China, a dominant global player, boasts of companies like ICBC and Alibaba that have become household names. India strives to be No. 2. Its top 100 Forbes list in 2017—particularly the succession to the next generation—is fascinating.
The majority of the successors have world-class degrees.
The Godrej family (No. 6) of Godrej Group, known for its consumer care products, transferred the top role from Adi Godrej, 75, to his youngest daughter Nisaba, 39, (Harvard MBA). Sister Tanya, 49, (Harvard MBA), is the group’s chief brand officer. Brother Pirojsha, 36, (Wharton MBA), heads the group’s real estate assets.
Fifth-generation Kumar Birla, 50, (No. 8), of Aditya Birla Group continues to oversee the family empire, while his daughter Ananya, 23, (Oxford Economics) runs microfinance firm Svatantra which has helped more than 300,000 women entrepreneurs in rural areas. Ananya also heads online luxury brand CuroCarte while juggling a fledgling music career.
Gautam Adani, 55 (No. 10), of port developer Adani Ports & Sez, is immersed in a coal mining project in Australia, while son Karan, 30, (Purdue MBA), oversees daily operations in the country’s fastest-growing port operator.
The Bajaj family (No. 15) of Bajaj Auto, helmed by motorcycle tycoon Rahul Bajaj, 79, boasts a new entrant: nephew Anurang Jain, 55, (No. 79, Pittsburgh MBA). Anurang started Endurance Technologies to supply aluminum castings to Bajaj Auto, but most of its current earnings come from other customers elsewhere in the world. His twin brother Tarang, 55, (IMD MBA), of Varroc Engineering, is all set to make it to the Forbes list.
Savitri Jindal, 67, (No. 16), widow of patriarch Om Prakash Jindal who died in a helicopter crash, heads the steel and power empire O.P. Jindal Group. Their only son Sajjan, 57, heads subsidiary JSW Steel and plans to invest in electric cars. Sajjan also heads SW Cement, and his son Parth, 27, (Harvard MBA), has become the latter’s managing director. Parth also takes care of the company’s Bengaluru FC that plays in the national football league.
Vikram Lal, 75, (No. 17), heads motorcycle group Eicher Motors, with the help of his son Siddhartha, 44, (University of Leeds MSc). Siddhartha masterminded the turnaround of the company’s retro Royal Enfield bikes, and is set to purchase bike maker Ducati. Sister Simran, 46, (Fashion Institute of Technology MA), succeeds mother Anita, 67, in luxury goods chain Good Earth (with Eicher Motors the main investor), and has since founded luxury clothing brand Nicobar with husband Raul.
Second-generation Pankaj Patel, 54, (No. 22), of generic drugs manufacturer Cadila Healthcare, mentored his son Sharvil, 38, for two decades before finally passing the baton. Sharvil (Sunderland PhD) intends to focus on pharma’s emerging markets.
Ajay Piramal, 62, (No. 26), of health and finance group Piramal Enterprises, has given daughter Nandini, 37, (Stanford MBA), and son Anand, 32, (Harvard MBA), seats on the board. Anand has founded his own realty firm from equity investments from the likes of Goldman Sachs.
M. A. Yusuff Ali, 61 (No. 27), continues growth of family retail empire Lulu Group in the Middle East and elsewhere, while daughter Shafeena, 32, (Richmond, London finance) runs food group Tablez Food, with franchises in India and the Middle East. Daughter Shifa, 29, runs Orange Wheels, a children’s learning center set to open more branches in the UAE.
Sanjiv Goenka, 56, (No. 73), of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, has passed on the operations of its hypermarket chain to son Shashwat, 27, (Wharton MBA).