Varun Kalsi has joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas’ Singapore office (CAM Singapore) as a director in the private client practice.
With more than 17 years of experience, Kalsi is a leading private client lawyer specialising in wealth planning and cross-border investment structuring.
“CAM is a well-known and recognised institution within the legal fraternity in India and abroad,” Kalsi told India Business Law Journal.
“When I corresponded with Mr [Cyril] Shroff for the first time around, it was clear that he was a man on a mission and deeply invested in the growth of the private client practice within the organisation.”
Kalsi who advises a diverse clientele, including conglomerates, ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family offices. “Our vision is to build upon the existing private client practice at CAM while adding value to investment, fund, and/or estate planning structures and legal advisory involving both India and foreign jurisdictions,” he said.
His expertise spans tax-efficient intergenerational wealth transfer, succession planning and international investment structuring through sophisticated vehicles such as Singapore variable capital companies, bespoke trusts and foundations.
Kalsi also has experience in international inheritance and estate tax matters, with a particular focus on the India-GIFT City-Singapore and India-Middle East corridors. Before joining CAM Singapore, Kalsi led the legal and wealth planning divisions at Lighthouse Canton, where he covered key markets across Asia, the Middle East, India and the UK. His addition further strengthens CAM’s capabilities in delivering comprehensive, cross-border solutions to its global private clients.
“We are the only Indian law firm covering the coveted triangle of Singapore-Middle East-Gift City with offices in all these jurisdictions,” said Kalsi.
“In my previous role, I spent a considerable amount of time working on global investment, fund and succession planning structures across these and other jurisdictions, coupled with an India interplay embedded therein. To me, this was the right time for me to share and add value to Mr Shroff and the team’s vision towards building upon an already sophisticated and world-class private client practice across jurisdictions.”
As director, Kalsi’s first order of business at CAM will be to “initiate several business development initiatives along with my team to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the relevant markets”.
CAM Singapore was established in December 2021 as a part of the firm’s larger strategic view of Singapore as a thriving hub for Asia Pacific and the firm’s domestic and international clientele.
When IBLJ asked Kalsi to comment on the legal landscape in Singapore, he said, “While Singapore was always at the forefront in terms of the private client practice, currently, it leads this segment with aplomb.”
“Over the last decade and especially after the advent of the variable capital company (VCC) structure through special legislation in 2018, several families have chosen Singapore as their go-to jurisdiction for establishing their family offices and/or succession planning structures.”
“Singapore’s robust due-diligence thresholds, political stability, government’s focus to make Singapore the global asset management hub, laws and their enforcement, section 13 Singapore income tax exemptions, and a common law based legal system are some of the reasons for it being the preferred destination for most families, or UHNIs.”