Axay Satagopan
Axay’s practice includes mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and other strategic alliances, restructurings, recapitalizations, growth equity investments and other investment transactions. He guides clients through all aspects of these transactions, including structuring deals, drafting and negotiating principal transaction documents, directing due diligence, and facilitating smooth closing and post-closing processes. Axay also advises on corporate governance, general corporate and securities law compliance and risk management matters arising in connection with transactions and ongoing business operations.
With nearly six years of legal experience across the US and India, Axay brings a global perspective and expansive experience in multijurisdictional transactions, which enables him to craft sophisticated strategies for complex deals across a diverse range of industries and market sectors.
Before commencing his legal studies in the US, Axay worked as an associate and senior associate in the corporate practices of two of the most prominent law firms in India, and before that, clerked for Justice A.K. Goel of the Supreme Court of India.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity
- A major international airline in the merger of a leading Indian full-service airline (its joint venture with a leading Indian conglomerate) with the national flag carrier after its privatization, to form India’s largest airline operating in both the full-service and low-cost carrier spaces.*
- A US headquartered consumer goods company in its acquisition of the Indian subsidiary of a German pharmaceutical company, in its mandatory tender offer for $3.2 billion.*
- A leading Indian retail conglomerate in its takeover of a large Indian local-search and business-information company for $764 million.*
- A New York hedge fund in its investment in an Indian food-delivery and technology company’s Series J fundraise of $660 million.*
- A large multinational logistics company in its strategic acquisition of 100% of the stock of an Indian logistics company for $300 million.
- An Indian housing finance company on its Series E investment of $120 million from private equity investors from multiple Asian and European jurisdictions and the exit of early-stage investors.*
- India’s largest public-sector bank in setting up a joint venture with a global technology and electronics company in the payment systems space for $330 million*.
- An Indian pharmaceutical company in its strategic acquisition of 100% of the stock of an Indian specialty healthcare company for $85 million.*
- A leading Indian private equity firm in its strategic acquisition of an Indian cement manufacturer from a South American cement manufacturer, in its mandatory tender offer.*
- An Indian education technology company in its Series C fundraise for $28 million, Series D fundraise for $30 million, and Series E fundraise for $100 million at unicorn valuation.*
- An Indian industrial conglomerate on its joint venture with a European industrial company to establish an alcohol distillery.*
- A Dutch conglomerate with significant Indian corporate holdings in its global restructuring to avoid triggering Indian mandatory tender offer obligations.*
- A leading Indian state-owned oil and gas company in the treatment of its treasury stock in light of its privatization from the strategic disinvestment by the government of India.*
(*Indicates work done prior to joining the firm.)
Background
Education
- JD, cum laude, and LLM in Taxation, with honors, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, 2026
- Dean’s Scholarship
- Dean’s List
- Editor, The Tax Lawyer
- Northwestern Law West Coast Initiative: Los Angeles Semester
- BA and LLB, with honors, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, 2017
Bar Admissions
Clerkships
- Justice A.K. Goel,
Supreme Court of India, 2017 - 2018
