Why he matters: A billionaire industrialist, business tycoon and powerhouse of… well, power! Labelling the Founding Chairman of the Adani Group isn’t easy, though understanding the clout he yields today is. Devansh Jain, Executive Director of the INOXGFL Group, recalls the inspiring moments he spent with ‘Gautam Bhai’ that left him in awe of his generosity.
How Gautam Bhai has gone from being one of India’s most successful businessmen to becoming a global power centre and statesman is for all to see. However, I’ve had the privilege of spending time with him personally, and I’d pick traits other than his leadership qualities and business acumen as those that define him.
First: his humility is unparalleled. I’ve met many well-known industrialists, but I don’t think I’ve come across anyone as down to earth and as rooted as Gautam Bhai.
Second: he’s closely connected with everything he does. Even at his scale and stature, he knows the smallest details of each of his businesses just as well as he knows the fundamentals. This, in spite of having the best professionals on his payroll and a large family setup to support him. For someone with interests across 40 to 50 sectors, it’s incredible.
As a businessman myself, I find his clear focus on scale and rapid buildup, his personal touch and the relationships he fosters with his partners all qualities to emulate.
I’m much younger but have had the opportunity of working with him in the renewable energy space. He was truly a father figure to me and treated me like one of his own. Gautam Bhai spent a lot of time giving me advice on scaling up and looking at the larger picture, pushed me to reduce costs and be more efficient, and to grow to a global scale.
I remember one particular interaction with him, when he was trying to understand what we were doing in our electric vehicle vertical. When I mentioned we were setting up one of the largest battery chemical complexes in India, he didn’t hesitate to put me in touch with relevant people from not only within the industry in India, but many others placed in supremely senior positions in other parts of the world! For someone like Gautam Adani to extend his help in such a way was a pleasant surprise.
What followed was an hour-long one-on-one meeting with a former prime minister, as well as a trade commissioner. To experience someone sharing contacts and resources so generously was a first for me.
Evidently, Gautam Bhai is extremely helpful to people he knows, is very supportive and always looks at the long-term picture when entering into a partnership. I believe his sheer determination to be one of the biggest nation builders and take India forward truly stands out.
While scores of businessmen focus on profitability and market cap, Gautam Bhai has moved to the next level. He’s really India’s brand ambassador to the world, and for virtually anyone who wants to enter our country for infrastructure or mega capex projects, their first port of call is Adani!
To see who else is on the list, grab the copy of HELLO! India’s August 2023 issue right here!
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