DHIRAJLAL HIRACHAND AMBANI (1932 2002) ENTREPRENEUR PAR EXCELLENCE

GROUP MEMBERS 1.SACHIN NIKAM 2.K VIJAYKRISHNA 3.SHODHAN K 4.P CHAND 5.CYRIL SIMON 6.CN SUBHASH

BROAD OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION

LIFE & TIME
VISION AND MISSION ACHIEVEMENT CRITICAL APPRAISAL

LIFE AND TIME

BACKGROUND
DHIRAJLAL HIRACHAND AMBANI COMMONLY KNOWN AS DHIRUBHAI AMBANI WAS BORN ON 28 DECEMBER 1932 AT JUNAGADH , GUJARAT TO HIRACHAND AND JAMNABEN . FATHER , A SCHOOL TEACHER . SIBLINGS INCLUDED TWO SISTERS AND BROTHERS. DHIRUBHAI WAS THE SECOND SON. HIGHLY INTELLIGENT, DISLIKED SCHOOL LESSONS AND CHOSE TO DO PHYSICAL WORK INSTEAD. COULD NOT PURSUE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE DUE TO FAMILY PROBLEMS. MARRIED TO KOKILABEN IN 1954. PASSED AWAY ON 06 JULY 2002. HE WAS SURVIVED BY KOKILABEN AMBANI, TWO SONS, MUKESH AMBANI & ANIL AMBANI AND TWO DAUGHTERS, NINA KOTHARI & DEEPTI SALGAONKAR.

PROFITS WE SHARE AND LOSSES ARE ALL MINE

WORK INITIAL DAYS

MOVED TO ADEN, YEMEN AT 16. STARTED HIS CAREER AS A DISPATCH CLERK WITH A. BESSE & CO. FOR A SALARY OF RS 300 IN DUE COURSE, PROMOTED TO MANAGE THE STATION AT ADEN. COMPANYS FILLING

THE FIRST SIGN OF AMBITION TO ACHIEVE WAS OBSERVED IN EARLY 1950s WHEN HE MELTED SILVER COINS OF YEMENI RIYAL INTO METAL AND SOLD IT TO BULLION MARKET IN LONDON. HE KNEW THAT THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF SILVER WAS MORE THAN THAT OF FACE VALUE OF COIN. AT ADEN , HE ACCQUIRED SKILLS IN HIGH SEAS PURCHASE & SALES, MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION, CURRENCY TRADING, ACCOUNTING, PREPARING SHIPPING DOCUMENTS, DEALING WITH BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES

I DONT BELIEVE IN NOT TAKING OPPORTUNITIES

EMERGENCE OF BUSINESS IN INDIA

AMBANI RETURNED TO INDIA AND STARTED PARTNERSHIP WITH CHAMPAKLAL DAMANI IN 1958. "MAJIN" IN

MAJIN WAS TO IMPORT POLYESTER YARN AND EXPORT SPICES TO YEMEN. THE FIRST OFFICE OF THE RELIANCE COMMERCIAL CORPORATION WAS SET UP AT MASJID BANDAR IN MUMBAI.

IN 1965, AT ONE INSTANCE RELIANCE BUILT UP A LARGE HOLDING OF YARN IN EXPECTATION OF PRICE RISE. DAMANI PRESSURISED AMBANI TO SELL OFF THE STOCK AT THE EARLIEST. SO DHIRUBHAI SOLD THE YARN STOCKPILE-TO HIMSELF, IN SECRET. TWO - THREE WEEKS LATER, THE PRICE OF YARN SHOT UP AND DHIRUBHAI MADE A WHOPPING PROFIT.
CHAMPAKLAL DAMANI AND AMBANI ENDED THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND DHIRUBHAI VENTURED ON HIS OWN.

ONLY WHEN YOU DREAM IT YOU CAN DO IT.

EMERGENCE OF BUSINESS IN INDIA

AMBANI AND ARYAN MEHRA STARTED THE FIRST TEXTILE MILL AT NARODA , IN AHMEDABAD IN 1966.

AGGRESSIVE MARKETING OF THE BRAND "VIMAL" IN THE INTERIORS OF INDIA MADE IT A HOUSEHOLD NAME.
AMBANI BEGAN THE PROCESS OF BACKWARD INTEGRATION, SETTING UP A PLANT TO MANUFACTURE POLYESTER FILAMENT YARN. DURING RELIANCE'S IPO IN 1977 MORE THAN 58,000 INVESTORS FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF INDIA SUBSCRIBED TO IT. DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IS CONSIDERED A FATHER FIGURE IN PROMOTING THE EQUITY CULT IN STOCK MARKET STATUS.

LATER DIVERSIFIED INTO CHEMICALS, PETROCHEMICALS, PLASTICS, POWER.THE FINAL PHASE OF RELIANCES DIVERSIFICATION OCCURRED IN THE 1990S WHEN THE COMPANY TURNED AGGRESSIVELY TOWARDS PETROCHEMICALS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

"PURSUE YOUR GOALS EVEN IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES, AND CONVERT ADVERSITIES INTO OPPORTUNITIES."

VISION & MISSION

VISION
THROUGH SUSTAINABLE MEASURES, CREATE VALUE FOR THE NATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SPECTRUM AND HELP SPEARHEAD INDIA AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN THE DOMAINS WHERE WE OPERATE

MISSION
CREATE VALUE FOR STAKEHOLDERS

GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION

LEAD IN GOOD GOVERNANCE PRACTICES USE SUSTAINABILITY TO DRIVE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

ENHANCE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES

ENSURE ENERGY SECURITY OF THE NATION FOSTER RURAL PROSPERITY

IF YOU WORK WITH DETERMINATION AND WITH PERFECTION, SUCCESS WILL FOLLOW."

MILESTONES
1977 RELIANCE WENT PUBLIC WITH IPO DHIRUBHAI INTRODUCED AN EQUITY CULT IN INDIA A NEW MODEL OF BUSINESS LEADERSHIP FROM A BASE OF THE BROADEST PUBLIC SHAREHOLDERS

1982-88 RELIANCE SUCCESFULLY COMMISSIONED POLYSTER MANUFACTURING FACILITY AT PATALGANGA. ANOTHER STEP IN BACKWARD INTEGRATION

"DON'T GIVE UP, COURAGE IS MY CONVICTION."

MILESTONES
1991 RELIANCE COMMISIONED COMPLEX. PHASE-1 OF HAZIRA PETROCHEMICALS

CONSOLIDATED ITS POSITION IN POLYSTERS 1993 PIONEERED THE FIRST EVER EURO CONVERTIBLE BOND ISSUED BY AN INDIAN COMPANY FOR US$140 MILLION RELIANCE RAISED RS 2172 CRORES FROM DOMESTIC CAPITAL FOR SETTING UP WORLD CLASS REFINERY AT JAMNAGAR, GUJARAT. THE LARGEST CORPORATE. EVER PUBLIC OFFERING BY ANY INDIAN

"WE BET ON PEOPLE."

MILESTONES
1995 RELIANCE BECAME THE FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY TO BE RATED BY INTERNATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES. ALSO BECAME THE FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY FROM INDIA TO RAISE US$ 300 MILLION IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEBT MARKET 1996-97 RELIANCE TAPPED THE US DEBT MARKET WITH YANKEE BOND ISSUE FOR A TOTAL OF OVER US$ 600 MILLION. THE MATURITIES FOR THESE ISSUES WERE 10-100 YEARS

"MEETING THE DEADLINES IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BEATING THE DEADLINES IS MY EXPECTATION."

MILESTONES
1996-98 RELIANCE COMPLETED PHASE-II EXPANSION OF HAZARIA PETRO CHEMICALS COMPLEX WITH AN INVESTMENT OF OVER RS 9000 CRORES.THIS INCREASED RELIANCE PRODUCTION CAPACITY FOURFOLDS TO MORE THAN 6 MILLION TONNES PER ANNUM 2000-02 RELIANCE CONSOLIDATED ITS POSITION AS THE SINGLE LARGEST SHAREHOLDER IN BSE. INDIAS LEADING POWER UTILITY COMPANY RELIANCE ANNOUNCED ITS INFOCOM FORAY WITH A CAPITAL OUTLAY OF UPTO RS 25000 CRORES( US$ 5 BILLION) ADDRESING ENTIRE TELECOM MARKET IN INDIA WITH A NATIONAL FOOT PRINT

OUR DREAMS HAVE TO BE BIGGER. OUR AMBITIONS HIGHER. OUR COMMITMENT DEEPER. AND OUR EFFORTS GREATER. THIS IS MY DREAM FOR RELIANCE AND FOR INDIA."

MILESTONES
2000-02 RIL AND RPL BECOME INDIAS TWO LARGEST COMPANIES IN TERMS OF ALL FINANCIAL PARAMETERS RPL MERGES WITH RIL, THE LARGEST EVER MERGER IN INDIA. THE MERGER GAVE RIL THE DISTINCTION OF BECOMING INDIAS FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY, IN THE INTERNATIONALLY RATED, FORTUNE GLOBAL 500 LIST OF THE WORLDS LARGEST CORPORATIONS RELIANCE RATED AS INDIAS MOST ADMIRED BUSINESS HOUSE

THE PROBLEM WITH INDIANS IS THAT WE HAVE LOST THE HABIT OF THINKING BIG .

AWARDS
'BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR 1993', BUSINESS INDIA - 1994

AWARDED THE COMPANION MEMBERSHIP OF THE TEXTILE INSTITUTE, UK, AN AWARD WHICH IS LIMITED TO 50 LIVING MEMBERS (WHO HAVE "SUBSTANTIALLY ADVANCED THE GENERAL INTERESTS OF THE INDUSTRIES BASED ON FIBRES) - 1994 'STAR OF ASIA' BY BUSINESS WEEK, USA - 1998.

AWARDED THE DEAN'S MEDAL BY THE WHARTON SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOR SETTING AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP - 1998.
THE ONLY INDIAN INDUSTRIALIST IN 'BUSINESS HALL OF FAME' IN ASIA WEEK - 1998. CONFERRED THE INDIAN ENTREPRENEUR CENTURY AWARD BY FICCI - 2000 OF THE 20TH

"I AM DEAF TO THE WORD "NO".

ENTREPRENEUR TRAITS
LEAD BY EXAMPLE ABILITY TO CONVINCE OPPORTUNIST MANIPULATOR STRONG CONVICTION AND AGGRESSIVE APPROACH EXCELLENT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS BELIEVED IN CHANGE, UPGRADATION AND INNOVATION

HIGHLY CALCULATIVE RISK TAKER

"YOU DO NOT REQUIRE AN INVITATION TO MAKE PROFITS."

CRITICAL APPRAISAL
POSITIVE ASPECTS
HE WAS A BUSINESS MESSIAH FOR HIS INVESTORS HE WAS ENDOWNED WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY FOR FACES & NAMES AND MAINTAINED EXCELLENT INTER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH EMPLOYEES & PARTNERS THE WHOLE IDEA OF CREATING VALUE FOR SHAREHOLDERS WAS PIONEERED BY DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IN THE INDIAN STOCK MARKETS HIS DREAMS & STEADFAST VISIONS LED TO THE UNIMAGINABLE EXPANSION OF RELIANCE EMPIRE

"GIVE THE YOUTH A PROPER ENVIRONMENT. MOTIVATE THEM. EXTEND THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. EACH ONE OF THEM HAS INFINITE SOURCE OF ENERGY. THEY WILL DELIVER."

CRITICAL APPRAISAL
PERSONALITY AS PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE

AMBANI WAS A PERSON WITH LOT OF HUMILITY. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH IN LIFE AND STILL BE CONNECTED TO YOUR ROOTS AND REMAIN HUMBLE. SUCH WAS HIS CONNECTION WITH SHARE HOLDERS AND PUBLIC. HE WAS COMPASSIONATE FOR THE SOCIETY AND WAS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES WITHOUT BEING BOASTFUL ABOUT IT. IT INCLUDED ADOPTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, BUILDING HOSPITAL, ECO FRIENDLY INITIATIVES, RURAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME, EMPOWERMENT OF WOMWEN ETC

PURSUE YOUR GOALS EVEN IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES AND CONVERT ADVERSITIES INTO OPPORTUNITIES.

CRITICAL APPRAISAL
PERSONALITY AS PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE
AS PER ONE WRITER, THERE ARE THREE PERSONALITIES OF DHIRUBHAI AMBANI - FIRST, IS A UNIQUE, LARGER THAN LIFE, A BRAND NAME. AND FOR GUJARATI PEOPLE. HE HAS TREMENDOUS EMOTIONAL AND SENTIMENTAL APPEAL. HE IS THEIR ULTIMATE MAN. - SECOND , IS A SCHEMER, A LIAR, WHO REGRETS NOTHING AND HAS NO VALUES IN LIFE. - THIRD, WHO HAS A MORE SOPHISTICATED POLITICAL BRAIN, A DREAMER AND A VISIONARY. PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GETTING THE THREE PERSONALITIES MISTAKEN.

"BETWEEN MY PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, THERE IS ONE COMMON FACTOR: RELATIONSHIP & TRUST. THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR GROWTH

CRITICAL APPRAISAL
PERSONALITY AS PERCEIVED BY PEOPLE
TO ANOTHER WRITER, HE WAS A 'FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER CREATED BY THE EXPERIMENT OF CLOSED INDIAN ECONOMY WHO COULD MAKE OR BREAK PRIME MINISTERS BY EXERCISING A CONTROL OVER MEDIA, STOCK MARKET & POLITICIANS. A SENIOR LAWYER ALSO HAD AN EQUALLY STARK VIEW WHO SAID 'TODAY THE FACT IS THAT DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IS BIGGER THAN GOVERNMENT. WHATEVER SAID & DONE DHIRUBHAI AMBANI IS ARGUABLY INDIAS MOST SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR OF THE CENTURY.

DHIRUBHAI WILL GO ONE DAY. BUT RELIANCE'S EMPLOYEES AND SHAREHOLDERS WILL KEEP IT AFLOAT. RELIANCE IS NOW A CONCEPT IN WHICH THE AMBANIS HAVE BECOME IRRELEVANT.

An ordinary man with Extraordinary Talent