Gopichand Hindujais a leading businessman, industrialist and President of the Hinduja Group; India’s foremost privately held group, employing over 40,000 people across four continents. He manages the Group with Chairman Srichand Hinduja and his brothers, Prakash and Ashok, with the next generation all fully involved in the business.

He graduated from Jaihind College, Bombay in 1959 and immediately joined the family business, firstly in Mumbai and then moving to Iran, joining his elder brother the late Girdhar Hinduja, and becoming responsible for the Group’s Iranian operations, where during this time he oversaw many successful ventures in the country. In 1982, he took up residence in the UK, where he was one of the architects of the transformation of the Group from an Indo-Middle East trading operation into a multi-billion dollar transnational conglomerate. A significant business move, the first major NRI investment in India, came when the Group acquired Gulf Oil in 1984, closely followed by the then struggling Indian automotive manufacturer Ashok Leyland in 1987; a remarkable turnaround story for Ashok Leyland has resulted in turnover for 2008 in excess of US$2 billion.

The Group has considerably expanded into new areas; it is currently present in 10 business sectors, ranging from energy, to healthcare, information technology and financial services. The Group’s truly global presence throughout its diversified portfolio of holdings is evidence of the family’s approach to the development of a conservative, well diversified Group. He is also a leading philanthropist in India and internationally through the Hinduja Foundation. His personal interests are trekking, music and swimming. His business philosophy is best summarised by the words “common sense”. He is married to Sunita, and has two sons, Sanjay and Dheeraj, both actively involved in the Hinduja Group business and a daughter, Rita. He is a trustee of the Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple, KPB Hinduja College of Commerce, and the Hinduja Foundation in the UK and India.

Honorary Awards Honorary Doctorate of Law, University of Westminster Honorary Doctorate of Economics, Richmond College, London About the Hinduja Group The Hinduja Group is India’s foremost privately held group, with a diversified portfolio of holdings across the manufacturing, oil and gas, media, services and banking sectors. The Group was founded by Parmanand D Hinduja in 1919, when he opened a trading office in Iran. From these humble beginnings, intelligent investment and disciplined growth has led the Group to become an international force; it is now present in 32 countries across four continents, employing over 40,000 people. The Group’s Chairmen are Srichand and Gopichand Hinduja, who with their brothers, Ashok and Prakash manage the Hinduja Group’s activities. Although the Group is now a global entity it still remains true to the values that P D Hinduja inspired whilst Chairman; it is these principles of honesty, integrity, loyalty and a belief in ethical investment that have enabled the Group to flourish and will deliver sustainable growth for the future.