Adi Burjorji Godrej | |
Birth Date: | 3 April 1942 |
Birth Place: | Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India |
Nationality: | Indian |
Alma Mater: | St. Xavier's College, Mumbai MIT Sloan School of Management |
Occupation: | Chairman of Godrej Group |
Spouse: | Parmeshwar Adi Godrej (died 2016) |
Children: | Nisaba Adi Godrej Pirojsha Adi Godrej Tanya Arvind Dubash |
Adi Burjorji Godrej (born 3 April 1942) is an Indian billionaire businessman and head of the Godrej family, chairman of the Godrej Group., he has a net worth of US$3.8 billion.[1]
Godrej completed his schooling at St. Xavier's High School[2] and then St. Xavier's College, Mumbai[2] for two years. He earned an undergraduate degree from HL College and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity[3] and a member of Tau Beta Pi.
After his return to India, he joined the family business. He modernized the management structure, implemented process improvements and improved the company during the License Raj. He heads the group alongside his brother, managing director of Godrej Industries and chairman of Godrej Agrovet, Nadir Godrej, and his cousin, Godrej & Boyce managing director and chairman, Jamshyd Godrej.
In 2021 he announced his plans to step down as chairman of Godrej Industries, the holding company of the Godrej Group. He would continue as chairman of the Godrej Group and chairman emeritus of GIL.[4]
Godrej Consumer Products has grown into a strong emerging market FMCG player based on a 3X3 approach to international expansion — building a presence in three emerging markets (Asia, Africa, Latin America) across three categories (home care, personal wash, and hair care).[5]
He has been president of several Indian trade and industrial bodies and associations.
He was the chairman of the Indian School of Business from April 2011 to April 2018[6] and was elected as the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry[7] [8] (CII) for the year 2012–13. He has been a member of the dean's advisory council of the MIT Sloan School of Management, and chairman of the board of governors of the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies.[9]
Twenty-five per cent of the shares of the Godrej holding company are held in trusts that include the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, the Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Foundation,[10] and the Godrej Memorial Trust. Through these trusts, the Group supports healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability initiatives such as The Mangroves,[11] Teach for India, WWF, and the Godrej Memorial Hospital.
He was married to socialite and philanthropist Parmeshwar Godrej until her death in October 2016 and has three children. They live in Malabar Hill, South Mumbai.[1] For his contribution to the Indian industry Adi has been the recipient of several awards and recognitions including the Rajiv Gandhi Award 2002.