Sarosh Zaiwalla: From £60 to the Bank of England, the Dalai Lama & Saddam

What does it take to walk into a world where you are an outsider, and eventually find yourself advising governments, challenging powerful institutions and sitting at the intersection of law, diplomacy and geopolitics?

In this episode of Brown Business, part of our Member Stories series, we sit down with Sarosh Zaiwalla, founder of Zaiwalla & Co. and one of the most distinctive figures in international arbitration and law. His journey began in 1975, when he arrived in Britain with just £60. What followed was a remarkable career spanning international litigation, arbitration, diplomacy and some of the most politically charged disputes of recent decades.

But this is not simply a story about building a successful law firm.

It is a conversation about what happens when law meets power, and whether justice can truly remain independent when governments, sanctions, national interests and billions of dollars are involved.

Sarosh takes us back to the early days of establishing his firm in London, when the idea of an Indian lawyer competing in the heart of the City’s legal establishment was far from conventional. His experiences included confronting overt discrimination and taking on a long-running battle after being told that certain clients simply did not trust Indians. Rather than walk away, he chose to challenge the principle itself.

That instinct, to question what others accept, became a recurring theme throughout his career.

The conversation moves into some extraordinary chapters of his professional life, including the landmark case involving the Indian government and claims arising from shipping delays, which eventually reached the House of Lords. From there, the discussion expands into the increasingly blurred boundaries between law, politics and international relations, drawing on his experiences representing clients connected to Iran and Venezuela.

Then comes China.

Sarosh offers a fascinating glimpse into his relationship with the country, from establishing a law office in Beijing to working closely with Chinese institutions and government representatives. His experiences also placed him in an unusual position: someone trusted by China who was subsequently approached by the Dalai Lama to explore whether dialogue over Tibet could be facilitated.

What follows is a revealing discussion about diplomacy, and the role that trust, personal relationships and simply being willing to listen can play when political positions appear irreconcilable.

The conversation then takes an even more unexpected turn: Iraq.

Before the war, Sarosh became involved in efforts surrounding Saddam Hussein’s government and explored whether an alternative to military intervention might still be possible. His attempts to carry a message to then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair provide a remarkable insight into the informal channels through which diplomacy can sometimes operate, and raise a question that remains deeply relevant: could the Iraq War have been avoided?

Yet beneath the extraordinary cases and international encounters lies a much simpler philosophy.

For Sarosh, the purpose of law is ultimately justice. Integrity matters. Fairness matters. Courage matters. And so does the willingness to stand by a principle even when doing so is inconvenient, unpopular or commercially difficult.

As the conversation turns towards the future, the discussion explores the changing relationship between money and integrity, the role of lawyers in a world increasingly shaped by financial power, the fragmentation of the global Indian community and what the next generation can learn from a career built on reputation and trust.

And perhaps the most personal insight comes towards the end, when Sarosh reflects on faith, humanity and a belief that has remained remarkably consistent throughout his life: what should matter is the colour of the heart, not the colour of the skin, religion or flag.

This is a conversation about law, but it is ultimately about something much bigger: how one person can navigate power without losing principle.

Listen to the full conversation.

Disclaimer: The perspectives expressed by the guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of our platform. This discussion is intended solely for knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as an endorsement.

Produced by Global Indian Series for the Global Indian Network.

Script by Rajan Nazran
original idea: Rajan Nazran

Introduction music: (https://freesound.org/people/Timbre)