Karthik Kumar is an experienced project development and finance lawyer with more than 14 years' experience across the Asia-Pacific region. He has advised on the development, financing, sale, and acquisition of complex and high-profile energy and infrastructure projects in the region, including projects in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, China, and Australia.
Karthik acts for a wide variety of clients such as developers, sponsors, borrowers, and financial institutions, including leading banks, multilateral lending institutions, and investment banks.
Karthik has wide-ranging experience in the renewable energy sector having acted on significant small and utility-scale solar and wind power projects in India, Bangladesh, Australia, and Thailand. He is highly regarded for his in-depth regulatory knowledge and significant transactional experience in South East Asia particularly in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Karthik is a dual qualified lawyer in England and India and is fluent in English, Hindi, and Bengali.
Prior to joining Jones Day in Singapore, Karthik worked for major law firms in Australia for more than six years and in India for more than three years. He also worked in-house with Investec Bank in Sydney.
Karthik is a regular speaker at banking and infrastructure events, including the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association and the International Project Finance Association.
Karthik is recognized by The Legal 500 (2017) as a recommended projects lawyer in Singapore for foreign firms.
Experience
The following represents experience prior to joining Jones Day.
Represented JSW Group in its bid for a greenfield coal mine in Perth, Australia.
Represented the Indian financial institutions in the restructuring of Enron's Dabhol Power Company, including liaison with government officials, domestic lender groups, and overseas banks in order to reach a settlement and to restart the project, and the consortium of lenders led by IDBI Bank in the refinancing of the Dabhol Power Project in Maharashtra, India.
Represented an international consortium of bidders led by the GVK Group and South African Airports in its successful bid for developing the Mumbai airport. Subsequently represented Mumbai International Airport Private Limited in the development and privatization of the Mumbai Airport.
Represented the syndicate lenders led by ICICI Bank in the financing of Karcham Wangtoo hydel power project (1000 MW) in India.
Represented the World Bank and IFC in the first of its kind municipal financing of a water project in Maharashtra, India.
Represented the Lanco Group as developers of the Lanco Green Hydel Power Project (70 MW).
Represented JSW Group as developers in the Raj West Power Project (1000 MW) and advised the developers in the bidding process as well as negotiated the EPC contract and conducting due diligence.
Represented ICICI Bank in the financing of two national highways in Maharashtra, India.
Speaking Engagements
- April 17-20, 2018
Power and Transportation in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, 2018 Jones Day Outbound and Overseas Compliance Seminar Series (One Belt One Road) - March 20-21, 2018
The Fantastic transition to renewables: Is it a Golden Opportunity?, moderator, 4th Annual Asia Pacific Energy & Infrastructure Finance Forum - May 8, 2017
Gas to Power / Renewables in South and South East Asia, panelist, IPFA Event: Moving Away from Coal Fired Power Projects - June 9, 2016
Private Mergers & Acquisitions in South and Southeast Asia
- National Law School of India University (B.A. and LL.B. Hons. 2003; Gold Medallist)
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales; Advocate, India; Registered Foreign Lawyer (Singapore)
- The Legal 500 Asia Pacific — recommended lawyer for banking & finance, energy, and projects & energy where clients commend his ability to manage complex engagements and provide clients with "confidence in their processes and decision making" and whose "insight and clear guidance inspire confidence in clients"
- English, Hindi, Bengali