Vaibhav Kothari
Partner - Corporate, Restructuring, Special Situations and Insolvency, Private Equity
Mergers and Acquisition | Private Equity | Joint Ventures | Distressed Transactions & Workouts | General Corporate Advisory
Overview
Vaibhav Kothari has been a Partner at Trilegal since 2016, with expertise in Corporate Law, Insolvency & Restructuring. A key member of Trilegal’s Corporate and Insolvency practice groups, he has built an illustrious career advising a wide range of clients, including leading private equity funds, international investors and conglomerates, and financial institutions.
His comprehensive knowledge spans multiple sectors and industries such as Manufacturing, Electric Mobility, Financial Services and Fin-Tech, Energy and Infrastructure, and Civil Aviation. With a reputation for navigating complex transactional, advisory, and contentious matters, Vaibhav has been at the forefront of several high-profile deals.
His experience includes:
- advising on transaction structures, acquisition agreements, shareholders agreements, partnership or framework agreements, subscription agreements, business transfer agreements, and other business contracts;
- advising on regulatory analysis in regulated sectors and strategic advice on transactions and legal risks in business;
- assisting with contentious matters and
- assisting with bidding to acquire insolvent companies under corporate insolvency resolution process of IBC.
Vaibhav’s extensive experience in strategic corporate transactions and distressed asset acquisitions positions him as a trusted advisor, particularly in high-stakes situations where holistic legal expertise is essential.
His impressive portfolio of clients that he has advised includes industry leaders such as Agratas Energy, Arteche Group, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, AP Moller Capital, I Squared Capital, Aditya Birla Group, Azure Power, GE, O2 Group, Cube Highways & Transportation, Mitsui, Veolia Environnement S.A, IFCI Limited, Vistara and Air India Express among many others.
Vaibhav is known for delivering pragmatic, result-oriented advice that seamlessly integrates commercial insights with legal acumen, making him a go-to partner for clients navigating complex business and legal landscapes.
Education
National Law University, Jodhpur
Admissions
Delhi Bar Association
Select representative clients/matters
- Agratas Energy Storage Solutions Pvt. Ltd., a Tata venture for battery manufacturing, in relation to setting up its operations, including a manufacturing unit, financing, and IP/commercial contracts.
- Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, in relation to:
- investment and setting up of joint ventures with AMPIN Energy Transition Private Limited (AMPIN) for C&I Projects and Utility Projects, and regular involvement in developing the portfolio;
- second investment and setting up of joint venture with AMPIN to develop CTU and STU connected projects and developing the portfolio;
- setting up an ongoing advisory in relation to a platform for developing solar, wind, and hybrid power projects in India with Viviid Renewables Private Limited and
- acquisition of renewable projects in India.
- Cube Highways and Transportation, in relation to:
- acquisition of multiple road SPVs having concessions with NHAI, from Dilip Buildon Limited, KNR Constructions Limited, KCC Buildcon Private Limited and others; and
- matters relating to the restructuring of its corporate structure in context of its proposed InvIT.
- GE Energy Financial Services, in relation to:
- investments in multiple renewable power generation SPVs;
- exit from renewable power generation SPVs; and
- restructuring of its investment in an IPP, which was declared an NPA, and its promoter was admitted to the corporate insolvency resolution process under IBC.
- O2 Power, a Temasek and EQT joint venture for renewable projects, in:
- proposed sale of a 4,696 MW renewable energy platform by way of the sale of O2 Power Midco Holdings Pte. Ltd. and O2 Energy SG Pte. Ltd. to JSW Neo Energy Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited,
- its acquisition of commissioned solar power projects from Indian IPPs,
- contractual framework for the sale of power to an off-taker from its wind-solar hybrid project and
- its group structuring and acquisitions.
- Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in its investment into Sustainable Energy Infra Trust, a renewable energy infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) backed by OTPP and Mahindra group, which has been set up to house 8 renewable energy assets developed by the Mahindra group.
- TATA SIA Airlines Limited (Vistara), in relation to the merger of Vistara into Air India.
- iSquared Capital, in relation to:
- majority acquisition and investment in the downstream gas business of AG&P;
- securing investment from a consortium of Japanese investors for its Singapore-based holding company with investments in city gas distribution business;
- restructuring of city gas distribution business in India;
- setting up a renewable energy platform with Hexa Climate and assisting them with the acquisition of various solar and wind power renewable projects; and
- setting up, including the acquisition of a majority stake and establishing a joint venture, of a smart metering business in India.
- Mitsui Co., Ltd. in its investment in a 1300 MW renewable energy project being developed by ReNew.
- Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited’s (through its fund North Haven India Infrastructure Fund), in its investment of 19.20% of the share capital of Magenta EV Solutions Private Limited through a mix of primary subscription of compulsorily convertible preference shares and secondary purchase of equity shares from existing shareholders.
- SEWA Grih Rin Limited, in relation to Series B, Series C, and Series D investments by HDFC Holdings Limited, Oikocredit Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society U.A, Omidyar Network Fund Inc., WWB Capital Partners II, L.P, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited and other new investors, and subsequent majority investment in SEWA by Arpwood Partners.
- Actis, in setting up a real estate development platform named RX Propellant with the professional management/ promoter owners of RX Propellant.
- Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, in its acquisition of several brands operating in the D2C apparel space.
- Ayana Renewables, in establishing an SPV operating 100 MW RTC renewable power supply for Hindalco’s smelter facilities in Odisha, on a captive model and through the inter-state transmission system.
- Omers, in their potential investment into Clean Max Enviro Energy Private Limited, an entity holding over 700 MW of wind, solar, wind-solar hybrid and rooftop capacity.
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, in setting up a joint venture company with verEnviro Resource Management Private Limited to set up 15 compressed biogas (CBG) plants across the country.
- Pine Labs Limited, on its 100% acquisition of Synergistic Financial Networks Private Limited (Mosambee).
- Sneha Farms Private Limited, one of India’s leading broiler producers, on proposed sale of a minority stake to Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
- Quess Corp Limited, in relation to its investments in multiple group companies, including Monster.com (India) Private Limited and Heptagon Technologies Private Limited.
Recognition
- ‘Notable Practitioner‘ for Corporate M&A by IFLR1000, 2022-2024
- ‘Notable Practitioner‘ for Corporate M&A by Asialaw, 2022
