Sunny Malhotra

General Counsel and Corporate Affairs Leader with over 16 years of cross industry experience spanning both operational and strategic roles, in driving enterprise legal strategy, mergers and acquisitions, contract lifecycle management, litigation strategy, general corporate advisory, policy matters, employment law, regulatory and corporate affairs, product liability, real estate, trust and SEZ matters, and compliance management for listed entities and MNC's. A trusted advisor to the Board and CXOs, with a proven track record of driving legal strategy, governance excellence, enterprise-wide risk mitigation, and institutionalizing robust legal and compliance frameworks. Skilled in navigating complex regulatory landscapes, leading automation and digitization initiatives, and strengthening regulator engagement to support sustainable business growth.

Offering more than 16 years of experience leading end-to-end Legal Affairs, Compliances (Regulatory and Policies), Contracts Management, Labor and Employment, Corporate Governance, Intellectual Property Laws, Litigation including International Litigation Management and Arbitration, Product Liabilities, EHS issues, M&A, Construction Projects (Legal & Compliance issues), Project Financing, among other corporate legal activities. Holds the distinction of administering legal operations across India and Countries Like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore, Middle East, Africa, Brazil, and European Cluster.

Distinguished General

Counsel with deep expertise in drafting and negotiating complex legal and commercial documents, and representing organizations before courts, tribunals, and regulatory authorities. Experienced in supporting senior counsel in high-stakes litigation and arbitration. Adept at legal analysis, strategic advisory, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Skilled in preparing a wide range of legal instruments. Recognized for strong negotiation and problem-solving skills, and honoured by the Global Business Head for transforming bad debts into healthy balance sheets and delivering impactful legal support that strengthened business operations and financial performance.

Trusted Legal

Advisor to Boards and CXO leadership, with a proven ability to align legal strategy with business objectives and strengthen organizational governance. Expert in driving contract discipline, minimizing litigation exposure, and enabling business agility through pragmatic legal solutions. Recognized for a 'solution-oriented mindset', commercial judgment, and cross-cultural fluency.

A strategic business partner with a strong focus on risk mitigation, compliance excellence, and profitability enhancement. Serves as the 'Gatekeeper' of legal and regulatory risk, leading large, multi-jurisdictional teams and embedding a culture of accountability, efficiency, and business-aligned legal support.

Head of Legal/General Counsel - Hinduja Group - New Delhi/Mumbai

(2025-06)

Lead the legal strategy, governance, compliance, and corporate affairs across all group entities, at operational & strategic levels, ensuring alignment with overarching corporate objectives. Reporting to Executive Vice Chairman – India with direct interface with promoters on strategic/family matters.

Team Size: 4. Member of CSR & India Leadership Team Committees.

• Legal Affairs (Strategic & Operational): Litigation / Regulatory Approvals / Compliances / Brand & IP Protection / Advisory to management / Trust related matters of Promoters / Property Related Matters / Regulatory Affairs
• Advising the Promoters (including family members), Board, and Executive Leadership across the group on a wide spectrum of complex legal and regulatory matters, high-stakes litigation strategy, dispute resolution, real estate transactions, corporate governance and policy issues, ethical and compliance concerns, promoter trust issues, business restructuring, and other strategically legal issues of group companies
• Led group-level M&A initiatives in line with the promoters' strategic vision, managing legal due diligence, structuring, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Lead regulatory and government engagement initiatives, leveraging white papers, position documents, and strategic representations to influence policy outcomes at both national and state levels
• Driving end-to-end Intellectual Property (IP) management, including obtaining of well-known marks, and enforcement strategies aligned with business objectives and protection against counterfeit products
• Instrumental in policy advocacy to influence and align applicable regulations with business objectives, requiring ongoing liaison with regulatory bodies and government authorities
• Lead operational legal function for Hinduja group of companies including Healthcare vertical, covering contracts, tendering, litigation, business advisory, and regulatory compliance, driving risk mitigation and strategic decision-making across the organization
• Partnering cross-functionally to support business growth, mitigate risk, and strengthen governance
• Led the Group's ₹100+ Crores strategic investment in GIFT City, Gujarat, providing comprehensive legal and regulatory structuring, ensuring alignment with government policies, and facilitating recovery of invested funds while resolving operational and regulatory challenges
• Spearheaded legal integration for the Reliance–Hinduja Group acquisition (~₹10,000 Crores), ensuring seamless compliance and timely closure of all post-acquisition obligations
• Strategically led the demerger of the thermal business and its merger into another listed group company, ensuring end-to-end legal, regulatory, and governance compliance.

Drove

Board and shareholder approvals, supervised drafting and NCLT submission of the Scheme of Arrangement, and coordinated internal and external certifications while safeguarding the interests of both entities; matter involved a stake of approximately ₹14,000 Crores

• Facilitated a ₹3,000 Crore, 39-acre land sale to Tata Realty, handling title verification, documentation, CP compliance, and key approvals including SEZ denotification and E-Khata clearances
• Supporting Private Equity Fund-Raising exercises for 3 groups of companies by driving legal house-in-order initiatives and strengthening corporate, contractual, and compliance frameworks (aggregate deal value approx. ~₹9,000 Crores)
• Played a key role in the legal structuring and execution of a Joint Venture Agreement between Ashok Leyland (51%) and CLAB (49%) for establishing a battery manufacturing facility in Chennai, ensuring compliance with corporate, regulatory, and commercial frameworks (investment ~₹5,000 Crores over 5 years)
• Secured a favorable Kolkata High Court order lifting the ban on the Company's participation in Coal India's explosive supply tender process, enabling business worth ₹4,000 crores annually
• Collaborated with senior counsel to contest the Bombay High Court order before the Supreme Court through an SLP, facilitating the promoter's Board induction as the majority stakeholder in the flagship hotel (stake ~₹4,000–5,000 Crores)
• Represented and assisted the company before the GAAR Panel, Delhi, in relation to allegations of tax evasion arising from the demerger of the company's business (stake ~₹3,000 Crores); leading the ongoing challenge before the Bombay High Court following the Department's order
• Facilitated the recovery of ₹15 Crores from a wrongly encashed bank guarantee by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for an energy business project in UP, through strategic engagement with government authorities
• Represented the company before the Delhi High Court in a high-value tender dispute (~₹50,000+ Crores over 12 years) for the supply, operation, and maintenance of 10,900 buses under a multi-city procurement program, translating complex technical and legal issues into actionable strategies and management briefs, resulting in a favorable outcome
• Implemented a 'litigation intelligence dashboard' enhancing strategic decision-making
• Spearheading the development and roll out of a group-wide legal and compliance frameworks, including the Enterprise Legal Risk Management (ELRM) framework, to drive consistency, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across all business units
• Spearheaded the formulation and implementation of the ESOP framework, integrating policy design, and stakeholder approvals
• Handling strategic legal response to ongoing investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relating to an acquired Reliance Group entity
• Initiated the 'governance restructuring' to align the Trust(s) with the amended Maharashtra Public Trusts Act regulations
• Led the process to recognize 'Hinduja' as a Well-Known mark, strengthening brand protection & market position
• Secured stay from the Karnataka High Court against Deputy Commissioner's order directing re-transfer of land to Government, involving exposure of (~₹400 crore)
• Successfully closed a >15-year tenancy dispute