SEBI’s Proposed Disclosure Regime: Impact on Public M&A and Directors’ Liabilities

SEBI’s Proposed Disclosure Regime: Impact on Public M&A and Directors’ Liabilities

  • Most proposals are well thought through – unintended impact in a few cases
  • Mandatory clarification of media rumours – M&A dealmaking compromised and potential creation of a false market?…
Unexplored Strategies in the Fortis Saga: Public shareholders and IHH Healthcare exposed to significant collateral damage?

Unexplored Strategies in the Fortis Saga: Public shareholders and IHH Healthcare exposed to significant collateral damage?

  • Latest SC judgement uncovers Daiichi’s new approach – Fortis, IHH and, public shareholders under the gun for liabilities of Fortis’ erstwhile promoters
  • Public shareholders will need to brace for impact and be proactive – else risk getting the short end of the stick
  • Legal sanctity of the ‘theory of attribution’ possibly misplaced in the Fortis context…
SEBI orders public disclosure at M&A negotiation stage: Compromises deal certainty and amplifies directors’ liabilities

SEBI orders public disclosure at M&A negotiation stage: Compromises deal certainty and amplifies directors’ liabilities

  • Listed companies forced to publicly disclose deal details pending finalization of negotiations
  • Investors bereft of price and deal certainty, may even face reputational damage
  • Directors of listed companies may be liable for market manipulation and exposed to litigation if they publicly disclose a deal which then falls through…
Decoding Boardroom Dilemmas (Part III): Can Nominee Directors Share UPSI with Nominating Shareholders?

Decoding Boardroom Dilemmas (Part III): Can Nominee Directors Share UPSI with Nominating Shareholders?

  • No express framework exists for nominee directors to share UPSI with nominating shareholders
  • Natural expectation that nominee directors should represent their nominators’ interests – not permitted under law
  • Since nominee directors’ fiduciary duty remains towards the company and stakeholders, nominee directors are paradoxically placed and exposed to significant…
Decoding Boardroom Dilemmas – Hiving Off to Fundraise Through Subsidiaries – Commercial Wisdom or Short-Changing Public Shareholders?

Decoding Boardroom Dilemmas – Hiving Off to Fundraise Through Subsidiaries – Commercial Wisdom or Short-Changing Public Shareholders?

  • Transferring a majority-revenue generating business into a private subsidiary (hiving off) and raising funds at the subsidiary level is increasingly seen as a preferred alternative to direct listed acquisitions or slump sales
  • Hiving off may result in a ‘holding company discount’ and public shareholders lose out on value…
Private Funds: SEBI holds AIF investors in breach of insider trading norms for AIF’s investments decisions

Private Funds: SEBI holds AIF investors in breach of insider trading norms for AIF’s investments decisions

  • SEBI holds investors of AIFs having UPSI/ MNPI in breach of insider trading norms for investment decisions of AIFs
  • Investors into pooled investment vehicles exposed to substantial risk for actions beyond their control and visibility
  • Compliance seems rather impractical and creates complications for both the AIF and its investors – bad law that needs to studied for its potential implications…

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