Amit Kataria

Amit Kataria is a partner in Morrison & Foerster LLP's worldwide partnership, based in our Hong Kong office. Mr. Kataria has extensive experience advising on mergers and acquisitions transactions, private equity investments, securities offerings and on a broad range of transactional and corporate advisory matters. He represents corporates, financial sponsors and their portfolio companies in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions across a wide range of industries, including financial services, technology, biotech, hospitality, insurance, logistics, manufacturing, real estate and pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Kataria focuses on advising regional and international strategic acquirers and financial investors in connection with global cross-border transactions involving the United States, China, South Korea, India, rest of South Asia and South East Asia. He has also regularly advised clients on various litigation, internal investigation, and enforcement matters related to India.

Amit has been named amongst Dealmaker of the Year by multiple publications. He has also been recognized by Chambers Asia as one of the leading lawyers for India corporate and M&A work, where is described as a “very sound lawyer” who has a “deep understanding of the Indian market and is very proactive,” by his peers. Other sources add: “He is very prompt in anticipating potential roadblocks in a transaction and finds innovative solutions to address such roadblocks.”

Mr. Kataria has practiced in New York, Hong Kong and India. He speaks fluent English and Hindi.

Representative Transactions

• SoftBank’s proposed investment into One97 Communication Limited, which operates Paytm, a leading payment and e-commerce platform in India.


• IndoSpace on the formation of IndoSpace Core, its US$1.2 billion joint venture with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board which will focus on acquiring and developing modern logistics facilities in India.


• SoftBank in connection with the merger of its portfolio company Locon Solutions Private Limited (Housing.com), an Indian real estate portal, and Elara Technologies Pte. Ltd., Singapore (PropTiger).


• SoftBank in its further investment in Snapdeal, which included investments by Alibaba and Foxconn, totaling US$500 million.


• SoftBank as the lead investor in a US$120 million Series C financing of Grofers International Pte. Ltd., an express delivery online marketplace application in India.


• Softbank in its investment in India-based OYO Rooms, a startup that runs an online marketplace for affordable hotels in the country.


• SoftBank in its follow-on investment in Ola Cabs, India’s leading mobile application for cab booking, integrating city transportation for customers and drivers onto a technology platform.


• SoftBank in connection with its proposed joint venture with Bharti Enterprises and Foxconn Technology to develop solar power projects across India, including Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, following on the Indian Prime Minister's target of developing 100GW of solar power capacity in the country by 2022. SoftBank aims to add 20GW of solar power, and has estimated that this will require a $20billion investment.


• Hitachi and Hitachi Appliances in a mandatory tender offer for shares of Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange-listed Hitachi Home and Life Solutions India Ltd (HHLI) triggered by Hitachi’s formation of a global air conditioning joint venture with Johnson Controls. In the venture, Johnson Controls obtained a 60 percent ownership stake in Hitachi’s more than US$2.6 billion global air conditioning business, including Hitachi’s interests in HHLI and the parties’ other affiliates across 24 countries throughout Asia, Europe and Latin America.


• QuEST in its acquisition of Network Systems.


• ASSA ABLOY in its acquisition of Enox Brand in India.


• The Special Committee of China Hydroelectric Corporation in its going-private acquisition by a consortium led by NewQuest Capital Partners and its affiliates. 


• Diageo’s US$1.9 billion open offer to acquire United Spirits.


• Smith & Nephew in its acquisition of Adler Mediequip.


• DLF Global Hospitality in its US$300 million sale of Silverlink Resorts Limited, the holding company for Amanresorts.


• Warburg Pincus in its investment in Quikr.


• Cargotec Corporation in its acquisition of 49% interest in China Crane.


• Indiabulls Group in its internal reorganization and the demerger of Indiabulls Infrastructure and Power Limited (IIPL) from  Indiabulls Real Estate Limited (IBREL) and an SLB 4 distribution and listing of Global Depository Receipts (GDRs) of IIPL on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.


• Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited in its amalgamation with Indiabulls Financial Services Limited and listing of IHFL’s Global Depository Receipts  on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.


• AIG in the US$35.5 billion proposed sale of its Asian Life Insurance Unit (AIA) to Prudential PLC.


• MassMutual in the sale of its interest in its Taiwan-based affiliate, MassMutual Mercuries Life Insurance Co.


• General Electric and NBC Universal on certain corporate matters related to the formation of the NBC Universal-Comcast joint venture valued in excess of US$30 billion.


• Verizon Wireless in its US$2.35 billion sale of wireless assets to AT&T and US$240 million acquisition of wireless assets from AT&T.