Imran Bhatia

Norlake Hospitality and Unbound

When Imran Bhatia joined London-based Ennismore in 2018, it was a budding hotel and hospitality start-up with no general counsel. Four years later it is a fully fledged global operation, following a recent merger with European hotel giant Accor.

Now general counsel for not one but two growing companies, Bhatia intends to take on the same mission as before: building them up to reach a transformational event, whatever that may end up being.

One company is Norlake Hospitality, which owns the Hoxton and Gleneagles hotels managed by Ennismore – many of which Bhatia opened and ran in his previous role. He is still looking after those properties, except now from an owner’s mindset.

The other company is Unbound, a maturing venture capitalist firm past its start-up phase that is focusing on supporting new and disruptive tech companies.

It marked an exciting return to the venture capital scene which will require the former Herbert Smith Freehills and JAG Shaw Baker associate to draw experience from his private practice days. He hopes to add value quickly and ultimately show what can be achieved by having a lawyer in the room.