About
Neeraj Kochar is a partner at Accuracy. He joined Accuracy as a senior associate in 2016 and specialises in transactions advisory services, disputes and crises work.
He has led and worked across various domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, PE fundraising and due diligence engagements for clients across industries and geographies.
Neeraj has been involved in the preparation and coordination of many expert witness reports, in particular for India ad hoc arbitration matters and those arbitrated under the SIAC (Singapore).
Neeraj has multiple years of experience. He started his career with PWC in 2011 in their assurance practice, working across multiple statutory audit, limited review, tax audit and group reporting engagements. Thereafter, in 2014 he joined the transaction services team of KPMG India working on financial due diligence (FDD) & vendor due diligence (VDD) for various targets/clients across diverse sectors and multiple geographies.
Neeraj speaks English and Hindi.
Qualifications
- Chartered Accountant, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
- Company Secretary, Institute of Company Secretaries of India
- Certification in Fraud Accounting and Fraud Detection, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
In-depth expertise
Transactions and Investments
Neeraj has extensive experience in transaction advisory engagements including the preparation of business plans and transaction collateral, commercial due diligence, in-depth assessments of targets, valuations in the context of transactions, and negotiations of shareholder agreements.
Neeraj also regularly conducts buy-side financial due diligence, vendor due diligence and vendor assistance, carve-out assessments and assessments of synergies.
Neeraj has worked across varied sectors including consumer goods, electrical components & equipment, media and entertainment, travel and hospitality, IT/ ITeS, E-commerce, etc.
Disputes and Crises – Litigation and Arbitration
Neeraj has extensive experience in the assessment of damages in litigation and arbitration contexts. He has prepared expert reports for numerous quantum, financial and transaction disputes.
Neeraj has worked alongside various quantum experts for expert testimony. He has also been part of expert hot-tubbing (concurrent expert evidence) processes.
In addition to numerous Indian ad hoc arbitrations, Neeraj has worked on several matters before the SIAC, ICC and LCIA arbitration forums.
Disputes and Crises – Investigation and Forensic services
Neeraj is experienced in forensic investigation engagements relating to the uncovering of fraudulent accounting, assessment of financial misappropriation, and more.
Example of engagements
Transactions
- Buy-side financial adviser to a NASDAQ-listed e-commerce company in travel services for the acquisition of a corporate travel service company
- Sell-side adviser to a leading global hydro-engineering advisory company for an asset sell in Nepal
- Carve-out of the Indian electronic business segment of a multinational company providing energy and automation digital solutions. Vendor assistance for the transaction between the carved-out entity and a global PE fund
- Financial due diligence services on behalf of a leading PE firm for its investment in a leading cab-aggregator in India
- Vendor due diligence, commercial due diligence and business plan review for a leading tea manufacturer in India
- Several financial due diligence engagements on behalf of corporate and PE investors for investment and/or acquisition in varied sectors including pharmaceuticals, FMCG, IT/ITeS, financial services, etc.
Litigation and arbitration
- Expert report in the context of an ad hoc arbitration relating to damage suffered as a result of breach of contract in the defence sector in India
- Expert report for the loss of profit of a luxury car dealer in a dispute related to the termination of dealership contract
- Expert report and expert hot-tubbing for a dispute relating to the valuation of buyback shares held by a former employee of an India-based architectural hardware company
- Expert report for damages in an arbitration relating to the breach of a licence agreement by a public sector undertaking in the OOH advertising sector
- Assistance to valuation expert in the case of a dispute between a global fast food chain and an Indian joint venture partner
- Damage assessment engagements in varied sectors such as retail, consumer goods, infrastructure, financial services, electric vehicles, etc.
Forensics and Fraud
- Assisted leading global e-commerce company with financial analysis and forensic services for investment in gift card portal and loyalty programme management services company in India
- Forensic investigation services for a Japanese company in a case of perpetrated fraud by a director of its joint venture partner
- Investigation for potential fraud and assessment of reasons for share dilution of the investor in an Indian aluminium manufacturing company
- Forensics procedures on the Indian JV partner of a leading electrical component manufacturer