Team

PUZHANKARA SIVAKUMAR

M.Com, FCMA, FCS

(Co-Founder & Managing Partner)

Co-Founder and the Managing Partner of SEP & Associates and Partner of Ragini Chokshi & Co., Mumbai, CMA CS Sivakumar P is a Postgraduate in Commerce (M. Com), a Fellow Member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI-CMA) and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). With over 40 years’ experience as a CS/CMA he has completed 28 years of practice. He brings with him a history of vast exposure in a multitude of areas including secretarial, legal, finance management, General management, and administration.

CMA CS Sivakumar P was admitted as an Associate Member of Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI-CMA) in the year 1988. After joining the profession, he served in various roles like Finance Executive, Finance Manager and General Manager/ Head (Finance) in both Public Sector and Private Sector Enterprises, handling internal audit, finalizing company Accounts, Working capital management etc.

He qualified as Company Secretary in December 1990. As Head (Finance) and Company Secretary, he successfully piloted several public issues in the State of Kerala, right from conceiving stage till the Listing, immediately post the opening up of Indian Economy in early 1990’s. He was also able to successfully move SEBI and obtain the First “Category I Merchant Banking License” for an NBFC from the State of Kerala.

• He started his Practice as a Corporate Consultant in October 1994 in Kochi and acted as outsourced CFO of many companies, achieving financial closure (both Project Cost and Working Capital Finance) of many new projects both in manufacturing and NBFC sectors.
• He is a specialist in Planning, Procurement, Utilization of Funds Product Costing, Standard Costing, Variance Analysis etc.
• He Pioneered computerization of cost records, MIS and Financial statements in all the units where he served.
• He is the Secretarial Auditor and Advisor to various Public and Private Sector companies and is associated with many established and well-known business groups particularly in the State of Kerala.
• He has extensive experience in procedural and Advisory services on Corporate Restructuring & Amalgamation, Corporate Governance, Capital issues and SEBI matters, and has also liaised with different Government Departments, Stock Exchanges, Depositories, Depository Participants, the office of C&AG and many senior Audit firms.
• He is an empaneled Arbitrator to the Honorable High Court of Kerala, Arbitrator on the panel of National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and served as the Public Representative Director of Madras Stock Exchange and its subsidiary MSE Financial Services Ltd (Nominated by SEBI).
• He was Director and Chairman (Audit Committee) of Interconnected Stock Exchange of India, Mumbai.

SYAM KUMAR R

BSc, FCS, LLB, IP

(Lead Partner & Trivandrum Branch In-charge)

Syam Kumar R, is an experienced Company Secretary and a Legal Compliance professional, a Fellow Member of Institute of Company Secretaires of India (ICSI) with more than 27 years of post-qualification experience. A Science graduate (BSc Chemistry) from Kerala University, he qualified as Company Secretary in Dec 1996 and completed LLB in year 2000 from Kerala University. In Dec 2020 he obtained membership with Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India as an Insolvency Professional. He also obtained membership in the Institute of Social Auditors of India as a Social Auditor in Jan 2024.

• He has proved his ability in handling secretarial and legal matters of Corporates in various sectors, including Manufacturing, Telecom, NBFC etc. majority of them being in listed entities.
• Out of the 27 years of post-qualification experience, around 14 years were with Listed Companies and is conversant with LODR and SEBI Compliances.
• Started career in Travel and Tourism industry and then moved on to handle manufacturing, Textiles, Telecom and NBFC companies.
• Conversant with NBFC compliances and was involved in setting up Compliance process and procedures in NBFCs, during his tenure as Compliance Officer.
• Had been in Key Managerial positions in listed Companies with vide stake holding and was instrumental in implementing high Corporate Governance standards in the respective Companies.
• Experienced in handling of highly competitive Boards of companies like ELGI Equipments Ltd, Coimbatore, Muthoot Capital Services Ltd, Kochi and Credit Access Grameen Ltd, Bangalore.
• He handled the IPO of Credit Access Grameen Ltd with issue size of Rs 1100 crores in 2018, from the beginning till the listing with NSE and BSE.
• He was instrumental in drafting, finalizing and implementing ESOP Schemes in two listed Companies including obtaining required stock exchange approvals.
• Was involved in the takeover of overseas Companies by an Indian Listed entity.
• Was head of Legal Department and handled legal matters in lower courts, High Courts, Supreme Court, NCLT, TDSAT etc.
• He had taken various sessions on Corporate Law, Social Stock Exchange and related matters.
• He has published various articles in Chartered Secretary and other corporate magazines.

He is presently the Senior Partner in charge of the office of SEP & Associates at Trivandrum.

Had been closely associated with ICSI activities in Trivandrum & Kochi and was the Chairman of the ICSI Kochi Chapter during the year 2016.

MADHUSUDHANAN E.P

M.Com, FCS, FCMA, IP, RV

(SEP & Associates, Kochi Branch In-charge)

Madhusudhanan E.P, the Co-Founder and partner of SEP & Associates, is a Postgraduate in Commerce (M. Com), a Fellow Member of Institute of Company Secretaires of India (ICSI) and a Fellow Member of Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of India (ICAI). He is also an Insolvency Professional, Registered Valuer and a Certified Forensic Auditor.

• Mr. Madhu is a diligent and seasoned professional offering a well-rounded experience of 14+ years in a wide spectrum of Finance & Secretarial Compliance, Stock Broking and Commodity Broking with various prestigious organizations.
• He has expertise in ensuring secretarial, legal and compliance matters, and finalizing audits of group companies and experience in initiating capital exchange membership, monitoring internal controls, drafting policies for accounts and risk management, piloting management information, maintaining statutory records and compiling information and reports.
• He has proven skill set in streamlining inventories, conducting feasibility studies and managing taxation, costing, FEMA, and corporate laws.
• He was associated with Celebrus group for a decade in various roles including heading Compliance and Finance of Celebrus Capital Limited and Celebrus Commodities Limited. Before joining Celebrus, Madhu had worked with the Murugappa Group at Hyderabad

At present he is the partner in charge of the Kochi Branch of SEP & Associates.

He had served as Chairman of the Cochin Chapter of ICAI and the Kochi Chapter of ICSI.

ANJU PANICKER

BA. LLB (Hons.), ACS.

(SEP & Associates, Chennai Branch In-charge)

Anju Panicker is a Law Graduate [B.A L.L.B (Hons.)] from the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi and an Associate member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). She has more than 5 yrs of industry experience.

• She was a Company Secretary in employment since October 2014 and has worked with Radiance Realty Developers India Limited and Kshema Power and Infrastructure Company Private Limited, handling their secretarial and corporate legal affairs.
• She was associated with SVJS and Associates, Company Secretaries, as consultant in Kochi and Chennai offices.
• She has vast exposure in drafting of Legal Opinions, Agreements etc., and is keen in matters relating to Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility.
• She has published various articles in Chartered Secretary and The Management Accountant.

At present she is the partner in charge of the Chennai Branch of SEP & Associates.

REVATHI K S

BSc, ACS

(Partner – SEP & Associates, Kochi)

Revathi holds a Bachelor of Science degree with specialization in Botany from MG University, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).

• Revathi passed the Final Examination of ICSI in 2022 December Examinations conducted by ICSI and was admitted as an Associate Member on 17 April 2023.
• She has more than 4 years of experience in Secretarial compliances and in secretarial matters like Incorporation, Secretarial Audit & Secretarial Compliance report as per SEBI Regulations, NBFI compliance, Angel Funding Compliance, Depository Participant Audits, Due Diligence, Vetting of Annual Reports and Corporate Governance reports of listed entities etc.

CS MEGHA GUPTA

B Com, FCS

Associate

CS Megha is a Commerce Graduate and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

• She was associated with leading Broking firm Geojit Financial Services Ltd in various Company Secretarial role and was Company Secretary of Geojit Credit Pvt Limited, associate NBFC of Geojit Financial Services Ltd from 2011 to 2017.
• Prior to joining Geojit, from 2008 to 2009, she worked with Mr. P. C Jose, Practicing Company Secretary, Kochi.
• She has started her practice in Bangalore from 2017. She is presently the Partner of SEP & Associates, Company Secretaries in charge of Bangalore branch.
• Megha has also been a teaching faculty for over 3 years at the Kochi Chapter of ICSI.

SHABBIR DHOLKAWALA

Associate(Mumbai)

Shabbir is a Bachelor in Commerce and Law from the University of Mumbai. He is also a Company Secretary (Professional) registered with the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

• He has almost 9 years of experience in Secretarial compliances and legal matters
• He has dealt with Registrar Of Companies (ROC), Regional Director (RD), Ministry of Corporate Affairs(MCA), National Company Law Tribunal(NCLT), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Bombay Stack Exchange(BSE), National Stock Exchange of India(NSE), National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), Central Depository Services (India)Limited (CDSL), Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTA) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• He has been involved in secretarial matters like Takeover, Incorporation, Corporate Restructuring, Setting up overseas subsidiary, Compliance, Bonus issue, Secretarial Audits, Preparation of Annual Reports , NBFC compliance, Removal of disqualification of Directors, Conversion of firm into Company/LLP or Private to Public or vice versa.
• He also has experience in legal matters like drafting of agreement for various stakeholders, Non-disclosure agreement, service contract, business related agreements, joint venture agreement, drafting of employee stock option scheme, drafting of petition/application for filing with National Company Law Tribunal, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, High Court Engineering Procurement Construction Agreements, Power Purchase Agreement and Corporate polices as per requirement