Besides being the Company Secretary to an eminent Board of Directors and a Company amongst the top listed entities featuring in both the BSE Sensex and NSE Index, in his role as General Counsel & Company Secretary he has provided strong legal support to the businesses in the areas of marketing and sales strategies, business arrangements, legal risks and litigation management, indirect tax management, statutory compliances and in several other areas connected with business.

Mr. Balasubramaniam is a member of the Management Committee. Nestlé in the South Asia Region covers six countries and with legal entities in India, Sri Lanka (Public Limited Company listed on Colombo stock exchange) and Bangladesh, he is among the very few General Counsels who manages the Indirect Tax Function.

Mr. Balasubramaniam is a Law Graduate from the Faculty of Law, Delhi University, Fellow Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Associate Member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India and member of The Institute of Financial Analysts of India. He has been member of Committees of various industry forums and profession bodies.

The mantra followed was to Enable and Partner Business to achieve their objectives (in a complex environment) and Protect the Company – its People, Reputation and Assets. Engage through Advocacy/ Alternative Dispute Resolution failing which only go for legal action. Amongst the significant milestones in his professional career in Strategic Role For Business Continuity And Business Partnering:

• Legal strategy and execution to set aside ban orders and relaunch of MAGGI Noodles through the historic Judgement of Bombay High Court, in record five months. Management of diverse stakeholders during the crisis that Nestlé was not wrong –Authorities, Brand ambassadors of MAGGI Noodles against whom criminal cases had been filed for endorsing unsafe product, distributors/ customers threatened with legal action for selling MAGGI.
• Ruling of the Hon’ble Supreme Court that KITKAT is a wafer and not chocolate, under the erstwhile Excise Duty.
• Joint Venture Agreements with local partners, dispute resolution, settlement.
• Acquisition Healthcare Nutrition Business in India from Pfizer.
• Legal Advisory and transactional support for product innovation and renovation (over 60 new products launched in the last 4 years) and validation of product marketing claims. Proud that there are hardly any advertisements of Nestlé which ASCI has held to violate the ASCI Code.

RESILIENCE AND LEADERSHIP DURING PANDEMIC:

• Ensuring supply of essential food products to the consumers during the ongoing pandemic, while fully complying with safety protocols, movement restrictions imposed and supporting supplier and trade partners. Supporting Covid relief to the community, trade partners and employees. Providing virtual internship in areas of Legal, Corporate Governance and Compliance to over 50 law students.

COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP FOR NEW APPROACHES:

• First John Doe Order in food space obtained for NESCAFE counterfeit from Hon’ble Delhi High Court, which helped contain NESCAFE counterfeit though enforcement actions. Further pack design changed to make counterfeiting very difficult. Through the same matter, for the first time attracted role of all offices relating to food safety to be partners in curbing counterfeit in Food & Beverage sector through a court order.
• Legally driving implementation of initiatives/ regulations in the areas of sustainability and environment including Plastic Waste Management.
• Industry first Scheme of Arrangement for reclassification of General Reserves and Share Premium as Profits available for payment of dividend, approved by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court.
• Supporting Preparedness on implementation of Data Protection and Labour Codes and motivating to set up compliance standard which can be seen amongst best in industry.

GOOD GOVERNANCE:

• Leader in corporate governance practices. Nestlé India amongst first companies to successfully obtain minority shareholder approval to continue payment of royalty (2019) and hold the first virtual AGM (2020).
• Support in creation of significant value for investors. During the period 2001 to 2020 the market capitalization of Nestle India was up 35.6 times vs. FMCG benchmark index of 13.5 times.
• Protecting management and company officials in criminal prosecutions under various laws without affecting their personal liberty.

DIGITALIZATION:

• Realtime legal compliance reporting system of all laws applicable to Nestlé. Litigation and Contract management system.
• Enabling launch of legal AI enabled chat bot for businesses and functions in South Asia Region, to facilitate real time advisory and support.

LEADERSHIP AND TEAM BUILDING:

• Building and grooming a winning Legal Team in South Asia Region that is close to business. Appreciated by internal clients for business approach and proactive co-operation.
• Thought Leadership in enabling Team members to be motivated and have courage and resilience for taking up Leadership Roles in a value oriented environment.

"Enable & Partner Business; Protect the Company, its people, its assets and reputation; Advocacy/ ADR before legal action"