Gopichand Hinduja, the billionaire patriarch of Britain’s wealthiest family, has died at the age of 85 in London after a long illness. His passing concludes a remarkable life that saw him transform a modest family enterprise into a global business empire with vast interests across multiple industries.
Mr Hinduja, known affectionately as GP, passed away on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, with his family issuing a heartfelt statement expressing that he would ‘leave a deep hole at the heart of our family’ and be remembered for his ‘formidable work.’ The low-profile industrialist had been a central figure in the Hinduja Group for decades, steering its expansion from a small trading business into a multinational conglomerate. His death was confirmed by a family spokesperson, highlighting his enduring influence and the personal loss felt by those close to him.
Born into a business-oriented family, Gopichand Hinduja was the second eldest of four brothers who collectively oversaw the Hinduja Group’s operations. Along with his older brother Srichand, who died in 2023, he co-chaired the company after relocating to London from India in the 1970s. Under their leadership, the group evolved from its origins in textiles and trading into a diversified empire, reflecting their strategic vision and ability to capitalize on global opportunities. The brothers built on the foundation laid by their father, Parmanand, who started the business in 1914 in what was then British India.
The Hinduja Group now operates in 11 sectors, including finance, media, entertainment, and oil, with a presence in 48 countries and a workforce exceeding 150,000 employees. Key acquisitions have been instrumental in its growth, such as the 1987 purchase of the Ashok Leyland group, which included remnants of the defunct British automotive firm British Leyland, and the acquisition of Gulf Oil from Chevron in the 1980s. These moves diversified the family’s portfolio and cemented their status as major players in international business, with operations spanning from manufacturing to energy.
The family’s wealth was most recently estimated at £35.3 billion, placing them at the top of the Sunday Times Rich List this year and 11th on Forbes’ list of India’s richest businesspeople in 2024. Their fortune is derived from a wide array of investments, and they hold significant real estate assets in London, including an 18th-century mansion on Carlton House Terrace and the historic Old War Office building in Whitehall, which has been redeveloped into a luxury complex. Notably, the Old War Office project sparked controversy when Westminster city council allowed it to proceed without affordable housing, citing economic infeasibility.
Despite his business achievements, Mr Hinduja was not immune to controversy. In 2001, he was involved in the ‘Hinduja affair,’ where he wrote to then-government minister Peter Mandelson about obtaining British citizenship for his brother Prakash, shortly after the family’s charity donated £1 million to the Millennium Dome project overseen by Mandelson. This led to Mandelson’s resignation, though he was later cleared of wrongdoing. More recently, Prakash, his wife, and their son were jailed by a Swiss court for exploiting domestic staff in their Geneva mansion, casting a shadow over the family’s reputation.
The question of succession now looms large, as it remains unclear who will assume leadership of the Hinduja Group following Gopichand’s death. The youngest brother, Ashok, currently manages operations in India, including the truck maker Ashok Leyland, but the family has not disclosed specific plans for the future governance of the conglomerate. This uncertainty could impact the group’s strategic direction, especially given its global footprint and the need for cohesive management across diverse sectors and regions.
Gopichand Hinduja’s legacy extends beyond business, as he was praised for strengthening economic and cultural ties between the UK and India. Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, noted that GP ‘personified’ these links and was a ‘great champion’ for both countries. His death marks the end of an era for one of the world’s most influential business families, with implications for the Hinduja Group’s ongoing operations and its role in fostering international trade and investment relationships.