This interview has been published by Namrata Singh and The SuperLawyer Team
You have an impressive journey- starting from your early days as counsel for Evergreen International Limited – Furniture Export industry to your current role at Signify Innovations India Limited (Formerly Philips Lighting India Limited) What were some pivotal moments that shaped your professional path?
“First of all, thank you for the opportunity to share my journey. My professional path began long before I became a qualified lawyer and CS. While studying, I worked at a securities advisory firm and later at a consulting firm, engaging in a diverse range of tasks. I’ve always had a passion for innovation, hard work, growth, and learning. From my early struggles, I learned the importance of working hard and putting your heart and mind into whatever task comes your way, without worrying about money, job titles, or other benefits.
There were several pivotal moments in my career. The first was in early 2003 when I worked at a manufacturing plant in Himachal Pradesh. This experience exposed me to various challenges and opportunities in a manufacturing setup, where I dealt with a wide range of legal and financial issues. I remember working on the shop floor for two weeks during a workers’ strike. This experience provided a solid foundation for my career, as working in a manufacturing plant requires a highly disciplined, structured, and efficient environment, which is also very demanding. My then-CEO advised me to take at least one round of the entire production process every day to learn about plant functioning, a piece of advice I cherish to this day. This taught me the concept of ‘Management by walking around.’ Since the company was also listed, I learned the value of having robust processes and systems to ensure compliance.
During that time, I was inspired by my CEO to read ‘The Goal’ by Goldratt, which introduced me to the theory of constraints and how addressing bottlenecks can increase overall efficiency and help achieve business goals. This gave me a much better understanding of the production process.
The second transformative point was when I had the opportunity to work at OSRAM, a German company. There, I was finally able to demonstrate my potential and expertise in various areas of legal, compliance, and governance. OSRAM was part of Siemens then, and I was part of the Siemens India compliance team, working on establishing the initial compliance program in India. I am grateful to have been part of the India compliance team at that time, which gave me a solid foundation in the compliance domain. I also worked on several complex litigations and M&A transactions.
My last significant change was moving to Philips Lighting in 2016, which was transformative in every sense. Philips Lighting (now Signify) is the world leader in lighting and the largest lighting company in India. Here, I have had the opportunity to work on groundbreaking deals and transactions, making a real difference in helping the business achieve its strategic goals in line with the #BrighterLivesBetterWorld brand vision.”
What do you love most about your current role at Signify? What are some unique legal challenges you face in the lighting products and services industry?
“At Signify, the company values its people, and I am proud to be part of such an innovative and energetic team. In my current role, I lead the Legal, Compliance, and Governance function for the Greater India and Pacific region. I love my position as General Counsel and Company Secretary because each day brings new challenges that allow me to showcase my expertise and skills, ultimately benefiting the company.
I handle a wide range of topics daily. For instance, last week, I advised on potential sales deals in systems and services for India and the Pacific, which involved contract reviews and risk mitigation. I also dealt with high-stakes criminal litigations, arbitration matters, commercial disputes, and compliance advisories on anti-corruption practices. Additionally, I structured an incentive program, managed a board meeting and a shareholders meeting, finalized the annual report with the board of directors’ agenda, worked on potential corporate transactions, and advised on compliance investigations with our regional team and global experts. I also conducted training for the Pacific region on anti-corruption, anti-trust, privacy, conflict of interest, and other compliance topics, and provided advice on deal structuring, corporate law matters, and other legal and integrity issues.
Each day presents a new opportunity to work on diverse issues and demonstrate how law shapes key decisions within the organization.”
Did you always want to become a lawyer? What made you choose law as a profession?
“I became a lawyer quite by chance, as my career path evolved serendipitously. Initially, I was drawn to the finance sector and aimed to combine my CS qualification with a CFO role. However, over time, my skills and interests shifted more towards law and compliance, leading me to focus on this area. In the end, I’m glad I chose law as my profession. Lawyers make a unique contribution to corporate life, earning respect as professionals and influencing the company’s strategic priorities while upholding ethics and integrity in all decisions.”
With over two decades of experience in the legal field, what major shifts have you observed in corporate legal practices, especially in compliance and contract drafting? What has been the role of technology in advancing these changes?
“I believe the core principles for a lawyer remain unchanged: providing quality and timely advice without fear or favor. However, the legal profession is now much more recognized for its contribution and value to business decision-making compared to two decades ago.
I also observe a significant shift towards digitalization in areas such as contract management, compliance approvals, and the automation and digitization of board and shareholder meetings. AI is increasingly being used to support counsels with research, drafting, presentations, and memos for any jurisdiction worldwide, as well as handling routine advice through bots.
The successful General Counsel of the future will be one who leverages AI to drive efficiency and automation while balancing the use of digital tools with sound judgment and experience. Technology cannot replace the nuanced judgment that comes from years of experience, especially in complex legal matters such as litigation, contract negotiation, legal advisory, and other areas where the law is not black and white.”
You have been honoured and recognized for your efforts across prestigious platforms like Global Legal 500 Power List, Indian Bar Association, BW Legal world etc. how have they impacted the way you and your approach to work?
“These recognitions are a testament to the opportunities provided by the companies I have worked for and to my team who have been part of this journey. They humble me and inspire me to strive for excellence in everything I do, alongside our dynamic team at Signify. They also place a responsibility on me to mentor my team and other colleagues within the fraternity, sharing the insights and learnings I have gathered over my 22-year professional journey.”
Can you share a personal development or mentorship experience that significantly impacted your career trajectory?
“I was influenced by many people over the years. I would call it silent mentoring, as there was no formal mentorship, but I learned a great deal through observation, intense reading, and practice. At various stages of my career, I had the privilege to learn from my supervisors and they had a transformative influence on my development and career, such as the CEO and CFO of Cosmo Films at that time ( on importance of processes/ governance/ diligence), the CEO of Cosmo Ferrites( importance of knowing the manufacturing process), and later the CFO and legal colleagues of OSRAM all over the world( gathered solid foundation on compliance, litigations, contractual matters, and overall development). At Signify, I have learned immensely from all the India CEOs, my global legal colleagues, and my team members
I also learnt a lot from diverse books I read over the years- whether on history, biographies, leadership, self- development, and even on fiction. Each book shaped my thoughts and I gained from the experience.
I greatly valued the training programs by the Siemens Compliance team and OSRAM over the years, which provided a strong foundation in core compliance topics. Additionally, a leadership program by Signify in partnership with Harvard Business School was highly beneficial.”
You pursued various qualifications in law – including Masters in Business laws, Criminology, apart from LLB and Company Secretaryship (CS). What makes you keep learning even at this settled stage in your career?
I always consider myself a “student of law.” The field of law is ever-evolving, with continuous developments requiring constant learning in new areas of legal changes, judicial precedents, innovative problem-solving methods, and understanding emerging challenges. Staying relevant necessitates being on our toes. Throughout my career, I’ve identified and bridged learning and skill gaps by enrolling in various courses. My most recent course in criminology was driven by the rise in white-collar crimes and the trend of converting civil matters to criminal cases. More importantly, I developed a deep interest in this area of law.
I continue to broaden my knowledge in emerging legal fields, particularly digital law, AI, and the criminal justice system. I have a keen interest in constitutional law, not only in India but also in other countries like the US. I enjoy reading works by various authors such as Austin, the late Fali Nariman, Gautam Bhatia, and Rohan Alva. In the future, I hope to extensively study the constituent assembly debates that shaped our Constitution.
Given your extensive involvement in various legal and academic roles, how do you manage to balance your professional responsibilities with personal life? What strategies do you employ to maintain this equilibrium?
The life of a lawyer can be quite stressful at times, with each decision having a significant impact on the company and its employees. The reputation of the company and the liberty of its employees can be at stake. Our job often requires long hours and even working on weekends, especially during crises. However, I don’t view this as an encroachment on my personal time, as my primary duty as a lawyer is to protect the company and its employees, even if it means going above and beyond.
With over two decades of experience, I have developed an intuitive sense of which areas require more of my attention, allowing me to balance my work accordingly. As we are a lean department with a lot to do, I try not to work late into the evening and focus on personal interests unless something critical arises.
I maintain a disciplined morning routine, incorporating daily runs, walks, yoga, and meditation. I also make time for daily reading on diverse topics before ending my day. This practice enriches my experience with different thoughts, areas, and philosophies.
I believe in the following shloka from the Bhagavad Gita (2.48): “Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.”
What advice would you give to young legal professionals aspiring to excel in corporate law, especially in areas like compliance management and dispute resolution? Also, How does Signify support young learners in gaining practical experience?
My advice to young lawyers is to ensure you understand the basics of law and gain an in-depth understanding of its principles and practices. Once you have a solid foundation, applying the law in diverse situations becomes easier. Areas like compliance management require a deep knowledge of legal nuances, so building a strong foundation is crucial. For dispute resolution, working with a dispute lawyer for a few years helps build a strong base in court procedures, practical issues, and quick thinking.
In recent years, I have been deeply moved by the teachings of Lord Krishna, particularly this verse from the Bhagavad Gita: “कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि” (“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty”).
A key skill for a lawyer is judgment, which can only come from experience and working on difficult and diverse matters. Judgment takes time to develop and cannot be achieved through shortcuts; young lawyers need to nurture this skill to see it blossom in future years.
At Signify, we have a robust culture that encourages our young lawyers to learn on the job, take initiative, learn from others, and have the flexibility to shape their careers. There is no hierarchy in our company, and any employee is free to reach out to top management for support or guidance, who are always willing to help. We encourage risk-taking, active collaboration, speaking up, and most importantly, always taking initiatives. I have had the privilege of learning from both senior management in business and legal.
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