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Age: 65 Years
Some Lesser Known Facts About Manoj Modi
- Manoj Modi is an esteemed Indian corporate executive who is known for his important role in securing many multi-billion dollars deals at Reliance Industries and his association with the company for over three decades.
- He was born into a Gujarati family.
- Manoj Modi and Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, who inherited the Reliance Industries fortune, share a long-standing friendship that dates back to their college days at the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) in Bombay (now Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai).
- In the early 1980s, Manoj Modi became part of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). Throughout his tenure, he made significant contributions to various projects such as the development of the Jamnagar refinery, the construction of the Hazira Complex for petrochemical operations, the expansion of Reliance Retail, and the successful launch of Reliance Jio’s 4G network.
- He became the director of Tally Solutions Private Limited on 9 December 1999; he served in this position till 19 May 2009.
- When Reliance Industries was preparing to enter the information and communication sector, both Dhirubhai Ambani and Mukesh Ambani chose Manoj Modi to design the blueprint for the project. This undertaking is considered one of the most ambitious and prestigious initiatives taken up by the group to date.
- Modi was instrumental in Reliance’s entrance into the telecommunications sector in 2002. He was a key figure in the launch of a countrywide mobile phone service, with the goal of transforming the industry by providing cost-effective rates.
- Manoj Modi played a crucial role in devising and executing the strategy to establish Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (now known as Reliance Communications Limited), which significantly impacted India’s telecom landscape. He took on the role of director for Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited on 22 June 2010. Modi was also a key figure in Jio’s groundbreaking deal with Facebook in April 2020, which led to a $5.7 billion (Rs. 43,574 crores) investment in Jio Platforms Limited, a Reliance Industries Limited subsidiary. This investment made Facebook the company’s largest minority shareholder. In recognition of his efforts, Modi was appointed as the director of Jio Platforms on 7 July 2020.
- Manoj Modi served as a director at Reliance Petroleum (now Jio-bp and legally recognised as Reliance BP Mobility Limited) from 24 October 2005 to 27 March 2007. He was among the company’s first directors.
- On 4 March 2006, Manoj Modi was appointed as the director of Reliance Retail Limited, a subsidiary company of Reliance Industries.
- Following Reliance’s acquisition of a 14.12% stake in East India Hotels Limited (EIH Ltd.), the leading company of the Oberoi Group, on 30 August 2010, Manoj Modi was appointed as the non-executive director of EIH Ltd. on 31 October 2011.
- Manoj Modi was appointed as the non-executive director of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited on 16 July 2013. He serves as a member of both the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Audit Committee while also holding the position of chairman for the Finance Committee.
- Manoj Modi is widely regarded as Mukesh Ambani’s right-hand man and is often referred to as an “unofficial CEO” of Reliance Industries.
- Manoj Modi has had the privilege of working with three generations of the Ambani family. He started his journey at Reliance Industries by working with Dhirubhai Ambani, followed by Mukesh Ambani and his wife, Nita Ambani, and then with Mukesh’s children Isha Ambani and Akash Ambani.
From left: Sanjay Jog (human resource head), Mukesh Ambani, Akash Ambani, and Manoj Modi at the Reliance Jio open office on the 7th floor of the ‘TC22’ building at the sprawling Reliance Corporate Park in Mumbai
- Manoj is known for his assertive negotiation tactics. Numerous tech industry executives who have engaged with Reliance’s representatives have praised his remarkable ability to manage meetings and secure major deals in various interviews. It is also said that Manoj typically oversees startup negotiations from afar, advising executives on their boundaries, and only becomes directly involved towards the conclusion of the deal-making process.
- In 2023, Mukesh Ambani expressed his appreciation for Manoj Modi by gifting him a 22-storey building situated on Nepean Sea Road in South Mumbai, which was valued at Rs. 1500 crores. The property was later named Vrindavan. According to sources, the first seven floors of the building were allocated for parking, and some of the furniture was imported from Italy. Additionally, in the same year, Modi sold two apartments located in Raheja Vivarea, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, for a whopping Rs. 42 crores.
- Manoj is passionate about fitness and regularly engages in yoga practice.