GenNext at RIL creates buzz

From sitting next to his mother at the recently-concluded Indian Premier League auction to standing behind his father while he was signing a deal with BP, Akash Ambani seems to be rising at Reliance Industries (RIL).

Other than Mukesh Ambani, Akash was the only family member present at the deal signing ceremony. Though Mukesh Ambani’s three key aides — Executive Director P M S Prasad, CFO Alok Aggarwal and legal head Atul Dayal — were present, it was Akash’s presence that sparked curiosity and interest.

“When it comes to their children, the Ambani family is fiercely protective. So, Akash’s public presence in such high profile and strategic events is bound to create a buzz,” said a Mumbai-based industrialist, who is also a close family friend of Mukesh Ambani. “But one shouldn’t be shocked, as grooming is part of an evolutionary process.”

Akash, the eldest among the three children of Mukesh and Nita Ambani, is in his late teens and is studying in Brown University, US, in the undergraduate class of 2013. He and his twin sister, Isha, are usually seen at the company’s annual general meeting with their mom, Nita Ambani, and grand mother, Kokilaben, but now Akash is making more public appearances than before, thus generating wide speculation.

RIL officials downplayed his presence, with some saying he was on a holiday, while others said, “It’s hardly surprising, as he is slowly becoming a regular in big RIL events.” It may be premature to draw obvious conclusions, but the presence of Akash Ambani is difficult to miss or ignore.