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Cipla GC, ex-BigLaw partner Murali Neelakantan resigns for new phase of career adventure filled with strategy, policy & teaching...

Cipla global general counsel (GC) and former Khaitan & Co partner Murali Neelakantan, has resigned in order to focus on a variety of policy, education and other projects, while also set to become an independent director of a former long-standing client.

Neelakantan confirmed that he had left Cipla on 4 February and said: “This is a stage in my life that’s finished and there’s policy and strategy and teaching and things like that I’d like to focus on.”

“I’ve been teaching for the past few years on and off, and I’d like to do this more consistently,” he said, adding that he was currently involved in running a pharma policy programme at Ashoka University.

According to a BSE announcement, kitchen appliance maker TTK Prestige’s board has recommended to include Neelakantan as an independent director, which remains subject to shareholder approval later this month.

He said he was looking forward to this and other similarly strategic roles in future.

Neelakantan graduated from NLSIU Bangalore in 1996 when he began working at Nishith Desai Associates, moved to London in 1999 with Simmons & Simmons, joined Arnold & Porter in 2005 as a partner followed by Ashurst in 2007 as head of its India practice. In 2008 he returned to India with Khaitan & Co.

Cipla had in late November hired former Infosys deputy legal head Gautam Rohidekar as chief legal officer in India, with IBM general counsel Gopi Krishnan having replaced Krishnan at Infosys as deputy general counsel, reported Bar & Bench.

We have reached out to Cipla for comment.

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