New Delhi:

The 127-year-old business empire of the Godrej Group is all set for a shareholding realignment. In the redistribution announced on Tuesday, the billion-dollar company will now be split between Adi and Nadir Godrej and their cousins Jamshyd Godrej and Smita Crishna Godrej.

While Adi and Nadir will lead Godrej Industries, Jamshyd and Smita will inherit Godrej & Boyce, along with its affiliates and substantial real estate assets, including prime property in Mumbai. 

Who is Jamshyd Godrej?

1. Jamshyd Godrej, 75, is presently the Chairman and Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce, a flagship company within the Godrej Group, known for products ranging from consumer goods to engineering solutions. 

2. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, US. 

3. He has also served as the President of the World Wide Fund for Nature – India and holds chairmanship and directorship roles in organisations like the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, World Resources Institute, and Asia Society. 

4. He loves yachting and has explored the waters of the west coast of India, the Baltic & North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. 

5. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, in 2003. 

Who is Smita Crishna Godrej?

1. Smita Crishna Godrej, 74, is India’s third-richest woman, according to Forbes, with a substantial net worth of $3.8 billion. 

2. She attended J B Petit School and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. She also earned a Diploma in Communication Arts (Television Production) from Loyola College, (now Concordia University) in Montreal.  

3. She is a member of the Godrej clan, holding a substantial 20% stake in the family assets. Her husband, Vijay Crishna, a renowned theatre actor, and her daughter, Nyrika Holkar, are also involved in the family’s business activities. 

4. Smita Crishna Godrej is deeply engaged with the Udayachal Schools in Vikhroli, established in 1955 for the children of Godrej employees, including both workers and managers. These schools now educate over 2000 children, both girls and boys. 

5. She also serves as a Trustee for the Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Foundation, which conserves Mumbai’s mangrove belt. She is the Director at the Naoroji Godrej Centre for Plant Research. She also supports cultural and educational initiatives, including the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation and the Children’s Museum. She was honoured with the Extraordinary Leadership Award by Education World at their Education World Grand Jury Awards in 2016.

New Delhi:

The founding family of 127-year-old Godrej Group, which spans from soaps and home appliances to real estate, has reached an agreement to split the conglomerate, with Adi Godrej and his brother Nadir keeping Godrej Industries that has five listed firms, while cousins Jamshyd and Smita getting unlisted Godrej & Boyce and its affiliates as well as a land bank, including prime property in Mumbai.

The group has been split between two branches of the founding family, with Adi Godrej (82) and his brother Nadir (73) on one side and their cousins Jamshyd Godrej (75) and Smita Godrej Crishna (74) on the other, according to a statement issued by the group.

Godrej Enterprises Group — comprising Godrej & Boyce and its affiliates that have a presence across multiple industries spanning aerospace and aviation to defence, furniture and IT software — will be controlled by Jamshyd Godrej as chairperson and managing director. His sister Smita’s daughter Nyrika Holkar, 42, will be the executive director.

Their families will control this arm that also will hold the land bank, including 3,400 acres of prime land in Mumbai.

Godrej Industries Group — which includes the listed companies – Godrej Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties, Godrej Agrovet and Astec Lifesciences — will have Nadir Godrej as chairperson and will be controlled by Adi, Nadir and their immediate families.

Pirojsha Godrej, 42, son of Adi, will be the executive vice chairperson of GIG and will succeed Nadir as the chairperson in August 2026, the statement said.

In the statement, the Godrej family termed the split as “an ownership realignment” of the shareholdings in the Godrej companies.

“The realignment has been arrived at in a respectful and mindful way to maintain harmony and to better align ownership in acknowledgement of the differing visions of the Godrej family members,” it said.

“This will help maximize strategic direction, focus, and agility, and will accelerate the process of creating long-term value for shareholders and all other stakeholders.” Both Groups will continue to use the Godrej brand and are committed to growing and strengthening their shared heritage.

Lawyer-turned-serial entrepreneur Ardeshir Godrej and his brother in 1897 succeeded at locksmithing after failed ventures into hand-fashioned medical devices.

Ardeshir did not have any children, and so the group was inherited by his younger brother Pirojsha. Pirojsha had four children – Sohrab, Dosa, Burjor and Naval.

Over the years, the helm of the group came to the children of Burjor (Adi and Nadir) and Naval (Jamshyd and Smita) as Sohrab had no children while Dosa had one child Rishad, who had no children.

To enable the split, the two sides quit the boards of companies in rival camps. So, Adi and Nadir Godrej resigned from the Godrej & Boyce Board, while Jamshyd Godrej left his seat on the boards of GCPL and Godrej Properties.

Unconfirmed reports say Adi and Nadir Godrej will divest their stakes in Godrej & Boyce to the other branch. Jamshyd Godrej and his side of the family will transfer interests in Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) and Godrej Properties to their cousins through a family arrangement.

Real estate worth crores of rupees, mostly in prime land in Mumbai suburbs, will remain under Godrej & Boyce (G&B), and a separate agreement will be worked out to govern the ownership rights.

It owns 3,400 acres of land in Mumbai, including a 3,000-acre parcel in Vikhroli, Mumbai. The Vikhroli land by some estimates has a development potential of over Rs 1 lakh crore. It can develop 1,000 acres, while about 1,750 acres are covered with mangroves and is the destination of rare plants and birds. About 300 acres of land have already been encroached upon.

The Vikhroli property was bought by Pirojsha at a public auction from the Bombay High Court receiver in 1941-42. It was previously owned by a Parsi merchant Framjee Banaji, who bought it from the East India Company in the 1830s.

Adi is currently chairman of Godrej Group. His brother Nadir is chairman of Godrej Industries and Godrej Agrovet. Their cousin Jamshyd is chairman of the unlisted Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing company. His sister Smita Crishna and Rishad Godrej also hold a stake in Godrej & Boyce, which owns most of the property in Vikhroli.

A couple of years back, Jamshyd roped in investment banker Nimesh Kampani and lawyer Zia Mody to advise him on separating the land ownership. Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Uday Kotak and Cyril Shroff of legal firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas were assisting Adi.

According to the statement, the realignment will be implemented after the relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained.

“Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG) comprises Godrej & Boyce (G&B) and its affiliates, which have a presence across multiple industries spanning aerospace, aviation, defence, engines and motors, energy, security, building materials, construction, green building consulting, EPC services, intralogistics, healthcare equipment, durables, furniture, interior design, architectural fittings, IT, software as well as infrastructure solutions.

“This group will now be controlled by Jamshyd Godrej, chairperson and managing director, Nyrika Holkar, Executive Director, and their immediate families,” it said.

Godrej Industries Group (GIG), which includes the listed companies, Godrej Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties, Godrej Agrovet and Astec Lifesciences will have Nadir Godrej as Chairperson and will be controlled by Adi Godrej, Nadir Godrej, and their immediate families.

“Pirojsha Godrej will be the Executive Vice Chairperson of GIG and will succeed Nadir Godrej as the Chairperson in August 2026,” it said.

Commenting on the future outlook, Jamshyd Godrej said: “Since 1897, Godrej & Boyce has always been driven by the strong purpose of nation building. With this future-facing family agreement now in place, we can further drive our growth aspirations with fewer complexities and focus on leveraging our core strengths in high-tech engineering and design-led innovation across our strong portfolio of strategic, consumer and emerging businesses”.

Nadir Godrej said, “Godrej was founded in 1897 to help build economic independence for India. This deep purpose of innovating for a cause – the values of trust and respect and the belief in trusteeship and making communities that the companies operate in stronger and better – continue to form the bedrock of who we are 125 years later. We look forward to building on this legacy with focus and agility”. PTI ANZ ANB ANB ANB

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

As per the new structure Godrej Enterprises Group will now be controlled by Jamshyd Godrej, Chairperson and Managing Director.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Godrej family on late Tuesday night announced an ownership realignment of their shareholdings in the Godrej Companies. The realignment will be implemented after the relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained.

As per this new structure Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG) will now be controlled by Jamshyd Godrej, Chairperson and Managing Director, his niece [sister’s daughter] Nyrika Holkar, Executive Director, and their immediate families.

This group comprises of Godrej & Boyce (G&B) and its affiliates, which have presence across multiple industries spanning Aerospace, Aviation, Defence, Engines and Motors, Energy, Security, Building Materials, Construction, Green Building Consulting, EPC Services, Intralogistics, Healthcare Equipment, Durables, Furniture, Interior Design, Architectural Fittings, IT, Software as well as Infrastructure Solutions. 

The other group to be known as Godrej Industries Group (GIG), will have Nadir Godrej as Chairperson and will be controlled by his older brother Adi Godrej, Nadir Godrej, and their immediate families.

Pirojsha Godrej who is the son of Adi Godrej will be the Executive Vice Chairperson of GIG and will succeed Nadir Godrej as the Chairperson in August 2026.

This group includes the listed companies, Godrej Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties, Godrej Agrovet and Astec Lifesciences.

Commenting on the future outlook, Jamshyd Godrej said “Since 1897, Godrej & Boyce has always been driven by the strong purpose of nation building

“With this future-facing family agreement now in place, we can further drive our growth aspirations with fewer complexities and focus on leveraging our core strengths in high tech engineering and design-led innovation across our strong portfolio of strategic, consumer and emerging businesses,” he said. 

Nadir Godrej in a statement said, “Godrej was founded in 1897 to help build economic independence for India. This deep purpose of innovating for a cause – the values of trust and respect and the belief in trusteeship and making communities that the companies operate in stronger and better – continue to form the bedrock of who we are 125 years later. We look forward to building on this legacy with focus and agility.”

Both Groups will continue to use the Godrej brand.