Key Takeaways
- • Karan Pahwa departs Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) after one year as a corporate partner to rejoin Bessemer Venture Partners in April 2022, returning to the venture capital firm where he previously spent approximately a decade in legal counsel roles.
- • Pahwa assumes the expanded role of Europe and Asia Counsel at Bessemer Venture Partners, escalating from his previous position as India and Global Markets Counsel and positioning him to lead legal activities across two major geographic markets for the $8.3 billion global VC firm.
- • The appointment reflects Bessemer's strategic emphasis on legal infrastructure and governance across international markets, with Pahwa tasked with assisting investment professionals on transaction structuring, negotiation, execution, and portfolio-related legal matters including dispute resolution and governance strategies.
- • Pahwa's VC expertise spans venture capital, private equity, M&A transactions, and litigation, with specialized knowledge developed through his decade-long tenure at Bessemer and his recent legal practice at CAM, a full-service Indian law firm.
Summary
Karan Pahwa, a corporate partner at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, has departed the Indian law firm after approximately one year to rejoin Bessemer Venture Partners as Europe and Asia Counsel, effective April 2022. The move marks a return to the venture capital firm where Pahwa spent roughly a decade in legal counsel capacities before transitioning to private practice in May 2021.
At Bessemer Venture Partners, Pahwa will serve as BVP India Partner and Europe and Asia Counsel, leading legal activities across both regions. In this expanded capacity, he will assist Bessemer's investment professionals with transaction structuring, negotiation, execution, and portfolio-related legal matters, including dispute resolution and governance strategies. The role represents a significant promotion from his previous India and Global Markets Counsel position at the firm.
Pahwa's background positions him as a specialized resource for venture capital and private equity legal matters. During his decade at Bessemer, he led the firm's legal activities in India. At CAM, he specialized in providing counsel to venture capital and private equity firms on M&A transactions and related matters. He holds a B.A. and L.L.B with honors from W.B. National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata.
The appointment underscores Bessemer Venture Partners' commitment to strengthening its legal and compliance infrastructure across key international markets. As a global venture capital platform with $8.3 billion under management operating from seven offices worldwide, the firm's expansion of counsel resources in Europe and Asia reflects its continued focus on supporting emerging founders and managing complex cross-border transactions in consumer, enterprise, and healthcare sectors.
At Bessemer Venture Partners, Pahwa will serve as BVP India Partner and Europe and Asia Counsel, leading legal activities across both regions. In this expanded capacity, he will assist Bessemer's investment professionals with transaction structuring, negotiation, execution, and portfolio-related legal matters, including dispute resolution and governance strategies. The role represents a significant promotion from his previous India and Global Markets Counsel position at the firm.
Pahwa's background positions him as a specialized resource for venture capital and private equity legal matters. During his decade at Bessemer, he led the firm's legal activities in India. At CAM, he specialized in providing counsel to venture capital and private equity firms on M&A transactions and related matters. He holds a B.A. and L.L.B with honors from W.B. National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata.
The appointment underscores Bessemer Venture Partners' commitment to strengthening its legal and compliance infrastructure across key international markets. As a global venture capital platform with $8.3 billion under management operating from seven offices worldwide, the firm's expansion of counsel resources in Europe and Asia reflects its continued focus on supporting emerging founders and managing complex cross-border transactions in consumer, enterprise, and healthcare sectors.
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