# Touchstone Partners

Touchstone Partners is an Indian corporate law firm with cross border transactional expertise. Headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in New Delhi and Bangalore, it advises national and multinational corporations and financial institutions in the context of corporate law and transnational mergers and acquisitions.

## Founding and History

A History of Touchstone partners traces its first steps with the setting up Daulet-Singh & Associates in 2002. First located in New Delhi, it operated in the corporate and finance space, following on with the opening of an office in the commercial capital of the country, Mumbai, in 2008. Concurrently, a new name was adopted for the firm – Platinum Partners, with the firm further expanding geographical coverage by opening an office in Bangalore, and then subsequently rebranding to its status as Touchstone Partners on November 1, 2020. The Managing Partner, Karam Daulet-Singh, heads the firm from their headquarters in Mumbai, named as such in 2022.

## Areas of Practice

The firm specializes in its core practices of corporate & M&A, private equity, alternative investments & venture capital, competition & antitrust, employment, pensions & benefits and data privacy & security. Their clientele is primarily international, and their command traverses regulatory and internal investigations.

## Rankings & Awards

The firm is ranked Band 2 for Corporate M&A by Chambers and Partners, (a UK based, international ranking institution for the legal industry), Band 3 for Competition / Antitrust by Chambers and Partners, and Band 3 for International & Cross-Border Capabilities by Chambers and Partners
The firm is led by Karam Daulet-Singh, Managing Partner, who is responsible for the firm’s profile, client experience and business strategy. Four other Partners, three Counsels and a Senior Adviser lead respective practices, manage business, and client relations.
* Karam Daulet-Singh - Managing Partner – Band 1 in Corporate/M&A by Chambers & Partners
* Anuj Bhatia - Partner
* Gaurav Desai – Partner – Band 4 in Corporate/M&A, and Band 4 in Competition/ Antitrust by Chambers & Partners
* Uday Walia – Partner - Band 3 in Corporate/M&A by Chambers & Partners
* Yashasvi Mohanram – Partner - Band 2 in Corporate/M&A by Chambers & Partners
* Sameeksha Chowla – Counsel
* Shruti Bhat – Counsel
* Yashita Sharma – Counsel
* Vinod Dhall – Senior Adviser – Senior Statespeople by Chambers & Partners
* Samiksha Godiyal – Of-Counsel

## Notable Deals

* BP on its fuel retail and mobility joint venture in India with Reliance Industries Limited.
* A leading GCC sovereign wealth fund on several transactions for US$ 3.5 billion+ investment in alternate investment vehicles, including alternative investment funds set up in India and in GIFT City as well as its investments in the infrastructure investment trust promoted by Cube Highways and its consequent listing.
* A leading GCC sovereign wealth fund on the first major overseas listing of an Indian company, ReNew Power, via the SPAC route, involving an enterprise value of US$ 8 billion.
* Tencent on several transactions for US$ 1.5 billion+ investment, including investments in Flipkart, Ola, Swiggy, PolicyBazaar, Cars24, PhonePe, Sharechat, MyGate and Khatabook.
* Diageo Group on the sale / franchise of certain brands in the ‘Popular’ segment to Inbrew Beverages Private Limited.
* HDFC Limited on obtaining merger control approval in relation to the amalgamation of HDFC Limited into and with HDFC Bank.
* Reliance Industries Limited on obtaining merger control approval for the acquisition by an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited of the polyester business undertakings of two entities of the Shubhalakshmi group.
* DP World on obtaining merger control clearance for Unifeeder, a subsidiary of DP World, in relation to its acquisition of certain entities of the Transworld group.

## Investment in Pro bono – Sustain

Touchstone Partners collaborates with a network of not-for-profit organizations that influences systemic social and educational reform in India to develop access to an ecosystem of equity, opportunity, and career placement.