Herminius was commissioned to provide a detailed assessment of the background and business reputation of a prospective counterparty in India. The feedback from over 20 well-informed contacts showed that the subject had played a key role in the growth of one of India’s more successful businesses, prior to its recent implosion.

People he had worked with described him as an accomplished senior manager with a thorough command of his brief, a strong work ethic, and the respect of his colleagues. However, despite his evident talent, he had always cut a low profile – overshadowed by his patron, one of India’s better known business personalities. The subject was now under heavy scrutiny from various investigating authorities.

The widespread view among our contacts was that the subject must have known of his patron’s alleged wrongdoing, and either participated in it or turned a blind eye. Most industry peers now saw the subject as irretrievably damaged, and our client chose not to partner with him.