Morgan Stanley Appoints PJ Nayak As India Head

March 18 2010, 15:10:21 IST | REUTERS

Nayak is currently working as an operating partner at Advent International Private Equity.

Wall Street bank Morgan Stanley on Thursday named PJ Nayak, the former head of India's Axis Bank, as its new country head and chief executive for India.

Nayak, who stepped down in April 2009 after nine years with Axis Bank, will take up his new post on April 5, Morgan Stanley said. He replaces Narayan Ramachandran, who quit in January.

Nayak was currently working as an operating partner at Advent International Private Equity and non-executive chairman of Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company, said the Morgan Stanley statement.

Foreign banks are looking to boost their presence in India, as companies in Asia's third-largest economy look to grow their businesses overseas through acquisitions and tap the capital market.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch said last week it was hiring JP Morgan's India equities head to run the bank's operations in the country.

Macquarie Capital Appoints Gaurav Gupta As India Head

March 08 2010, 15:05:45 IST | Source: VCC

Gupta was most recently with Nomura as head of its telecommunications, media and financial services business in India.

Macquarie Capital, the investment advisory and financial services arm of Australia-based investment banking major Macquarie Group, has appointed Gaurav Gupta as head of its India business. 

Gupta was most recently with Nomura as head of its telecommunications, media and financial services business in India, said a Macquarie statement. He has over 12 years of experience in investment banking and transaction advisory services. He was most recently involved in the $1.8 billion transaction between Aircel and GTL Infrastructure, one of the largest domestic M&A transactions in India in recent times. He also advised Reliance Power in its IPO in 2008. 

Gupta will report to Kalpana Desai, deputy head, Macquarie Capital Advisers, Asia, and will be based in Mumbai, added the statement.

Macquarie has a strong presence in India, and offers services including corporate finance and advisory, funds management, cash equities sales and research and private wealth management. 

In the company statement, Andrew Low, Asia head, Macquarie Capital, said, “Gupta brings extensive deal making experience to Macquarie. He has led both domestic and cross border transactions across multiple sectors including real estate, telecommunications and media, and his appointment will enhance the capability within Macquarie Capital’s advisory team.”

Macquarie Group has around 14,400 staff across 28 countries. It has operations in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Asia, North America, Europe, South Africa and the Middle East.

Khaitan & Co hires IAS man as partner, real estate head

12 March 2010, New Delhi

Khaitan & Co has hired ex-bureaucrat and lawyer Dr PK Agrawal as partner to head its real estate practice in Delhi.

This is Agrawal's first assignment at a law firm, which he has now taken up after retirement.

Agrawal said: "As an IAS officer, I was dealing with a lot of court cases, especially in revenue matters and land laws - there were lakhs of cases since it's a big litigation area. In fact, I was already doing a half-lawyer's job and I am happy that [in Khaitan] I'll be doing a full lawyer's job.

He added: "My team consists of three lawyers and two assistants. My job will be to advise the firm on real estate matters and also on Consumer Act related issues - if it comes through - and as usual on other constitutional matters."

Agrawal served as an IAS officer for 11 years in the field of land revenue and land reforms in various departments of Government of India undertakings and for the Government of West Bengal.

He worked as deputy secretary and director and joint secretary in Department of Consumer Affairs of the State of West Bengal, Ministry of Law & Justice, Ministry of Environment & Forests for 10 years and for the Department of Jails, Woman & Child Development, social welfare departments and PWD as Principal Secretary for 8 years.       

He was principal secretary and additional chief secretary in the consumer affairs department for over two years.

Agrawal has authored 50 books on land reforms and land laws. He was also guest faculty at Allahabad University and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences even while he continued to remain a civil servant.

Apollo Sindhoori Capital Investments appoints Ravishankar Gopalan as COO

PRDS/India PRwire/ - Apollo Sindhoori Capital Investments Limited (ASCIL), the retail broking arm of Aditya Birla Financial Services Group, has appointed Mr. Ravishankar Gopalan as their new Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Gopalan will be based out of Chennai and report to Mr. Sudhakar Ramasubramanian, Executive Director, Apollo Sindhoori Capital Investments.

In his role as Chief Operations Officer, Mr....
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