Ashurst Taps Kalpana Unadkat And Shishir Mehta As Co-Heads For Growing India Practice
Ashurst Taps Kalpana Unadkat And Shishir Mehta As Co-Heads For Growing India Practice
Global law firm Ashurst has significantly strengthened its India practice by appointing Kalpana Unadkat and Shishir Mehta as Co-Heads. Both will be based in London and will work with Ashurst's core India team to expand the practice globally.
Kalpana Unadkat, joining from Khaitan & Co, is a renowned corporate lawyer known for her expertise in cross-border joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, and corporate governance laws. With extensive experience advising global clients from various jurisdictions, including the USA, UK, Japan, Canada, China, and Australia, Unadkat is well-positioned to provide innovative solutions tailored to clients' specific business goals.
Shishir Mehta is an international banking and finance lawyer with a proven track record of bridging the gap between Western and Indian parties. He previously played a crucial role in establishing Khaitan & Co's banking team in India. Before relocating to India in 2010, Mehta spent several years in New York and London, gaining extensive cross-border experience across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the USA.
Ashurst will continue collaborating with Gopika Pant's Indian Law Partners for Indian law matters and, on a case-by-case basis, with other leading relationship firms in India.
Matthew Wood, Ashurst's lead India practice Partner, expressed his excitement about the appointments: "We are delighted Shishir and Kalpana are joining to lead our India practice, it is also great that Kalpana is returning to Ashurst. India is a key strategic focus for us, and we are committed to further investing in the region. Today's announcement reflects India's strong economic growth and significant opportunities in the market. Kalpana and Shishir bring with them an impressive track record and vast experience advising both Indian and international clients, making them a great fit to steer our India practice forward."
Paul Jenkins, Global CEO at Ashurst, added, "India is an increasing source of outbound investment across the globe, while also remaining an attractive destination for foreign investment, tech and infrastructure being notable examples. Kalpana and Shishir's appointments come at an exciting time. Both perfectly complement our existing team and are well-equipped to lead our India practice, and I am confident they will play a key role as we continue to build out our offering."
Geoffrey Picton-Turbervill, who will be assuming the role of Chair of Ashurst's India practice, remarked, "We have a long history in relation to India, notably being one of the first firms to respond to the country's liberalisation and opening to foreign investment in the mid-1990's, and these appointments signal the latest step in advancing our India offering. With their combined experience and knowledge of the Indian market, Kalpana and Shishir bring deeper bonds to our clients and enable us to further expand our capabilities."
