Corporate law firm AZB & Partners has topped the Venture Intelligence India League Tables as the Most Active Legal Advisor for both Private Equity and M&A deals – advising a total of 50 transactions - in the first six months of 2010. Ernst & Young topped the League Tables as the Most Active Transaction Advisor (both PE and M&A) for the half year.
The Venture Intelligence League Tables, the first such initiative exclusively tracking transactions involving India-based companies, are based on volume of PE and M&A transactions advised by Transaction and Legal Advisory firms.
Private Equity Deals
Among PE transactions, AZB advised 25 deals worth over US$1.5 billion during the period including Olympus Capital's US$300 million investment in Tata Power's coal mine SPVs in Indonesia, the US$217 million investment by Standard Chartered PE, KKR and New Silk Route in Coffee Day Resorts and the US$175 million investment by Temasek into National Stock Exchange. Other legal advisors who advised a significant number of PE transactions during H1’10 include ALMT Legal and J Sagar Associates with 7 deals each.
Ernst & Young advised 5 PE deals worth US$276 million during the period, including Bain Capital and TPG Growth's US$86 million investment in Lilliput Kidswear, Warburg Pincus’ US$85 million investment in Metropolis Healthcare and Actis' US$78 million investment in Tata Realty and Infrastructure's road project SPV. Other transaction advisors who advised a significant number of PE deals during H1’10 include Intellecap (3), Veda Corporate Advisors (3) and Edelweiss (2).
M&A deals
Among M&A transactions, AZB advised 25 deals worth almost US$13 billion during the period, including the Bharti’s acquisition of Zain’s African operations, Jindal Steel’s acquisition of Oman’s Shadeed Iron & Steel and American Tower Corp’s acquisition of Essar Telecom Infrastructure. Other legal advisors who advised a significant number of M&A transactions during H1’10 include Tatva Legal (11 deals) and Trilegal (8).
Ernst & Young advised 12 M&A deals worth almost US$14 billion during the period, including GTL’s acquisition of Aircel’s tower business, Kalanidhi Maran’s bid for SpiceJet and Bharti’s acquisition of Zain’s African operations. Other transaction advisors who had advised a significant number of M&A deals during H1 ‘10 include Kotak (6 deals), Standard Chartered (5) and Deloitte (6).