Kessaven Payandi Pillay

Senior Associate

Kessaven Payandi Pillay joined Uteem Chambers in 2017 and currently serves as a Senior Associate. He practises across banking and finance, corporate & commercial law, and civil & criminal litigation, regularly advising leading financial institutions, management companies, and corporates on Mauritian law aspects of cross-border transactions and disputes.

He also counsels clients on employment, family, revenue & taxation, and insolvency matters, representing them before the Supreme Court, Intermediate Court, and Industrial Court of Mauritius.

Kessaven obtained his LLB (Hons) from Middlesex University (Mauritius Branch) in 2014 and his Postgraduate Diploma in Bar Professional Training Studies from the University of the West of England, Bristol in 2016. He was called to the Bar of England & Wales at the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in July 2016 and admitted to the Mauritian Bar in September 2017.

Representative Experience

Banking and Finance

  • Advised international banks on the creation, execution and registration of Mauritian securities and guarantees for multi-million-dollar loan transactions.

  • Acted for a leading global sustainable-infrastructure investor on lending and security matters.

Corporate and Commercial

  • Advised multiple funds, management companies and corporates on regulatory and contractual issues under Mauritian law.

  • Drafted resolutions, commercial agreements, and security documents for cross-border clients.

Civil and Commercial Litigation

  • Represented ATL Media Ltd in complex litigation against Living Entertainment Ltd and Axis Bank Ltd (DIFC Branch) concerning a USD 52.5 million Put Option Deed, including related Indian proceedings.

  • Represented EAX Ltd in a dispute with Evaco Ltd regarding an ERP agreement.

  • Advised and represented several individuals in tortious and contractual claims before the Mauritian Courts.

Employment Law

  • Retained adviser to business-process outsourcing and retail groups on employment compliance and dispute resolution.

  • Drafted and reviewed employment, compromise, and settlement agreements.

  • Represented clients before disciplinary committees and employment tribunals.

Revenue and Taxation

  • Represented UPL Corporation Ltd in tax litigation on foreign-tax-sparing credit and interpretation of Income Tax (FTC) Regulations 1996.

  • Acts for J.P. Morgan India Securities Holdings Ltd in a case concerning hedging-agreement tax treatment.

  • Represents an individual taxpayer on “badges of trade” assessment.

  • Advises African Infrastructure Investment Fund II (Mauritius) on the tax treatment of management feesdisallowed by the Mauritius Revenue Authority.

Professional Qualifications

  • Mauritian Bar — September 2017

  • Bar of England & Wales (Middle Temple) — July 2016

Education

  • University of the West of England, Bristol — Postgraduate Diploma, Bar Professional Training (2016)

  • Middlesex University (Mauritius Branch) — LLB (Hons) (2014)

Notable Internships

  • Mardemootoo Solicitors (2016)

  • Benoit Chambers (2016–2017)

  • Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (2017)

  • Uteem Chambers (2017)

Languages

English | French | Creole

kessaven@uteemchambers.com