Infrastructure And Banking Duo Pradeep Ratnam And Parul Verma Join Kochhar & Co. As Senior Partner And Partner Respectively Bolstering The Infrastructure, Banking And Structured Finance Practice Of The Firm

Pradeep obtained his Bachelor's degree in law (B.A., LL.B. (Hons.)) in 1997 from the prestigious National Law School of India, Bangalore, followed by an LL.M. in 1999, as a Chevening Scholar, from the University of Warwick, UK. Pradeep is dual qualified in India and the UK and has over 22 years of multi-jurisdictional work experience in the areas of Infrastructure, Government Contracts, Procurement, Project Finance and PPP. Additionally, Pradeep advises his clients on Restructuring, Stressed and Opportunistic M&A, Private Equity in Infrastructure and allied and related sectors.

Prior to joining Kochhar & Co, Pradeep had a distinguished career in Infrastructure and International Law with Firms such as Herbert Smith LLP, Allen and Overy and White and Case LLP in London and Singapore. In the last decade since his return to India, Pradeep oversaw the legal function as Director (Legal) in IDFC Alternatives (the erstwhile alternative assets and private equity platform of IDFC Bank), and was thereafter Group General Counsel at Infrastructure Leasing and Financing Services Limited (IL&FS) followed by leading the Infrastructure and Financing practice for K Law.

Pradeep's client base comprises of an eclectic mix of multinational companies, top tier domestic and international banks and financial institutions, project promoters, developers, contractors and operators, multilateral and development financial institutions, domestic asset reconstruction companies, and credit and private equity funds. As a result of over two decades of having practiced law in India, the UK and Singapore, Pradeep has richly diversified work experience in advising on the legal aspects of transaction structuring, investments in India and overseas, complex due diligence exercises involving both India and other jurisdictions, Financing, Project & Portfolio Operations and Deal Exits. He is currently involved in various transactions in renewable energy, power transmission, roads, social housing and urban infrastructure.

Parul Verma graduated in 2010 with a B.A. LL.B., from the University College of Law and Legal studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Parul specialises in Infrastructure, Project Financing and General Banking and routinely advises banks, pedigreed NBFCs, Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), corporates and project developers in transactions in Infrastructure, Financing and Real Estate.

Mr. Rohit Kochhar, Founding Member and Chairman of Kochhar & Co. extended a warm welcome, and said: "Pradeep and Parul will be pivotal to the Firm's outreach and deep commitment to Infrastructure and Banking, being sectors which, post Pandemic, are more critical to India than ever before. Pradeep's advisory and transactional experience, derived from years of diverse work experience in top tier firms and in coveted and highly challenging inhouse roles, are a perfect complement to the Firm's strategic vision for the future. Equally, Parul brings a decade of solid deal experience in Project Financing, Core Infrastructure and Real Estate – each of which sectors are integral to the Firm's practice. I am delighted to welcome Pradeep and Parul and wish them the very best for the future."

Mr. Ratnam responded with the following message: "After a very rewarding period of association with K Law, I am tremendously excited to be joining Kochhar & Co as Senior Partner and look forward to contributing to the Firm, especially in the areas of Infrastructure and Banking. I am deeply impressed by Mr. Kochhar's vision, his institution-building abilities, and the searing mastery and acumen that he demonstrates over a wide repertoire of legal matters. Above all at a personal level, I marvel at Mr. Kochhar's humility and compassion underlying his unwavering sense of purpose. I could not think of a better mentor to collaborate with at this stage in my career. In addition to Mr. Kochhar's vision for the future of legal services in India, I look forward to joining an exceptional community of lawyers working across both core and emerging areas of legal practice."

Ms. Verma responded "I am delighted to be on board as a Partner in Kochhar & Co's Infrastructure, Banking and Finance Practice and look forward to contributing to the Firm. Given my deep and abiding interest in renewable energy and infrastructure law, there is no better platform than this to further my professional aspirations. I am very pleased to join the Firm"

With Mr. Ratnam and Ms. Verma on-board, Kochhar & Co. now has over 52 Partners and more than 200 lawyers. Kochhar & Co. is one of the leading and largest corporate law firms in India, with a full-service presence in the six (6) prominent Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon and Hyderabad; and three overseas offices- in Dubai, Singapore and Atlanta.