for their M&A strategy. The company should
plan credibly and take care of deal leak pre-
announcement. The rationale must be announced clearly
in order to avoid further misunderstandings. Being
prepared for the adverse reactions will help manage the
situation. The quick wins must be delivered and
appropriately publicized. The company must gain
customer confidence and good will as it is the most
critical aspect of the business. Predicting competitor and
counter market reactions will help prepare for the
adverse reactions. Deal benefits need to be delivered to
the company, and one must demonstrate that they keep
public promises.
Mergers and acquisitions most of the time results in
several social benefits. They yield economies of scope
and scale that improve quality, reduce cost, and increase
output. Better technical skills and management, to
tolerate on less used assets can be brought by the
mergers. So, with the assistance of M&A, we can expect
our economy to achieve higher level.
December 2018|24
27.
28. Oakcapita
Advisory LLP
Offering a Myriad Range
of Swift and Seamless
Services Globally
industry. Binesh is an expert in the various areas, which
includes M&A, private equity and venture capital deals,
project finance. And also specializes in equity and debt
syndication fund raising assignments, market entry
strategies, JV's, strategic tie-ups and management
consultancy specialized in GCC, Asian and European
markets. He is closely associated with leading family
offices, business groups, HNIs and private equity funds in
the Middle East, Europe, the US and Asia. He juggles his
work routine between countries of Middle East, Europe and
India.
Accomplishing the Clients Desires
The main pursuit behind a merger, acquisition or restructure
is to create operational strategic and financial value. In
order to achieve the successful completion of these
outcomes, it requires greater transparency, in-depth market
and industry research, well-conceived strategies, planning,
implementation and execution excellence.
Oakcapita Advisory LLP has strategic partnerships with a
number of advisory firms globally, giving its clients an easy
access to foreign capital markets. The company has an
exclusive network of international investors, which helps
the clients achieve their strategic intent of growth,
expansion, cash flow generation and profit maximization.
The company is highly focused and committed to integrate
effective measures for developing customized growth
akcapita Advisory LLP is a specialist M&A
Oadvisory firm diversified across sectors and
geographies to reach out and serve clients seeking
in-depth strategic, investing and financial expertise. The
company consolidates its globally structured professional
expertise to render seamless advisory and investment
banking services to clients in major sectors including
manufacturing, automobile, industrials, consumer product,
real estate, retail, pharmaceutical and healthcare.
It strives to provide a broad spectrum of strategic M&A
solutions in due diligence, capital raising, equity offerings,
debt issuances, and derivatives. Be it sell-side, buy-side or
corporate restructuring, the company offers these solutions
through all the phases of M&A. It functions from
originating deals to post-deal execution and also help
businesses to achieve their strategic goals and stand
uniquely positioned on the global front.
Oakcapita Advisory LLP has an inclination towards
working with eminent firms having a reputed stature and it
also keeps a track of all kinds of businesses be it seed
funding, distressed, novel or promising.
The Resourceful Leader
A diligent personality, Binesh Balan is the Founder and
CEO at Oakcapita Advisory LLP. He has a rich experience
of over a decade working in the Investment Banking
Binesh Balan
Founder & CEO
December 2018|26
29. “When a client
finds a home
with us, they
have a
home for life
the right time can make a world of difference and position
the company uniquely in a globalized world.
It is striving to deliver its insights, expertise and experience
to its clients through each phase of the merger and
acquisition process. The company selects its deals after
proper due diligence and prefers in quality over quantity. It
is investing in developing a rich human capital to identify
challenges and harness them to opportunities by using local
and global knowledge to deliver customized strategies
suited for each client in such a highly competitive
landscape.
The Present and Future Times of the Industry
Currently, firms globally are realizing that inorganic growth
is the way ahead. With a relatively high level of market
concentration of business startups, corporates are
downsizing or realigning their operations by spurring
consolidations to focus on profitability, core business areas
and operational efficiency rather than market share. The
global economy has witnessed a gradual, but steady growth
over the recent years in terms of value from global M&A
transactions.
Exploring the Road Ahead
Embracing the digital revolution hands down is the way
forward. Going digital, can improve global collaborations,
deliver data-driven insights, reduce costs, time and
streamline the processes in a detail lifecycle.
Oakcapita Advisory LLP wants to create an era of giving
back to the society by covering and creating opportunities
of M&A with a shared purpose of social innovation and
business growth. The company believes that greater
commitment towards making a difference can often lead to
greater returns on investment. Delivering scalable
investment strategies by bringing together dynamic
business leaders and forward thinking investors can
generate economic returns with positive and measurable
social outcomes. It is also planning tie-ups with various
start-ups ecosystems globally, to serve its clients even
better.
strategies to help clients capitalize from complex
challenges. Its agility, adaptability and creativity in an
emerging business landscape will ensure success in
spanning sectors such as corporate finance, debt advisory,
capital-rising, corporate restructure and M&A transactions.
Upcoming Services and Plans
Oakcapita Advisory LLP plans to enter into Blockchain /
Technology space, possibly even as investors. It is planning
to incorporate its expertise with customized digital based
solutions to handle deal complexities and ensure smoother
deal implementation and execution. Embracing the
advanced M&A technology solutions can reduce the cost
and time and improve global collaborations and accelerate
M&A deal making and transactions.
Effectively Tackling Challenges
The major challenge Oakcapita Advisory LLP faced
initially was operating in the global context, where markets
are more interconnected due to the increasing globalization
of the M&A sector in general. Another challenge for the
company was to surpass the competition by establishing
itself as a brand to stand out from other boutique advisors
and securing interesting deals. The company has faced
numerous challenges till date and successfully overcome it.
It believes that every challenge can be seen as an
opportunity to rise in the longer run. Taking the right step at
“
December 2018| 27
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CONSULTING FIRMS IN 2018
30. AZB & PARTNERS
Providing Reliable, Practical and
Full-service Advice to Clients
Zia Mody
Founder
Ajay Bahl
Partner
Bahram N. Vakil
Partner
December 2018|28
31. 1. Brief us about your company and what kind of
solutions/services/products does your company offer
at par with the current industry standards?
AZB & Partners was founded in 2004 with a clear
purpose to provide reliable, practical and full-service
advice to clients, across all sectors. The Firm brought
together the practices of CZB & Partners in Mumbai
and Bangalore and Ajay Bahl & Company in Delhi.
Having grown steadily since its inception, AZB &
Partners now has offices across Mumbai, Delhi,
Bangalore, and Pune.
We have an accomplished and driven team of over 430
lawyers committed to delivering best-in-class legal
solutions to help clients achieve their objectives.
We are considered an M&A powerhouse and a one-stop
shop which provides our clients, services across all
major practice areas. Our firm is considered one of the
top 2 law firms in India.
Our greatest strength is an in-depth understanding of
legal, regulatory and commercial environments, in
India and elsewhere. This strength enables us to
provide bespoke counsel to help our diverse clients
negotiate any dynamic or volatile business
environment. At AZB & Partners, collaboration is an
everyday reality – we combine individual and mutual
strengths to achieve collective growth.
The legal services rendered by us cover the corporate,
commercial, regulatory, financial and tax planning
aspects of modern businesses. We have been involved in
advising in the field of mergers, acquisitions, joint
ventures and general corporate, regulatory practice
and securities laws, private equity, capital markets,
funds practice, banking and finance, compliance &
investigation, anti-corruption, anti bribery, anti money
laundering and corporate governance, microfinance,
derivatives, infrastructure and project finance, real
estate, media and entertainment, information
technology and business process outsourcing,
employment, insurance, intellectual property,
pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, taxation, aviation,
competition law, and litigation and arbitration.
The Firm’s clients include an array of domestic and
international companies. These range from privately
owned to publicly listed companies, including Fortune
500 entities, multinational companies (MNCs),
Investment Banks, Private Equity firms and more
across the world. The Firm has also built, through its
many professional engagements, strong relationships
with specialists, regulatory authorities and several
international law firms.
2. During the journey towards growth, what are the
challenges the company has faced?
Our growth has been fairly explosive. We started with
12 lawyers in the late 90s and we have grown as India
has grown. The challenge is, as always, growing at an
extremely fast pace trying to keep quality standards
consistent and always trying to be best in class which
required best lawyers, a rigorous training and a
passion for letterhead. The task was to grow a
scorching practice when training sometimes suffered.
3. Share your point of view on the current scenario of
the Industry and its future.
The legal profession and law firms are thriving. There
is enough space for all. We believe that all law firms
will continue to do well, especially the ones that have
the quality to do so. Legal issues are becoming more
and more nuanced and the client depends much more
than before on his lawyers’assessment of risk and to
judge his appetite for the relevant degree of risk.
4. Tell us something about the CEO/founder/MD of
the company?
Ms. Zia Mody was the founder of the 12-lawyer firm
which has now grown. There are 3 founding partners of
AZB & Partners viz. Mr. Ajay Bahl, Ms. Zia Mody and
Mr. Bahram N. Vakil.
Mr. Ajay Bahl:
Widely recognised as one of India's foremost corporate
attorneys, Ajay Bahl has been involved in complex and
high profile legal and tax transactions. In addition to
being a lawyer, he is a qualified chartered accountant,
which strengthens his expertise in structuring,
restructuring and transfer pricing related issues. His
experience spans an array of sectors, including media
and broadcasting, financial services,
telecommunications and information technology.
On behalf of the Indian Government, Ajay has served
before the International Court of Justice, Hague, as an
independent expert on accounting and tax issues. He
also served as a member of the committee constituted
by the Ministry of Finance in India, formed to simplify
the provisions of the Income Tax Act. He is also a
member of the Appellate Panel, formed by the Institute
of Insolvency Professionals, set up to discipline
insolvency professionals. Additionally, Ajay was a
member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Economic Growth and Investments Council. He is also
on the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of
Corporate Affairs (IICA), nominated by the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs. Ajay was a member of the
Committee to review the offences under the Companies
Interview with Insights success
December 2018| 29
32. 2016 (IBC). Bahram is also a member of the Insolvency
Law Amendment Committee, constituted by the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs for recommending
amendments to the IBC.
As part of his restructuring and bankruptcy experience,
Bahram has advised bidders, insolvency professionals,
domestic and international banks, hedge funds and
interim financiers under the IBC, including the large
stressed accounts referred to insolvency resolution by
the RBI.
Bahram also served on the U.K. Sinha
Committee – Working Group on Foreign Investment in
India, Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Committee
(FSLRC) – SEBI Advisory Group and SEBI
Sub – Group on Regulatory Guidelines for Redeemable
Non – Convertible Preference shares.
5. What are the benefits and support your clients is
getting from your company in this fastest growing
competitive world?
We believe that our clients get highly sophisticated and
nuanced in areas which are subject to regulatory
scrutiny and intervention with a deep understanding of
the issues in play. We also guide them in an extremely
competitive world on the right type of behaviour and
the absolute need for corporate governance.
6. Kindly brief us about your strategies to tackle the
competition in your sector. What steps are you
taking to ensure that you continue to grow and
develop?
Our strategy to tackle competition is simple – hire the
best, train the best, retain the best and let your quality
speak for itself.
7. Tell us something about your upcoming
services/plans.
We have plans to expand in relatively new practice
areas such as Forensic, Competition, Tax litigation, etc.
Our plan is to deepen bench strength in the Insolvency
& Bankruptcy practice and focus even more on the
forensic practice of the Firm.
8. What are the future plans of your company? How
are you/is your company contributing in making it
better?
Our future plan is to grow and to outstrip competition
in terms of the quality of lawyers and the advice we
offer. The plans are to continue to be best in class and
to create clear blue water between us and the rest of
our brethren. It is our partners who will ensure that this
whole position which we strive for is retained whilst
retaining the very special DNA of the Firm.
Act, 2013 constituted by the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs, Government of India in July 2018.
Ms. Zia Mody:
Renowned for her contribution to the legal world at
large, Zia Mody is amongst India’s most formidable
corporate lawyers. Considered an authority on
corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, securities law,
private equity and project finance, she has advised
clients across the world on marquee deals.
Zia served as Vice President and member of the London
Court of International Arbitration from 2009 through
2013. She was also a member of the World Bank
Administrative Tribunal from 2008 through 2013. She
continues to serve on several government committees
on financial reforms and corporate governance.
Zia has earned tremendous appreciation as a role
model for women in business. In 2017, 2016 and 2015,
she was ranked amongst Fortune India’s Top 5 Most
Powerful Business Women in India and in 2018 she was
ranked No. 1 in the same list. Likewise by Forbes India
as one of India’s 10 Most Powerful Women from 2013
through 2016; and by Forbes Asia as one of Asia’s 50
Power Businesswomen in 2015.
Her other achievements include her recognition as:
• The Deputy Chairman and a Non-Executive Director
of the HSBC Asia Pacific Board
• Member of the Governing Board of the International
Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA)
• Foreign arbitrator on the Panel of Arbitrators of the
China International Economic and Trade Arbitration
Commission (CIETAC)
• Member of the Godrej Committee on Corporate
Governance constituted by the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs in 2012
• Member of the “Committee on Rationalisation of
Investment Routes and Monitoring of Foreign
Portfolio Investments” formed by the Securities and
Exchange Board of India in 2013, under the
chairmanship of Shri K.M. Chandrashekar
• Member of Committee on Comprehensive Financial
Services for Small Businesses and Low-Income
Households (2014), chaired by Dr. Nachiket Mor,
appointed by the Reserve Bank of India.
Mr. Bahram N. Vakil:
Regarded as a renowned restructuring, bankruptcy,
infrastructure and project finance attorney, Bahram
Vakil was appointed as a key member of the Bankruptcy
Law Reforms Committee (BLRC), chaired by Dr. T K
Viswanathan and constituted by the Ministry of
Finance to draft the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code,
December 2018|30
33.
34. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
IN BUSINESS CONSULTING
The business consulting market in India is growing
at a rapid pace as it is projected to rise over $12
billion mark by the end of the year 2018. The
management consulting segment contributes nearly $1.5
billion to the overall revenue of the business consulting
industry. After maintaining a consistent growth rate of
6.75% for a couple of years, the industry is now at the onset
of major disruption, which will make it one of the fast-
pacing industries in India. The digitalization, emerging
market trends, and market-liberalization schemes and
policies introduced by the Government of India back in
2014 are still wheeling the industry.
The organizations are opting for cutting-edge technologies
like AI, Natural Language Processing, and IoT to digitally
optimize their existing business operations as well as design
and develop new innovative products. For this, the startups,
as well as established firms, are seeking expert advice from
external advisory firms armed with the tech-savvy
workforce. With the simpler norms and procedures to enter
into the market for MNCs, local advisory firms are
leveraging the opportunity to assist international brands in
positing themselves into the Indian market. However, the
Indian market is full of ups and downs for which the
consulting firm and its client have to stay prepared in
advance:
Digital Transformation and Automation
The introduction of the latest advents in technology and
digitization is leading to more tech-oriented consulting
work for consulting firms. With the continual development
of technology, the needs of businesses keep on changing.
Be it healthcare or telecommunications, technology is
greatly impacting how organizations work. Where startups
are adopting digital technologies for bringing innovative
services to its clientele, the well-established businesses are
switching to AI, Robotics, and Machine-Learning
technology for transforming their business culture and bring
agility into their organizations. For serving the counseling
organizations, the consultancy firms first have to adopt the
disruptive change themselves and train their workforce
enabling them to provide quick, profitable, and smart
solutions to the clients. AI and automation significantly
boost the productivity of the consultants and the customer
experience.
For example, with the Robotic Process Automation
Devices, the consultants can keep the mundane admin
activities like creating invoices, matching payments with
the correct invoice, keeping daily records. With AI-powered
systems, they can make better strategic and data-driven
decisions and thus, propose result-oriented solutions. Usage
of AI-like technologies can enhance the firm's business
processes as well as bring innovation to the services
promising them the higher growth. But, the budget,
implementation, and training issues will be a great
challenge for the consultancies.
Lalit Khanna
Founder & Managing Director
December 2018|32
35. The revenue generation for the consulting firms depends on
the strategies and services developed by the consultants in
close interaction and collaboration with the clients. They
might even require field-tests for which many on-demand or
freelance employees are not ready. Also, the consulting
firms have started going digital with intuitive platforms and
software for which they have to pay a hefty subscription
amount. Misuse or exploitation of such paid tools and
software and the manipulation with data meant to be kept
confidential is a threat for the consulting firms. Unlike
traditional employees, the consulting firms have to face a
tough time while grooming the flexible workforce and
encouraging them to take a proactive approach to project
completion.
Performance-based Billing System
Moreover, the consulting industry has also witnessed the
emergence of fees based on outcomes or performance-based
billing. In such a pricing system, the work hours of the
consultant are not considered at the time of billing, instead,
to which extent does the consultant achieve the objectives
and targets given by the client matters. Not only such
pricing style saves the client from paying extra bucks to the
consulting firms based on the lengthy hours taken by the
sluggish consultants, but also provides the consultant firms
a benchmark to attain in order to prove their worth.
However, the small-scale consulting firms lag behind when
it comes to implementation of this performance-based
billing system. Many a time, the client does not agree to
change the tentative amount proposed to him earlier after
the consultant achieves success. The effective
implementation of the performance-based billing totally
depends on the sophistication of both consulting firm and
the clients entering into the contract.
Moreover, one of the biggest nightmares the consulting
firms have is by the time a consultant prepares a research
report or any strategic plan for the client after collecting
data, analyzing it, and pilot testing, those trends and issues
become outdated and are replaced with the new emerging
disruptive forces. Such vulnerabilities affect the revenues of
small-scale consulting firms which do not have an easy
access to Big Data, Data Analytics, Cloud, and other
cognitive technologies. However, the consulting giants who
are the early adopters of dynamic next-gen technology
dominate the market leveraging the relevant insights,
automation devices, and scalable data gathering. They are
better able to advise clients on the seamless implementation
of disruptive technology as they themselves harness the
potential.
Lalit Khanna – Founder & Managing
Director, SL Consultants
A dynamic leader with over 23 years of
extensive cross-functional experience with
some of the most trusted global brands
such as SL Consultants, Max New York Life
Insurance, Onida, Hindustan Unilever,
Thomson, and Konka. Being the Founder
and the Managing Director of SL
Consultants, Khanna is responsible for all
the core functionalities of the company
worldwide.
He holds P.G Diploma in Sales &
Marketing from NIS (a division of NIIT)
and a Certicate in Enterprise
Management from Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT), Delhi. During the past
23-years in the corporate world, he
made splendid efforts for the growth and
success of both the organizations and
people with his exceptional leadership &
managerial skills in Strategic
Management, Human Resource
Management, 360-degree Marketing,
Resource Optimization, and Capacity
Management.
Gig Economy
Gig economy or open talent economy reshapes the way
how business works. Because on-demand talent costs
cheaper than a traditional counterpart and is specifically
hired for working on a specific project, the organizations,
especially the consulting firms are embracing the system of
gig economy. For consulting firms, it is one of the best
ways to tap on the right talent specialized in a particular
area bringing to their clients the much-needed skill set and
experience. However, quality of work, immediate
availability, the efficiency of the non-permanent staff is a
concern for the HR managers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Industry Outlook
December 2018| 33
36. ONGO
Framework
A Trailblazer in the Vertical
of Enterprise Mobility and
Digital Transformation
How ONGO Framework’s Services Benefitting an
Organization?
The company helps enterprises to digitally transform
themselves in order to compete in a hyper-connected and
technology-driven business landscape. It is making
technology solutions feasible for businesses and start-ups to
help realize their business dreams in a cost effective manner.
ONGO enables businesses to build, integrate and deploy
applications on web and mobile which can be hosted on cloud,
private cloud, or any other infrastructure, thus significantly
reducing the complexities as well as the time taken to develop
and deploy an app. Further, ONGO Framework harnesses the
power of latest technologies to serve clients across the globe
and transform their operations with digital and technology
models.
Things that Makes itUnique among Contemporaries
One can find many solutions in the market for the same set of
problems but only few out of them fulfil the client’s actual
needs. ONGO Framework’s solutions fulfil the clients’needs
in achieving their business objectives with Zero Technical
fuss. Its AI-based framework has self-learning capabilities
which allows to mature with the time and build apps
seamlessly without hiccups. It has identified 10,300
categories, out of which 432 categories are matured for rapid
automationofappdevelopment.Thislow/no-code
n this fierce competitive world, no business can
Isurvive for long without leveraging the benefits of
technology into their business operations. Every
business deserves to be digitally equipped, but not all can
afford the expenses of procuring leading-edge technology.
Thus to empower businesses and start-ups with the power
of cutting-edge IT solutions that too at unbelievable
affordable price, Hyderabad-based ONGO Framework has
born.
Founded in 2009 in the cyber-city of Telangana (then part
of Andhra Pradesh), this IT enterprise has witnessed a
phenomenal grown within a decade and served countless
organizations across the globe, famously include Chinese
multinational conglomerate- Alibaba for its cloud solution.
Recently it has acquired HockyStick Media, a reputed
digital marketing firm founded by ex-Googlers.
ONGO Framework is a B2B IT and Digital solution
provider company that assists businesses and start-ups with
enterprise mobility and digital transformation. Its
proprietary framework is based on Application-Platform as
a Service (A-PaaS) model helps in crafting and deploying-
mobile and web based applications in very lucid and
time-saving manner. Clients from across the verticals and
industries such as retail, restaurants, insurance, healthcare,
and enterprise mobility are attracted towards its unique
solutions.
Rama Krishna Kuppa
Founder & CEO
December 2018|34
37. “Our Low/No code framework
empowers businesses and
start-ups with the power
of cutting-edge IT solutions at
an unbelievable affordable price
Framework in the capacity of Founder and CEO. Since its
inception, Rama has helped the firm pivot from being a
software solutions provider to offering full-stack product
development services to diverse clients from multiple
industries.
With a Master’s degree in Information Systems, he started
his career working with Mindtree in R & D division and
identified himself as an innovator. Later, Rama worked for
Motorola as a seasoned developer followed by Hitachi
(Sierra Atlantic). In 2009, he founded his first
entrepreneurial venture- CreativeXperts Consulting. In
2011, Rama helped in productizing ONGO Framework to
rapidly develop and deploy solutions across industries.
Although, he has a versatile personality and manage all
aspects of business but his interest lies mostly in building
the company’s roadmap that includes initiating alliances
and partnerships and helming the technology end of the
business.
Expanding Business Footprint is on Top Radar
The company is uninterruptedly moving on an up-ward
trajectory since its inception and is committed and confident
to continue on the same path in the near future. There are
many business expansion plans which are on the priority
list of its management. Besides India, ONGO Framework is
also focusing on expanding its reach to USA. Moreover, the
company has identified its channel partners and customers
in the rapidly emerging and much promising territory of
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The top management of ONGO Framework is very
optimistic about company’s expansion plans and is working
hard to facilitate the digitisation of 5 million businesses by
2021 to make them globally competitive in this
hypercompetitive entrepreneurial race.
Rama’s vision at ONGO Framework is to be a catalyst in
the end-to-end digital transformation of millions of
businesses that are yet untouched by the digital ecosystem.
On recounting his mission, Rama asserted, “My mission is
to simplify digitisation and mobility for enterprises and
facilitate last-mile connectivity between businesses and
customers.”
framework ultimately decreases the time taken for the
development by 60-95 percent.
Additionally, the development teams at ONGO Framework
integrate intuitive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence
(Cognitive Computing and Machine Learning) with industry-
specific solutions to create robust platforms for businesses to
grow. Having pioneered the fast delivery of digital solutions
with less code, ONGO provides end-to-end IT solutions with
complete customisation to help clients meet specific business
goals.
The company provides holistic digital solutions that enable
enterprises to integrate various functionalities pertaining to
customer lifecycle management, into their applications. It has
deployed countless mobile applications for various
businesses across several verticals. ONGO’s enterprise-
focused solutions are customized according to the business
requirements, with standardised solutions for various
business categories that are distributed through its vast
reseller network comprising web-service providers,
discovery providers, listing providers, digital marketing
agencies,etc.
The Leading Light of ONGO
An ace technocrat, who also has flair of sharp business
acumen-Rama Krishna Kuppa, is leading ONGO
“
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38. RESHAPING
STARTUP
IndiaWITH M&A
The startup ecosystem in India is blooming and
we all know it. What we are not fully aware is
the number that actually flourishes and the
number that sinks without a trace. Entrepreneurship is a
tough job. Some make it big, while some run out of
spirit. When a startup isn’t working out the way it was
planned to do, there are two options with the
entrepreneur- shut-down or look for buyers. Looking for
buyers will make a startup go through the process of
mergers and acquisitions (M&A) essentially that refers
to its consolidation through various types of financial
transactions. M&A comprises a number of different
December 2018|36
39. dealings such as mergers, acquisitions, consolidations,
tender offers, purchase of assets and management
acquisitions. In all cases, two companies, the startup
(seller) and the buying company (acquirer) are involved.
While the merger is the combination of two companies
into a single entity, the acquisition is startup being taken
over by the buyer.
Why Consider M&A
The M&A activity in startups in India has seen a sharp
rise in the past few years. While some M&A were
massive and public, many were small and of mid-tier
startups having a little market share. While the first and
foremost reason remains the financial and operation cost
being not met by the startups, there are many other
reasons and benefits for both the parties.
Buy out is certainly better than being shut down. The
small startups see getting acquired by other startups or
significant players as the better option when they find it
hard to find the required funds. The financial issue is a
big determiner for a startup to look for M&A and save its
day.
Merger Talk
December 2018| 37
40. Cutting out competition is another main reason. Many a
time’s two mid-scale competitors merge to avoid eating
into each other’s profits and acquire a larger share of
market. Coming from the same platform means that they
take care of each other’s customers in a better manner
and expand.
A better job opportunity by the acquirer is another good
reason. If a startup thinks it is unable to handle its human
resource and also wants a better growth, they will
certainly look to be acquired by a bigger player for a
better opportunity.
For the acquirer taking over a startup can provide a good
platform for diversification. If a big company thinks
about diversifying or providing support to its current
operations, it can acquire a specialized startup of small
scale.
The acquiring company gets a ready team for its work. A
small startup generally has like-minded and ambitious
individuals who have been working as a team for a good
time, getting them on-board all together saves out their
training and human resource management time.
Acquiring a company will mean getting new technology,
new products, and new customers together with a
dedicated team managing them all which sure sounds
like a good deal for the acquirer.
Publicity always accompanies M&A which generally
serves good for both the parties. It generates interest in
both the companies and their products or services.
Taking the Call
M&A should be viewed as just a step forward for the
startup and not the end of it. Going by the current trend it
sure seems that startups are sharing this view. If a startup
and buyer are thinking about M&A there must be a
strong business reason behind it. The process involves a
lot of rounds of talks and some more talks. The best way
is to first communicate within the company and let only
representatives sit down and talk together so that
everyone is on the same page. With future at stake,
anxiety is common which should be handled deftly by
the entrepreneur. Apart from the legal matters, the
entrepreneur also needs to keep in my mind the best of
both party’s interests. A clear guideline should be set up
as to who will be the next leader. Also, an exit policy
should be drafted that suits both the parties and benefits
all. All matters including financial, infrastructural,
human resource management, rules and regulations,
current products and services, data security and privacy,
and customers should be taken care of.
The legal process of M&A, in India is a bit challenging.
Though efforts are being made to ease and regularize the
process. As per the current law, investors can exit either
through an Initial Public Offer (IPO) or a number of
private sales to new investors, but considering the
complex IPO regime, it is more of a challenge than being
an easy way out.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has been
introduced and is being utilized to make the system
quick and streamlined. A number of cases have been
referred under the IBC to decide on revival or liquidation
of companies. It lets potential buyers take a look at
startups on the brink of shutting down and decide if they
would like to buy them out. The code aims at protecting
the interests of small investors and making the process of
doing business less cumbersome.
M&A is a part of a dynamic economy. With so much
happening in the startup eco-system in India, the M&A
trend is here to stay. Startups will always look for
methods to fund themselves and grow. Getting
competitors on board or having bigger players backing
them can be a big boost. Deciding on the future of one's
startup can be a daunting task financially as well as
emotionally. Being stagnant does no good. Similarly, for
acquirers, getting startups and molding them to fit their
current setup can be an upheaval task. But if the price,
product, and services are worth it, investment shouldn’t
be ruled out. Being realistic about a business’ values and
its future helps every company decide on the best way
forward.
December 2018|38
41.
42. PDS Legal
A New-Age Firm Building
a Robust Legal Practice
comprehensive and pragmatic solutions which lead to an
enhanced level of corporate governance. Additionally,
clients appreciate the round the clock digital support the
firm provides.
The Firm’s take on Current Scenario
The political scenario has been conducive to economic
development. Factors such as increased technology
penetration and disruptions caused due to new entrants have
forced companies to think along the lines of consolidation.
All of this has resulted in increased activity in the mergers
and acquisitions space, which is poised to grow in the near
future. To cope with such disruptions, PDS Legal is
assisting clients in restructuring their businesses to achieve
value maximization.
During its initial days, the firm was largely dependent on
relationships with promoters and their families. With the
evolving framework of corporate governance in consonance
with international best practices in India, decision-making
has now shifted to a structured and researched process, and
companies are increasingly dependent on law firms to
understand the impact of such decisions.
Further, liberalization and privatization witnessed creation
of sector-specific regulators such as the Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority of India, the Real
Estate Regulatory Authority, the Competition Commission
of India et al, to cater to the needs of the sectors with their
domain expertise and technical regulations. Consequently,
DS Legal is a full service law firm providing legal
Pservices to large corporations, financial institutions,
and other clients. With offices in Mumbai and New
Delhi, the firm has a dedicated team of lawyers providing a
full range of legal services on matters relating to corporate
and commercial laws, mergers and acquisitions, private
equity investments, real estate, infrastructure, project
financing, leveraged buyouts, restructuring, antitrust law,
tax (direct and indirect), and dispute resolution.
Since inception, the firm has been providing its clients with
legal services operating across a broad spectrum of
industries. Its research oriented and industry specific
approach has consistently resulted in significant value
additions and pragmatic solutions for its clients which
include, amongst others, the Vicat Group, the Hyundai
Group, the LG Group, Monsanto, GlaxoSmithKline,
Deutsche Bank Asset Management, Tata Capital, Go Air,
Air France and the B.K. Modi Group. The firm is led by
global business principles of quality, unity, and efficiency
which drive its strategy and make it distinctive. In short,
effectively delivering high-quality services in a timely
manner is what describes PDS Legal the best.
Recognized for its industry focus, the firm has a strong
presence across all the key industry sectors including
financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, aviation,
manufacturing, technology and innovation. While working
on a transaction, PDS Legal takes into consideration factors
that involve more than just pure law and provides
Probal Bhaduri
Law Leader & Heads
Vihang Virkar
Heads
December 2018|40
43. “ The M&A Practice
With over two decades of experience in advising clients in
corporate and commercial matters, Probal Bhaduri is the
Law Leader and heads the New Delhi Practice. He has
acquired the memberships of the New York State Bar
Association and Bar Council of Delhi. His core areas of
focus include advising domestic and foreign clients on
mergers, acquisitions, private equity investments,
cross-border deals, JVs and real estate transactions. He has
led teams in a large number of domestic deals, including,
mergers, demergers, acquisitions, and has built a notable
general corporate advisory practice. In the last few years, he
has also been actively involved in providing strategic
advice in matters of shareholder and commercial disputes,
as well as in the area of economic offences.
Recognized as a notable aviation and corporate law
practitioner, Vihang Virkar heads the Mumbai Practice.
He has advised clients on a variety of domestic and
transnational transactions which involved aspects ranging
from commercial laws, securities laws, mergers and
acquisitions, anti-trust regulations, asset and business
purchases, private equity funding and security sales and
purchases.
Recently, Vihang and Probal have been acknowledged in
the list of ranked lawyers for India in Aviation; and M&A
and Corporate Law respectively, in the 2019 edition of the
‘Chambers and Partners rankings’. They have also been
recognized as leading lawyers and the firm’s corporate, and
mergers and acquisitions practice has been recognized as
notable in the ‘Asia law profiles ranking’.
The Path Ahead
Already having taken great strides in the development of its
practice, PDS Legal believes that there is still much to
accomplish, including the continued investment in the
growth of the firm – geographically, by industry and by
legal expertise. The firm is committed to a growth strategy
across all its regions with an aim to deliver this growth
rapidly and effectively, in alignment with their nationwide
plan in the near future.
The firm is adding practices to its existing suite and the next
few years are about reinforcing the brand, continuing to
provide top-quality advice to clients, and ensuring PDS
Legal is where clients need it. In the meanwhile, the firm
will continue to harness opportunities to grow organically
and inorganically.
timelines for completion of deals have to take into account
the processes involved to obtain approvals from such sector
specific regulators.
Why Choose PDS Legal?
The firm believes that the emerging technology-based
economy requires tech-savvy, business-savvy, and
network-savvy lawyers. The firm incorporates these
skill-sets in its lawyers through continuous knowledge
training programs. Its processes and work-culture are
unique – non-hierarchical, open, and collaborative. The firm
also believes that the early adoption of technology can be a
game changer. As such, it is constantly aligning its existing
processes and investing in technology to automate manual
processes. This enables the firm’s lawyers to accord more
time for client interaction.
At PDS legal, the lawyers take utmost efforts to understand
the intricacies of the client’s business and consistently
leverage its research and knowledge-based approach to
deliver premium and high-quality services tailored to the
specific needs of the client. The M&A teams are led by
senior and experienced lawyers such as Monika Deshmukh,
Neil Hildreth, Ayesha Rai, Anirudh Mukherjee, and Nidhi
Arora.
The team at PDS Legal consists of several dual qualified
lawyers including lawyers with degrees from prestigious
international universities, and also includes lawyers who
have worked internationally across jurisdictions. Their
in-depth knowledge of the regions and markets, and
capability to advice on transactions has helped the firm's
clients to grow significantly.
“
The firm has a strong
presence across all the
key industry sectors
including financial
institutions, energy,
infrastructure, aviation,
manufacturing, technology
and innovation
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44. Veritas Legal
Imparting Specialized Solutions
The Firm’s Services
Veritas’ areas of expertise include Mergers & Acquisitions,
Private Equity, Anti-trust Law, Dispute Resolution,
Regulatory & Compliance, Real Estate, Retail & Franchise,
Private Client Practice, Banking & Finance, Restructuring
& Insolvency and Data Protection & Privacy. Its clients
benefit from its unparalleled skills blended with its culture,
personal attention and streamlined advice that it provides. It
believes in offering experienced/senior hands for every
transaction and not pushing down the matter to junior
levels. This hopefully results in advice that is more
solution-oriented and the ability to understand the issue
from 360°. The firm does not believe that it should mean
everything to everyone but instead should mean everything
to a few. The company has grown in strength having
completed over 75 transactions in M&A and private equity
and has been involved in significant litigations with over
400 filings in various judicial forums across the country.
From Fighting Odds to Gaining Recognitions
Challenges have been and continue to be a part of Veritas’
story. But it is equipped to the best of its abilities to face the
unknown in the coming years, remaining true to its belief.
The challenges that it faces are probably no different from
those faced by any new venture. What added to their
struggle was the fact that a large firm in the industry had
split in the middle and the market was extremely disruptive.
n average human being tries to gather knowledge
Aabout every possible field. The learning method
can be theoretical or hands-on. But some fields are
better left to those who have a flair for it and go through the
entire and correct learning procedure. Law and Legislation
or legal matters are one such field. A good citizen is always
concerned about being a law-abiding citizen and avoids
being on the other side of the law.
Legal matters concern not just regular citizens but the
corporate too. An enterprise has to consider many legal
points for its daily working, human resources policies,
market matters and mergers and acquisitions. Legal matters
have been always considered complex, arduous,
time-consuming and costly and firms are always in search
of people and companies who can simplify the legal
processes for them and their functioning. In the highly
competitive legal market in India, Veritas Legal, a Mumbai
based law firm has successfully carved a niche for itself.
Established in 2015, the Firm is known for agile thinking,
pro-activeness and commitment to clients.
The Founding & Managing Partner of Veritas Legal is
Abhijit Joshi, one of country’s leading Corporate and
M&A lawyers with a noteworthy career spanning 25 years.
At age 46, when others start planning their retirement, he
took the plunge to start a new venture. His extraordinarily
bold decision has been well supported by the team and the
market.
Abhijit Joshi
Founding & Managing Partner
December 2018|42
45. “Providing incisive
client-focused legal
solutions based on an
in-depth knowledge of
the legal, regulatory
and commercial
environment in India
The tangible is implicit in terms of knowledge, training,
remuneration etc..The ultimate winner, for Veritas is the
culture which nurtures and preserves talent and talent is
what creates a firm. So at the core, strategies are very
simple to give an endearing culture and provide
transparency at all levels.
The company believes that the client is increasingly looking
for solution-oriented advice. Specialization, the ability to
see the problem holistically, thinking through matters from
every angle and anticipate issues, are important aspects of
service provision. This skill set and specialization are what
it believes it is able to provide and therefore grow in a
competitive world.
Caring for the Industry
Veritas Legal holds a special program called the Pro Bono
program, about which, it is very passionate. This Program
was started to ensure access to justice, promote the rule of
law, and provide legal services to those unable to afford a
lawyer and assist clients to achieve their Corporate Social
Responsibility objectives. Everyone at the Firm plays an
active role in the Program and our lawyers contribute
voluntarily whenever he or she can in terms of time which
is the most precious commodity that anyone can contribute
to a cause and make a difference. Lawyers are allowed to
work on identified projects during office hours, by using the
office infrastructure at the expense of the firm. The lawyers
have together voluntarily agreed to contribute over 3000
hours a year for this program. The program has been an
integral part of the Firm’s culture and is the backbone of its
value system.
On the future prospects, Abhijit sees India poised to grow
and along with it, the legal industry will also grow
exponentially. Veritas plans to grow deeper into its
specializations. It has added senior resources in the
Bankruptcy practice and continues to bolster its Real Estate
practice. He says,” We will grow, but in a calibrated
fashion, deeper as opposed to wider whilst continuing to
remain true to our values. The rest will follow.”
Since its four years of existence, Veritas has tackled its
challenges and made its presence felt and heard in the
market. The firm has been consistently mentioned in the
leading tables for India and other global rankings. The firm
and its members have been recognized in the RSG India
Report in the top 40 India ranking, Chambers and Partners,
IFLR, IBLJ, Asia Legal Business, Asia Law & Benchmark
Litigation. Abhijit has been recognized in top listings by
leading financial publications, recognized as a “Highly
Regarded” lawyer by IFLR1000 for M&A and
recommended by International Who’s Who Legal for
Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Client Practice and
Corporate Governance. He has procured the Financial
Times Innovation Award (Asia-Pacific) for a complex
merger transaction.
On Growth and Competition
Speaking about the current industry situation, Abhijit says
that it is operating in a fairly insulated manner in the
absence of any competition from foreign firms and growing
with a presumption that it will not go down. This is a wrong
notion. As per Abhijit, ”To my mind, this is a fallacy, when
the best in class, knock at the door and they will eventually.
Only centres of quality will survive. Those with a better
culture have a more sustainable future.”
For Veritas’ own growth and competition, the company
relies on tangible and intangible strategies to stay ahead.
“
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