Introduction

Described by clients as “very knowledgeable, articulate, composed and balanced in approach,” Alka is respected for her transactional work. In over 30 years of her practice as a transactions lawyer, Alka has advised on mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, restructuring, banking and structured finance, capital markets, and infrastructure mandates.

Alka has in-depth expertise in the telecom sector, having advised Indian and multinational telecom companies on mergers and acquisitions, financing, refinancing, initial public offerings, and regulatory matters. Alka also has significant experience in the power sector and has represented several developers. She has negotiated and drafted coal supply, transportation, wagon lease, and private siding agreements for developers.

Her general corporate work includes the establishment of mutual funds, providing regulatory advice to foreign portfolio investors, foreign venture capital investors, brokers, merchant bankers, and other financial intermediaries. Alka is actively engaged in representing trans-national corporations for investments in retail, real estate, and the defence sectors, all of which have restrictions on foreign investment. For real estate investments, the engagements include conceptualising and devising alternate structures to establish onshore and offshore funds.

Alka began her career with Mulla & Mulla & Craigie Blunt & Caroe. She joined Amarchand & Mangaldas and Suresh A. Shroff & Co. as a partner in 1992. She co-founded Bharucha & Partners in 2008.

Indicative Experience

• Advising Idea Cellular Limited on the stake sale of its standalone tower subsidiary to American Tower Corporation.
• Advising Idea Cellular Limited on the merger of the Indian entities of Vodafone Group plc with Idea Cellular Limited.
• Advising Twitter, Inc. on its acquisition of ZipDial Mobile Solutions Private Limited.
• Advising HSBC Oman S.A.O.G. on the sale of their banking business in India to Doha Bank.
• Advising ISS A/S, Denmark on the sale of their pest control business (HiCare) and cash and value services business in India to India Value Fund Advisors and SIS Prosegur Holdings Private Limited respectively.
• Advising IJM Corporation Berhad on the sale of its controlling stake in Trichy Tollway Private Limited to Macquarie SBI Infrastructure Fund.
• Advising IJM Corporation Berhad on its acquisition of the equity stake of IDFC Trustee Company Limited in Vijayawada Tollway Private Limited.
• Advising HSBC India on the proposed acquisition of the retail and commercial banking business of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc in India.
• Advising Axis Bank Limited on the acquisition by Schroders plc of strategic interest in Axis Asset Management Company Limited.
• Advising the United Business Media Group (now, Informa plc) on their acquisitions of exhibition and media events in India.
• Advising DCB Bank Limited on its acquisition of a substantial stake of the Indian banking business of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank P.J.S.C.
• Advising Essel Mining & Industries Limited on their acquisition of Pro Minerals Private Limited pursuant to a corporate insolvency resolution process initiated under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.