GODREJ UNLOCKED

THE JAMSHYD GODREJ-LED GODREJ ENTERPRISES GROUP REINVENTS ITSELF AS A CONSUMER-CENTRIC, NATION-FIRST BUSINESS, ON THE BACK OF AI-LED, SUSTAINABLE TECH.

- AJITA SHASHIDHAR AND NEVIN JOHN

THE VIKHROLI CAMPUS of Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG) wore a festive look on the evening of November 28, 2024. After all, it was the unveiling of GEG's new brand identity-the 127-year-old Godrej cursive logo, which was relaunched in bright purple, with a promise of 'moving the world forward. Around 16,000 employees sang the new anthem along the beats of Dharavi Reloaded (a junk percussion brand) and Antaheen (a music band). Steering it all were 75-year-old Jamshyd Godrej, chairman, GEG, and his niece, executive director Nyrika Holkar, who promised a culture that would promote an ownership mindset, backed by innovative thinking, agility and speed.

Perceived as more conventional and less glamourous compared to uncle Adi Godrej's Godrej Industries Group (GIG), Nyrika's determination to change GEG is obvious.

"We want to make sure our teams are building and investing in the company because they believe it is theirs. Managing that mindset is very important. The other crucial bit is to be more agile and proactive.” Her promise of moving the world forward rests on two pillars–creating strong consumer-facing brands and building nation-first businesses. From offering IoT-enabled connected home solutions through its locks business and AI-powered washing machines and air-conditioners, to foraying into zinc-manganese batteries, thermo-chips and concrete recycling, the locks-to-rockets engineering powerhouse is gearing up for a major transformation.