Puneet Rathsharma
Puneet advises clients on a wide range of commercial and corporate matters, including strategic acquisitions & investments, corporate governance and shareholder activism mandates. Puneet has also worked on complex shareholder disputes and commercial arbitrations, and routinely advises clients on shareholders’ disputes.
Puneet has led the following matters:
- FrenusTech Private Limited, on its acquisition by MaxLinear Inc, an American hardware company listed on New York Stock Exchange;
- Skandysys Private Limited on its acquisition by Marvell Technologies Inc, a NASDAQ listed US entity;
- Bangalore based manufacturing company on investments from a leading London based PE Fund;
- Bangalore based tech company operating a technology platform for automation and waste segregation on its investment in a Luxembourg based European deep tech investment firm and family offices of an Indian real estate developer;
- Mediation and settlement involving the Founder-Promoter of a leading Indian human resources consultancy firm in relation to shareholder disputes and oppression and mismanagement claims, under the directives of National Company law Tribunal, Delhi;
- East India’s leading K12 school operator in an expedited arbitration under Rules of the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration, arising out of a school management contract, against a school landowner and public trust owning a leading school;
- East India’s leading K12 school operator on acquisition of numerous K12 school assets across India in Gurugram, Ranchi, Durgapur and Angul;
- Minority founder of Bengaluru based SaaS company on shareholder disputes, governance and oppression mismanagement claims before National Company law Tribunal, Bengaluru;
- Mumbai based AI-based securities broking company on founder’s dispute arising out of a founders’ agreement, and consequent claw back of a bad-leaver founders’ shareholding;
- Resident-Indian selling shareholders against indemnity claims and earn out disputes arising out of share purchase transaction involving the acquisition of ownership interests in Indian IT-ITES Company;
- Bengaluru-based LLP engaged in Automobile Distribution on a partners’ dispute involving the limited liability partnership and inter se designated partners on governance and other operational disputes arising out of an LLP Agreement;
- Senior Chartered Accountant on disciplinary proceedings before Disciplinary Committee, ICAI pursuant arising out of complaints made by the Indian Company Law regulator for aiding and assisting Chinese companies in their incorporation and operations;
- 73 Strings SAS, on various SaaS and other technology contracts with various PE Funds, pension funds and sovereign wealth funds;
- Gurgaon based infrastructure services company on its restructuring and corporate insolvency aspects involving a debt exposure of US$ 150 million;
- Gurgaon based electricity distribution company and its CEO on criminal proceedings arising out of contractual breaches initiated by a State-owned electric utility company engaged in electricity transmission and distribution;
- With Khaitan & Co as the lead counsel, advised Manjushree Technopack on real estate aspects involving industrial lands and manufacturing facilities in Odisha on its acquisition of Oricon’s packaging business;
Puneet was previously an equity partner with KT Advisors. Prior to that, he was a member of the corporate practice group of Khaitan & Co. At previous firms, Puneet has represented and advised the following clients:
Mergers, Acquisitions and Private Equity
- Reliance Jio Infocom Limited in acquisition of various large-scale telecom assets from Reliance Communications Limited
- Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) on its buyout of multiple operational solar power projects of RattanIndia Group (aggregate capacity ~306 MW)
- Listed rail wagon manufacturer on its joint venture with a leading European rail wagon manufacturer
- National Payments Corporation of India on broad basing of its shareholders – private placement of securities to 19 RBI regulated entities
- National Payments Corporation of India on sale of Bharat Bill Pay Division by way of slump sale to NPCI Bharat Bill Pay Limited
- Dixcy Textiles Private Limited and the Sikka family in the sale of their significant majority stake to Advent
- Usha Martin Limited in relation to the sale of their steel business and captive power plant to Tata Sponge Iron Limited
Shareholder Disputes and Commercial Disputes
- Director of a listed aviation company in relation to corporate governance, and directorial roles and responsibilities on the board
- Rakesh Gangwal in the defence of an LCIA arbitration initiated by co-promoter arising from a dispute concerning the shareholders agreement
- Silverpeak on the enforcement of put option against Unitech / Shivalik
- Shareholder of a leading consultancy firm in relation to shareholder disputes before Company Law Court and civil courts in Gurugram.