A business leader who provides tactical & practical vision that is vital in corporate decision making while preserving overall legal health of Tech Mahindra & group companies worldwide
Role description
Vineet is currently serving as a Global General Counsel of Tech Mahindra Limited, a US$ 5.3 Billion Indian MNC providing IT, ITeS, Consulting & BPO Services to clients worldwide. In capacity as the corporate officer in-charge of the Legal function, he is responsible for the handling entire Legal & Regulatory affairs of Tech Mahindra and its group & portfolio companies worldwide and advising & supporting multi-billion cross-border Commercial transactions, Mergers & Acquisitions, Disputes & Litigations, Ethics & Global Compliance, Legal Policy & Regulatory Affairs, IPR & strategic legal support.
Areas of expertise
His work experience of over 25 years spans across wide variety of practice areas including Commercial & Contract laws, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions, Global Regulatory Compliances, Financial & Banking, Real Estate and SEZ & STPI regulations, Company law, IT, Data Protection, Privacy, Cyber & IPR laws, Criminal law, Telecom, Litigation & Arbitration, Employment laws, Bankruptcy laws, Competition laws & Corporate affairs and Indirect Taxation laws.
Professional experience
After working as practicing lawyer in Delhi High Court and the district courts in the initial years, Vineet embarked on the journey of becoming an in-house counsel with Punj Lloyd Group in a secretarial-cum-legal role, which exposed him to various facets of the law that eventually formed a significant part of his responsibilities. This was followed with an 8 years’ stint with the TATA Group (Tata Unisys, Tata Infotech, TCS) and working closely with Tata Sons and Tata Services, which further provided exposure to global deals & transactions. At American Express, working on complex legal challenges he got the opportunity to solve regulatory, legal & compliance issues in the banking, finance sector and NBFC sector. Vineet has also worked with HCL Technologies for over a decade and his path at HCL was punctuated by his significant role in handling billion-dollar contracts, complex litigations & arbitrations, establishing SEZ/STPI/Free-trade Zones, ensuring Global Compliances, resolving Customs & Indirect Taxation issues, filing of Patents, Copyright, Trademarks & resolving Ipe-related issues, handling public affairs functions and strategic legal assistance for HCL Corporation and Foundation. He provided active legal & regulatory support in HCL’s entry in the software business segment – the biggest IP acquisition the Indian IT/ITeS space has ever seen.
Currently, as the Group General Counsel for Tech Mahindra and its group companies the across globe, he leads a team of 100 lawyers who are located in different parts of the world and are taking care of the legal & regulatory aspects concerning the Tech Mahindra Group & portfolio companies and Tech Mahindra Foundation & its CSR activities. Vineet acts as a bulwark against legal challenges and roadblocks faced by the group to pave way for exponential business growth in tandem with risk mitigation and compliance with country law & legal obligations.
Education and Memberships
Vineet graduated with a B.Com (Hons) degree from prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce and L.L.B. from Delhi University. He holds additional qualification & degrees in Company Law, Labour Laws, Industrial Relations & Personnel Management, IT & Cyber Laws. With the wide-ranging areas of practice, he also serves on the Board of Studies and Advisory Boards of leading law school/universities, editorial board of legal journal & magazines and member of various trade associations and advocacy groups such as CII, FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM and INBA.
Awards & recognitions
- General Counsel of the Year, 2020-21 by IDEX LEGAL
- Featured in FORBES Powerlist 2020 comprising of Top 25 General Counsels in India
- Featured in Business World’s Elite List of Top 100 General Counsels of India 2020
- Best IT In-House Team, 2020 by Legal Era
- Best Inhouse Legal Team, 2019 by India Legal Summit & Awards
- General Counsel of the Year 2019-20 by Legal Era Group
- General Counsel of the Year 2019 by Indian National Law Bar Association
- Shining Star of Indian Legal Fraternity 2019 by Corporate Counsels Associations of India
- Excellence Award General Counsel of the Year 2018-19 by Indian Corporate Counsel Association
- 2018-Compliance Champion award by Legasis Services
- Leadership Excellence Award 2017 by Legal Era Magazine
- Top 30 GC Powerlist, 2016 by Legal Era Magazine
- Top Finest 100 General Counsel, 2016 by Indian Corporate Counsel Association
Pro bono work
Vineet believes that his role as a Group General Counsel is not only restricted to handling legal affairs for the Tech Mahindra Group, but also extends towards lending a hand to alleviate social imperils. Noting the lack of access to legal aid and resources among marginalized communities, he places great emphasis on providing legal advice and ensuring access to justice for such people.
As the Group General Counsel for Tech Mahindra, Vineet feels that it is an important responsibility for the entire team to contribute towards the overall organizational goal of undertaking CSR activities. He has fully espoused the company’s CSR policy and works tirelessly to make the CSR activities a success and a longstanding initiative. He also drives members of the legal team to participate in volunteering in company’s CSR activities, besides their individual initiatives in line with the legal aid and awareness.