Singapore is home to one of the world's busiest and largest ports, and Devandran Karunakaran was born and raised there. His early career was spent advising offshore and renewable energy companies and acting as counsel for clients on ship financing deals against the backdrop of a bustling urban society based on the economics of practical import and export.

Mr. Karunakaran had a wonderful upbringing, with his mother as a chef specializing in traditional Southeast Asian cuisine and his father as the headmaster of an international school. He comes from a big family, and many relatives are still in Singapore.

Devandran claimed his independence and launched his professional career in the UK after he had served his country for the required 2 and a half years.

Instruction and Study

Aspiring lawyer Karunakaran studied at Leicester University. The school has a well-deserved reputation as a premier research institution that offers cutting-edge programs and facilities to its students. Mr. Karunakaran was particularly skilled in the "contract law" area, which deals with the formation, enforcement, and interpretation of contracts and other legal agreements between businesses. Public international law, also called the Law of Nations, was another area of study that piqued his interest. The rules and regulations of international relations are contained in this body of law.

Karunakaran enjoyed getting to know students from all walks of life and cultures at Leicester University. Many of the lasting relationships he forged with people are still strong today. So, Karunakaran's best man at his wedding to his wife was his college roommate.

Mr. Karunakaran was a dedicated student and a top performer on the university rugby team. After finishing his graduate work, Devandran relocated to London and signed a training contract with a prominent international law firm headquartered in the UK.

Academic and Work Backgrounds

The market for trainee solicitors in the UK is highly competitive, making training contracts scarce. On the other hand, completing this course of study is mandatory to Practice law in the United Kingdom. Fortunately for Devandran Karunakaran, he immediately landed a training contract with a prominent UK law firm. He couldn't pass up a chance that seemed too good to be true. As a result, after finishing college, he decided to settle in London rather than return to Singapore.

Mr. Karunakaran has called London home away from home for nearly 13 years. As a result of his time spent in and around Piraeus, Greece, he expanded his professional network. He made personal connections that eventually led to employment with two international law firms.

Devandran, well-respected in his field, has focused his legal Practice on ship finance law, offshore energy, and renewables. In these roles, he puts forth considerable effort to ensure that his clients benefit from the seamless integration of his technical legal knowledge with commercial and business acumen.

In 2020, Karunakaran joined PT Indo Energy Solutions as an advisor to the board of directors, and a position quickly expanded to encompass everything the company did. Devandran maintained his residence in Singapore and travelled to different locations in Indonesia as required by his position, even though the company was headquartered there.

Aspects of My Life and Interests

In 2015, Devandran moved back to Singapore, where he met Cornelia, a German national on secondment to Singapore from her home country. Halle, Germany, where she grew up, is now considered Devandran's second city.

Mr. Karunakaran is passionate about cooking and spending time with his parents. The three excellent cooks in his family—his mother, aunt, and grandmother—instilled in him a lifelong appreciation for the culinary arts. He wants to make nutritious versions of the comfort food he remembers from childhood.

Both Devandran and Cornelia are extremely worried about the state of the planet. They try to leave their daughter a better world by adopting eco-friendly lifestyle habits. Given this motivation, Mr. Karunakaran plans to increase his environmental volunteer efforts over the next few years. These days, he spends a lot of his free time volunteering for causes related to food security because he believes that nobody should go hungry in this day and age.

Devandran Karunakaran and his loved ones enjoy visiting new places. Besides the places their respective jobs took them to before they met, he and his wife have visited Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Switzerland, and Australia. Their ultimate goal is to instill a lifelong passion for travel and discovery in their daughter.

Their family places a high value on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They supplement their diet with exercise, fresh air, and natural remedies to keep their bodies strong and healthy.

Devandran and his family engage in charitable giving because they recognize their good fortune. That is why they have given money to help the displaced Ukrainians. Furthermore, he served as a trustee for a Hindu temple with which his family is affiliated, giving freely his time and knowledge.