Shilpa Bhandarkar

Shilpa Bhandarkar is the CEO of Nakhoda, a Linklaters-backed technology start-up that works closely alongside Linklaters’ lawyers and clients to design bespoke technology solutions for the practice of law. Our flagship product, ISDA Create, is a document automation and digital negotiation platform built in collaboration with our client International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) to automate and streamline high volumes of sensitive and complex contractual negotiations in the derivatives industry.

Shilpa started her career as a project finance lawyer but her interest in technology and entrepreneurship led her to found, build and sell a mobile app company as well as grow a legaltech start-up before re-joining Linklaters in 2018 as the Global Head of Innovation. She sits on the firm’s Innovation Steering Group which is responsible for the firm’s strategic approach to Innovation and Efficiency. Previous roles at Linklaters include being a founding member of the Linklaters India Group, COO for the India Practice and COO for the Africa practice.

She is listed as a leading ‘Disruptor’ in The Lawyer Hot 100, 2019 and an ‘Individual winner’ of the ‘TechWomen100 Awards, 2018’. She is a mentor on the LegalGeek Women in LawTech programme.

Shilpa holds an undergraduate and law degree from the National Law School of India (Bangalore, India) and an MBA from the Harvard Business School (Cambridge, USA).

Shilpa is qualified to practice law in India and England & Wales.