Link Legal India Law Services international arbitration partner Saloni Gupta, who had joined two years ago from Kochhar & Co, will be joining US computing hardware giant Apple in its India operations in a strategic policy role, with a remit to build its legal team.

She will be joining in Delhi next week, according to market sources, with her role including strategic legal and policy work, as well as putting together a panel of law firms to advise the US giant, which is sitting on $285bn of cash and owns the hugely profitable hardware iPhone brand, iTunes store and ancillary verticals.

Link Legal chief executive officer (CEO) Jayanarayanan NR confirmed her departure and destination, and commented: “It’s a very good role she has got and we are very happy for her. We wish her all the very best.”

Apple has been working hard at expanding its lucrative and finely-honed retail ambitions to India at least since 2016, having planned to open its first store by 2017 year-end (in the US, Apple stores have long had the highest revenues per square foot). However, so far, it has operated in the brick-and-mortal retail space primarily via so-called “Apple Premium Reseller” partnerships with third parties.

Apple India spokespersons we emailed yesterday did not respond for comment.

Gupta did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

The 2002 Delhi University graduate had begun her career with senior counsel AS Chandhiok, followed by two years at Karanjawala & Co and five years at erstwhile Amarchand Mangaldas in Delhi, before moving to Deloitte in 2014 as a senior manager, and Kochhar as a partner in 2015.