How Isha Ambani powered Reliance’s retail arm to market valuation of Rs 8.28 lakh crore

Isha Ambani, daughter of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, who heads the Reliance Industries' retail arm Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) has been instrumental in leading the business as under her leadership retail arm’s revenue surged 30 per cent to Rs 2,60,364 crore in financial year 2023 and its operating profit nearly doubled to Rs 17,928 crore from Rs 9,181 crore.

In the succession plan announced by Ambani, Isha Ambani, 31, was appointed as non-executive director to the board along with her siblings Akash Ambani and Anant Ambani.

Isha Ambani graduated from Yale University with a double major in Psychology and South Asian Studies and is also an MBA from Stanford University. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Yale Schwarzman Center, and on the Board of Trustees of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, Jio MAMI, and the Dia Art Foundation.

Isha Ambani's leadership

Under her leadership, Reliance Retail Ventures has partnered with many international brands such as Metro, GAP, Catwalk, Centro Footwear, Insight Cosmetics, Sunglass Hut, Tods, Pret a Manger, Sosyo, and Lotus chocolates. It also launched new format stores such as Smart Bazaar, Azorte, Centro, Fashion Factory and Portico.

Earlier this month, retail arm has successfully raised Rs 8,278 crore from Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) by selling 1 per cent stake valuing the retail arm headed by 31-year Isha at a whopping Rs 8.28 lakh crore. 

At the recently concluded annual general meeting of Reliance Industries, chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani congratulated the leadership team of Reliance Retail for bettering their own record with a spectacular performance last year. 

"Reliance Retail posted an annual revenue of Rs 2,60,364 crore in FY23, registering a year-on-year growth of 30%. We delivered an EBITDA of Rs 17,928 crore and a net profit of Rs 9,181 crore.  Reliance Retail is the only Indian retailer in the global Top 100, and one of the fastest growing retailers in the world. Over the past few years, it has attracted investments from large and reputable global investment firms and sovereign wealth funds owing to its rock-solid fundamentals and compelling value proposition," Ambani said in his address to shareholders.

“The value created by our Retail business has been immense for all our stakeholders. Here I would like to underscore Reliance’s deep commitment to India’s inclusive development by harnessing the limitless intangible wealth that resides at the bottom of our Social Pyramid,” Ambani said.

Isha Ambani in her address to shareholders said that the company crossed 100 transactions rising 42 per cent annually.

“FY23 has been a landmark year for our Retail Business. Our immense faith and conviction in India's retail story was amply rewarded when Reliance Retail crossed the milestone of 100 crore transactions, up 42% YoY. Our stores received more than 78 crore footfalls during the year. The number of registered customers grew to nearly 25 crores. We are delivering value to over 30% of India’s addressable population. All this has made Reliance Retail rank among the Top-10 most visited retailers in the world,” she said.