Meet Sanjeev Gupta, businessman and executive chairman of GFG Alliance

Sanjeev Gupta, 49, the execu­tive chairman of GFG Alliance, was born into a family of indus­trialists in Punjab, and was ed­ucated in the UK. Gupta founded Liberty House Group in 1992, while still an undergra­duate as a global commodities trader, and employs 35,000 people in 30 countries.

 

Fuelled mainly by debt, Gupta started steel companies in Europe and produced 5 mil­lion tonnes of steel in 2019.  GFG also has the capacity to make more than 300,000 tonnes of aluminum per year for car­makers, packaging producers, and the aerospace industry.

 

Gupta even tried to take over ThyssenKrupp’s European operations, but the talks failed last month after key share­holders raised questions on his ability to collect funds.

 

In November 2016, Gupta had started exclusive talks with Tata Steel UK for the acquisition of its speciality steels business based in West Yorkshire and China. By February 2017, Tata Steel UK and Liberty House signed an agreement and the deal was completed in April same year.

 

The acquisition saved 1,700 jobs across sites in Rotherham, Stocksbridge, Brinsworth, Bolton and Wednesbury in the UK.