Conference programme

The panellists will analyse the current investment climate in India and discuss the tapestry of key reforms fuelling as well as major issues impeding investment activity. This panel sets the tone for the subsequent panel discussions at the conference, which will deep dive into specific crucial issues.

As environmental, social, and governance (ESG) receives attention around the world, regulatory changes and investor expectations have paved the way for ESG to be mainstream for corporations in India. A panel discussion on the regulatory regime, gaps, and
market conditions for ESG in corporate India.

1. What keeps the general counsel up at night?

2. Antitrust/competition policy and enforcement (In Focus: Vertical Mergers, Tech)

3. Risk sharing between clients and legal advisors – a new paradigm in a buyers’ market

4. Corruption issues affecting M&A deals | WCC

5. Risk mitigation in M&A deals: the period between signing and closing

6. The ‘known unknown’: fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, wilful deceit and dishonest concealment in Indian M&A deals

7. Protectionist Regime | Key Learnings in getting the deals done

Sovereign and pension wealth funds are piling into India, buying stakes in everything from airports to renewable energy, and other emerging asset classes. This panel will discuss the growing appetite of these players for India and the reasons for this investment. What measures are further needed to increase the interest of these players in the Indian market?

Uncertainty is the word of the day. For M&A, that means even greater focus on the contractual and legal framework for deal certainty. The panellists will discuss key developments in this regard, including dealing with uncertainty in financing markets and how regulators and practitioners are addressing risk allocation and conditionality.

The Indian Government’s ambitious divestment plan has been in the spotlight with several successes (Air India and LIC for example). Backed by the right intent, the assets in the pipeline look promising to attract the much-needed capital. This panel will dissect ways global investors can unlock these opportunities and what should be done more to make it work.

This panel will discuss the lessons learned from past M&A deals, the complexities involved, and the risk mitigation steps adopted. What are the new trends in M&A disputes, litigation and investment arbitration? What should a foreign investor keep in mind while finalising a contract in India?

This panel will discuss the lessons learned from the M&A activity related to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) so far. It will look at pre and post IBC and the M&A opportunities prevalent for extremely stressed companies.

In the quest to stay relevant and ahead, Indian conglomerates are chasing growth by reshaping portfolios and betting on profit pools of the future including digital, renewables, EVs, fintech and more. While some of these M&A actions are driven by strategy, some tend to play out in keeping with the regulatory changes. This panel will reflect upon how this particular M&A trigger is playing out in India & Southeast Asia and helping unlock value.