Gautam Adani is one of the richest people in the world, acquiring an estimated net worth of around US$99.9 billion, per Forbes, at the time of writing. He also recently turned 60, prompting questions about who would eventually take over the helm of the Adani businesses.
His son Karan, 35, is the most likely candidate, according to multiple reports. Not only is he already firmly entrenched in the family business, he is particularly close with his father and openly takes advice from the business icon.
Here’s what you need to know about the man who stands to inherit billions …
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The keys to the billions
Karan Adani is the chief executive officer of Adani Ports and SEZ Limited (APSEZ). According to his LinkedIn profile, he is spearheading organisational transformation and, through a system of integrated logistics, he hopes to create more value for customers.
The Adani website states that, under his leadership, APSEZ has gone from having just two ports to 10 ports and terminals. The Adani scion has also said on his LinkedIn that ports are the drivers to economic growth for any country and his aim is to create a hub that brings together trade, commerce and finance.
Living in his dad’s shadow
It can’t be easy living in the shadow of a billionaire father who has gained global fame for his astute business mind. In an interview with SMB Story, Karan said that his father has given him three pieces of instrumental advice that has shaped the way he does business.
He said his father urged him to remain grounded and understand the business from a ground-level perspective. Gautam also told his son to keep it simple, explaining that when you simplify things that means you get directly to the root of the problem with no diversions. Lastly, Karan was told by his father to always consider scale. He said that if “one can’t think at scale, they cannot influence anything”. Karan said thinking at scale allowed him to become a leader as opposed to becoming “someone’s follower”.
In a post celebrating his father’s 60th birthday, Karan made it clear that they share a loving connection. Karan posted a picture of himself and his brother Jeet together with Gautam, writing that Gautam is the foundation that keeps “our family together”.
Groomed for success
Yahoo Finance reported that Karan was groomed to be the APSEZ boss since around 2009, when he started overseeing Adani Ports around the country. He graduated from Purdue University, getting a degree in general management studies. It has been widely reported that Karan is expected to take over the reins of the family business when Gautam decides it is time to retire from the business world. (Karan’s younger brother, Jeet, is about a decade younger than him.)
Family life
The Adani family are notoriously private and not much is known about their personal lives. But Karan’s high-profile wedding to Paridhi Adani in 2013 did not go unnoticed.
Paridhi is the daughter of Cyril Shroff, a well-known corporate lawyer in India. She is a practising lawyer herself and Karan has publicly congratulated her on her career. Her her LinkedIn page states that she is the head of the Gujarat office of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. On her profile, she also said she is pro-diversity and describes herself as an animal-lover and a strong supporter of mental wellness.
Three years after their wedding, the couple welcomed a baby girl into the family. On social media, Karan revealed her name to be Anuradha. In a Twitter post in 2020, he called his wife his partner-in-crime and the “coolest mother”.
Bollywoodshaadis reported that Gautam and his wife Priti are particularly fond of their granddaughter and take every chance to bring her toys and spend time with her.
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