Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) announced the expansion of its India business with the launch of a dedicated Transaction Advisory Practice. A&M also announced that Vikram Utamsingh has been appointed as Managing Director to lead this business in Mumbai.

Amidst continuing global economic uncertainty and a series of economic reforms in India, A&M’s expansion into transaction advisory in this region reflects increased demand from private equity firms and strategic acquirers for an integrated due diligence approach that combines financial accounting, tax and operational due diligence services. As private equity firms increasingly focus on growth markets around the world, cross-border investments in and out of India present opportunities.

Utamsingh brings with him more than 20 years of experience in Indian mergers and acquisitions expertise, having provided transaction services to more than 50 private equity firms. His primary areas of concentration are due diligence services and corporate finance services. Utamsingh joins A&M from KPMG India Private where his role entailed transactions, due diligence, M&A strategy, restructuring, valuation and corporate finance. He played an instrumental role in establishing and leading the Transactions practice at KPMG.

Paul Aversano, global head of Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group, said, “Globally, Alvarez & Marsal’s Transaction Advisory Group works with private equity firms and corporate acquirers to maximize value at every point in the transaction lifecycle with the objective of generating optimal returns. Serving clients with utmost responsiveness, independence and integrated diligence services, we view our growth as a by-product of our clients’ success. We’ve launched transaction advisory capabilities in India and around the world to address the needs of cross-border growth and value investors. We are pleased to welcome Vikram and his experienced leadership to the A&M family.”

Speaking on the expansion of A&M’s India business, Sankar Krishnan, Managing Director Alvarez & Marsal India said, “India is a dynamic growth market for companies at all stages of development. We are excited about Vikram joining our team at a time when private equity firms in India are looking for overall support throughout the deal process. Given his experience, capabilities and proven track record in India and beyond, we are confident that Vikram will be a valuable asset to our growing team.”

Commenting on his appointment, Vikram Utamsingh, managing director, Transaction Advisory said, “Holistic in its approach, A&M’s financial and operational expertise sets it apart from all other global professional services firms operating on a global and regional scale. A&M’s proven approach is to partner with private equity firms to help them understand and unlock value in core operations and identify key business drivers during the diligence process. In the post-acquisition context, we draw upon our firm’s proven heritage to help improve the value and operating efficiencies of portfolio companies.”