Ajay Piramal

Mr. Ajay Piramal is one of India’s leading industrialists and philanthropists, and Chairman of the Piramal Group. Piramal Group is a global business conglomerate with diverse interests in pharmaceuticals, financial services, real estate and glass packaging, with offices in 30 countries and its products sold in more than 100 markets. The Group has a strong track record of robust sustained partnerships with several marquee global investors and partners.

Mr. Piramal is regarded as a torchbearer for responsible entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on ‘Doing Well and Doing Good’, a philosophy that has created long-term value for the Group’s stakeholders and the community as a whole.

A firm believer in the tenets of the Bhagvad Gita, Mr. Piramal is a passionate advocate of trusteeship and responsible business ethos. He is deeply invested in unblocking India’s socio-economic potential through the Piramal Foundation, and is an ardent promoter of social entrepreneurship. Mr. Piramal actively steers the Group’s involvement in various social impact initiatives through the Piramal Foundation, to develop innovative long term and scalable solutions to resolve issues that are critical roadblocks towards unlocking India’s economic potential. The Foundation currently works across 25 states and has impacted over 100 million lives, mostly in partnership with state governments, through Piramal Swasthya, Piramal Sarvajal and Piramal School of Leadership. Piramal Foundation has partnered with NITI Aayog, India’s foremost think-tank, in 25 Aspirational Districts across 7 states in India, to improve human development indicators across Healthcare & Nutrition and Education, amongst marginalised sections of society.

Mr. Piramal holds key positions on the Boards of several companies and prestigious institutions. He serves on the Harvard Business School’s Board of Dean’s Advisors, is co-Chair of the UK-India CEO Forum and Non-Executive Director of Tata Sons Ltd. Passionate about contributing to education in India, Mr. Piramal also serves as President and Chairman of Anant National University and Chairman of the Pratham Education Foundation.

He has been conferred with several national and international recognitions including: Outstanding Performance at the 9th Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (2018); International Advertising Association’s (IAA) Business Leader of the Year Award (2018); Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) – ‘Special Achievement Award’ Category'(2018); CNBC India Business Leader of the Year (2018) and CNBC Asia Business Leader Award (2017) for his visionary leadership; Hurun India Philanthropy List (2017); SEN Sustainability Award – Philanthropy and Best of Best – instituted by World Presidents’ Organisation (2015); Corporate Citizen of the Year award by AIMA Managing India Awards (2016); ‘Outstanding Philanthropist’ (2014 and 2013) by Forbes Philanthropy Awards; ‘Business Leader of the Year’ by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce; and ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ (2006) by the UK Trade and Investment Council.

Mr. Piramal holds an Honours degree in Science from Mumbai University and a Master’s degree in Management Studies from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. He has completed an Advanced Management Programme from the Harvard Business School, and has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy (D. Phil) by Amity University, India, and an Honorary Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) Degree by IIT-Indore.