Zakir Merchant is a Partner in the Corporate and Commercial practice group in the Mumbai office. He has been part of some of the largest M&A deals in the country and is also a retained counsel on behalf of the Firm for the Japanese External Trade Research Organisation. Zakir’s clients form part of the Fortune 500 and he regularly represents multinational corporations and financial investors in a range of transactions, including private and public cross-border M&A, minority and control investments, structured investments, strategic partnerships, restructurings, and quasi-equity and debt investments. He has advised investors for their investments in several start-ups and growth stage companies as well as public listed companies.
Zakir is a part of the “A List of India’s Top 100 Lawyers (IBLJ)”. He also has a niche practice revolving around specializing in pre-dispute strategies between joint venture partners (foreign and domestic) leading to exits or buy outs. As an incidental practice, Zakir specializes in product recalls and emission control standards.
Corporate and Commercial
Private Equity
Advised on acquisition of Nothgate Public Services Limited for GBP 475 million from leading international private equity firm Cinven.
Advised on acquisition of 26% stake in Reliance Life Insurance Company Limited (RLIC) for approximately USD 680 million. Acquisition of an additional 23% stake in RLIC for USD 341 million taking its aggregate stake in RLIC to 49%.
Advised on acquisition of a 26% stake in Reliance Capital Asset Management Limited (RCAM) from Reliance Capital Limited for USD 290 million approximately.
Advised on investment in Healthians Expedient Healthcare Marketing Private Limited which is India’s largest health test at home service company.
Advised on its investment in Unimetal Castings Limited.
Advised on strategic alliance with Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), pursuant to which MC would hold a 34% voting interest in Nissin Foods HD’s local instant noodle operations in Singapore, India, Thailand and Vietnam. Advise Nissin Foods HD on various FSSAI related regulatory issues.
Advised on acquisition of Sanfield India Private Limited.
Advised on a joint venture with Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd in Chennai, India for manufacturing and sale of hydraulic shock absorbers for motorcycles.
Advised one of the largest construction equipment companies in the world, on the acquisition of 50% stake in Conmat Systems Private Limited.
India Business Law Journal lists Zakir as one of the Leading lawyers in "The A list of India’s top 100 lawyers".
