8/2/2014 Adi Godrej Biography, Adi Godrej Business Profile

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Adi Godrej Biography

Net Worth $5.2bil

Age 69

Nationality India

Residence Mumbai

Religion Zoroastrianism

Education

Management graduate from

Massachusetts Institute of

Technology

Marital Status Married, 3 children

Adi Godrej was born on 3 April, 1942 in Mumbai. He is an Indian industrialist and the present

Chairman of the Godrej Group, which includes many Indian companies. He is also the

Chairman of 2 international companies; Keyline Brands, U.K and Rapidol, South Africa; as

well as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dadabhai Naoroji Memorial Prize Fund.

In 2010, Forbes estimated his net

worth to be US $5.2 making him one

of the richest persons in India.

Family

Adi Godrej hails from a business

family. His father was Mr Burjorji

Godrej who was a successful

businessman and his mother was Mrs

Jai Godrej who spent her life as a

teacher at one of the Godrej schools.

He is married to Parmeshwar Godrej

and the couple has 2 daughters and

a Son.

His eldest daughter, Tanya, is the Executive Director and President, (Marketing) of the

Godrej Industries Ltd. His second daughter, Nisa Godrej has joined the group after

completing her studies from the Harvard Business School, USA.

His son, Pirojsha Godrej finished his management studies from abroad and has now joined

Godrej Properties. Godrej always taught his children the value of money and ensured that

they went through rigorous training, together with other managers in the company.

Growing up

At the age of 17, Adi Godrej left India and got enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology (MIT) in the United States. Initially, he planned to study mechanical engineering

but ended up studying management. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in

management from the Sloan School, MIT in 1963.

The Beginning

After completing his graduation, Adi Godrej returned to India and joined the family business –

The Godrej Group. The management had high expectations from him as he was the first

business graduate to join the company.

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The Godrej Group was started more than a century ago and since then it manufactured

locks and vegetable based soaps which displaced many foreign brands.

The Godrej Group continued to function with an inflexible style of management which it

followed under the controlled era of British rule, even after India's independence. Hence

when Adi Godrej joined the group, he faced the challenge of modernizing the management

structures and making them more flexible and systematic.

His efforts towards process improvements led to the progress and growth of the Godrej

Group.

Adi started the group's movement away from family hegemony that inflicted many family

businesses of that time in India. This was ensured by appointing CEOs from outside the

Godrej family to head the various group companies.

Adi instilled new business processes at a time when companies perceived “change” to be

disruptive and threatening. He created an emotional connect of both his personal and the

group's brand image with people by maintaining traditional middle class core values have

remained middle class. From the beginning, Adi as a businessman was very tech-savvy took

special interest in technology adoption which benefited his business.

Under his leadership, the Godrej Group kept overhauling growth targets and reached great

heights of success.

Achievements

Adi Godrej is considered to be one of the top business icons of the Indian Industry as the

Chairman of Godrej Group. His other achievements are:

He is the Chairman of The Board of Trustees of the Dadabhai Naoroji Memorial Prize

Fund.

He is a recipient of several awards including the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Award 2002.

He has actively worked for the growth of a variety of industries by leading key trade and

commerce organizations in the role of:

A former Chairman and President of the “Solvent Extractors’ Association of India”, the

“Compound Livestock Feeds Manufacturers' Association”, the “Indo-American Society

of the Indian Soap & Toiletries Makers’ Association”, the “Central Organization for Oil

Industry and Trade”.

A member of the Governing Board of the “National Council of the Confederation of

Indian Industry”.

He has also actively participated in imparting management education as:

A former Chairman of the Governing Council of the “Narsee Monjee Institute of

Management Studies”.

A former member of the “Dean’s Advisory Council of the MIT Sloan School of

Management” and the “Wharton Asian Executive Board”.

A member of “Tau Beta Pi” (The Engineering Honor Society).

A member of the Governing Board of the “Indian School of Business”.

Godrej Group - Company Profile

The group was established in 1897, and since then it has grown into one of India’s most

trusted brands.

Its Chairman is Mr. Adi Godrej.

It is headquartered at Mumbai.

The Group is one of the largest conglomerates in India at present. Over the years it

has diversified into various industries including:

security, materials handling and industrial storage solutions, construction, information

technology, furniture, health care, interior solutions, office equipment, appliances,

precision equipment, machine tools and food-processing.

Its products include:

medical diagnostics, aerospace equipments, edible oils, machine tools and process

equipments, security systems and safes, typewriters and word processors, rocket

launchers, engineering workstations, mosquito repellents, car perfumes, refrigerators

and furniture, outsourcing services, cosmetics and detergents, chicken and agri-

8/2/2014 Adi Godrej Biography, Adi Godrej Business Profile

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products.

The Godrej group is divided into two major companies which work independently:

Godrej Industries Ltd.

Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.

The Group has many subsidiaries, some of them being:

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (GCPL)

Godrej HiCare

Godrej Global Solutions

Godrej Properties

Godrej Hershey Foods & Beverages Ltd.

Today, Godrej has a customer base of over 470 million Indians and its turnover

crosses US $2.6.

It is present in more than 60 countries and 20% of its business is done

overseas.

To extend and improve its connection with its three-and-a-half million retailers,

the group has started using IT to integrate its supply and distribution chain.

Awards and Achievements

The Godrej Group's achievements have made the Group, one of the leading and most

envied corporate houses in India. Some of them being:

In 1897, Godrej Introduced the first lock with lever technology in India.

In 1902, Godrej made the first Indian safe.

In 1920, Godrej made soap using vegetable oil.

In 1955, Godrej produced India's first indigenous typewriter.

In 1989, Godrej became the first company to introduce PUF ( Polyurethane Foam)

Introduced India's first and only 100% CFC, HCFC, HFC free refrigerators.

Under the able leadership of Adi Godrej, the Godrej Group has been a recipient of many

awards:

GCPL was ranked 14th in “The Best Companies to Work For” study conducted by

Business Today.

GCPL ranked 6th in “ET-Hewitt Best Employers of India” survey.

The Group received “The Corporate Citizen of the Year” award given by Economic

Times.

The Group's flagship brands; Goodnight, Cinthol and Ezee were selected

Superbrands by the “Superbrands Council”.

GCPL was selected as a Business Superbrand by the “Super Brands Council”.

GCPL recorded the highest returns in Corporate India on Capital Employed and Net

Worth ratios.

GCPL was given the “Best Managed Workforce” award given by Hewitt Associates and

CNBC TV18.

Godrej Industries received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from CHEMEX Council.

Godrej was ranked at 22nd position in “The Brand Trust Report” published by the

Trust Research Advisory.

Social Responsibilities

The Godrej Group has been actively involved in many philanthropic and social activities.

It has built schools, dispensaries and a residential complex for their employees and

their families.

It has also established many Trusts and Foundations which invest in education, health

care and upliftment of the underprivileged.

It has built many green environs, nurseries and gardens which show its love for nature.

It is an active donor to the World Wildlife Fund in India and has also developed a

green business campus in Vikhroli, Mumbai. The campus includes a 150 acre

mangrove forest with flourishing wildlife and a school for its employees' children.

Adi Godrej has been a successful entrepreneur and his persistent efforts led to the to the

restructuring of many company policies for meeting challenges of globalisation and

liberalization.

In 2000, the Group successfully completed the 10 year long restructuring process and

formed a stand - alone company for each of its businesses.

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Comments Community Login

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• Reply •

arun tiwari • 4 months ago

I arun tiwari working with ISB mohali is a whistle blower but

could not get justice please help in resolving the matter

• Reply •

monica king • 10 months ago

Mr.Godrej,

I have purchased a fridge in your recent direct sales drive in

Coonoor,Nilgiris District,Tamlnadu.Although I was given

many promises and with a lot of bungling,the fridge was

finally delivered on Sunday 20-10-13 late evening.My old

fridge was taken as exchange.Till date the new fridge has not

been installed.I have only recd. calls to say that someone will

come,but no one has come.My phone calls remain

unanswered. All items taken from my old fridge have since

rotted away causing me much loss.

Sir my parents have used Godrej fridge for the last 50 years or

so.But I am sorely disappointed in the service.These employees

who are handling are unproffessional &unethical.There is no

co-ordination between transport staff&installation personnel.

How am I going to be compensated for all this loss of

material?

PLEASE SIR,PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THIS COMPLAINT.

• Reply •

prafulbhai dhorajiya • a year ago

Respected sir,

today again commitment fail to delivered good from your

factory side

pl sole our problem on emergency base

i am 100 time barking

sir you are not to sole our problem kindly forward our request

at proper place

• Reply •

vinay • a year ago

yes, i promise to myself i will be like adi bajaj. today i have

nothing but yeh sapna ne pura karke rahuga.

6

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