Shearman & Sterling partner Robert Nelson has been reappointed to the board of directors of the US-India Business Council.
Formed in 1975 at the request of the US and Indian governments, the US-India Business Council (USIBC) is the premier business advocacy organization advancing US-India commercial ties. Today, Washington, DC-based USIBC is the largest bilateral trade association in the United States, with liaison presence in New York, Silicon Valley and New Delhi. Over 300 top-tier US and Indian companies belong to USIBC. Ajay Banga, President & CEO of MasterCard, is USIBC's Chairman.
Nelson, who is based in the firm’s San Francisco office, has been involved with the USIBC since 2008. He has served on USIBC’s Board of Directors since 2009.
At Shearman & Sterling, Nelson’s practice focuses on cross-border transactions in the areas of energy, infrastructure, technology, private equity and foreign investment. He has worked extensively worldwide, with a particular focus on Asia, including China and India. His work in India—which dates back to the early 1990s—includes representation of Bechtel and GE in the restructuring of the $3 billion Dabhol power project, the largest single foreign investment ever made in India, as well as representation of other foreign investors in India such as Credit Suisse, E*TRADE, InterGen, St. Jude Medical, and various private equity and hedge funds. Nelson also represented major Indian companies like Larsen & Toubro and Mahindra & Mahindra (whose Chairman, Anand Mahindra, is also a member of the USIBC Board). In addition to his legal work involving India, Nelson was appointed to the India-US task force devoted to improving economic and trade relations between the two countries and is active in not-for-profit activities focused on India.
“It is a great honor to be asked to serve once again on the board of directors of the US-India Business Council,” Nelson said. “The Council does important work advocating on behalf of continued trade and general commerce, which will be particularly important now that a new ruling party is coming into power in India, and we seek to work together to realize the full promise of this critical bilateral relationships. USIBC’s Board is an extremely active one that draws on top-level talent from many of the world’s leading companies, and one could never hope to find a better Chairman than Ajay Banga.”
Shearman & Sterling partner Matthew Bersani, who leads the firm’s India Group, said, “Bob’s important work with the US-India Business Council has led to important economic opportunities for both countries. Since we have had a leading India practice for more than 20 years, we are delighted to support Bob’s efforts in this area.”
Shearman & Sterling’s India Group helps clients based in or focused on India with inbound or outbound opportunities. The group consists of a team of lawyers who provide integrated cross-practice advice on matters and transactions in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, bank and project finance, arbitration and litigation, bankruptcy and reorganization, intellectual property, financial regulatory, antitrust, executive compensation and employee benefits, real estate and fund formation.
