IndusLaw has hired Big Four accountancy EY director and chartered accountant Ritesh Kumar Talreja to lead its direct taxes practice group from Bangalore.

He is not joining as a partner but in an equivalent position, as executive director, direct tax.

He is a 2010 Bangalore University BCom graduate who had worked at EY Bangalore for his entire career after that, starting out as consultant in tax and regulatory services, and climbing the consultancy firm ladder on cue, becoming senior consultant, manager, senior manager and director by 2018.

He specialises in M&A, corporate tax planning and litigation advisory and arguing counsel, including before the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). He has also advised on tax policy, international taxation, structuring cross-border deals and joint venture negotiations, according to Indus’ press release.

He has apparently dabbled in insolvency, with work before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in amalgamations, de-mergers and capital reduction and has worked with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on matters relating to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).

Talreja’s clients have included multinationals in “identifying tax planning opportunities and ensuring an overall tax efficient structure with respect to their Indian operations”,

Founding partner Suneeth Katarki commented in a statement: “His vast and diverse experience in the direct tax practice will add tremendous value to our overall offering to clients.”

Talreja added: “I have interacted with IndusLaw earlier and I clearly see the synergy of my practice with the service lines offered by IndusLaw.

“I look forward to working with the Firm and growing its practice. I look forward to this new phase in this role and setting up a high quality tax practice.”

IndusLaw has 47 partners and 180 fee-earners now.

Late last year, the firm had started a capital markets practice led by former L&L Partners’ Manan Lahoty.