Ness Wadia

Ness Wadia

Wadia in 2007
Born 30 May 1970
Liverpool, England
Residence Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality Indian
Alma mater University of Warwick
Occupation Businessman
Known for Managing Director of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation; Owner of Kings XI Punjab
Religion Zoroastrianism
Partner(s) Preity Zinta (2005-2009)
Parent(s) Nusli Wadia (father)
Maureen Wadia (mother)
Relatives Jehangir Wadia (brother)
Neville Wadia (grand father)
Dina Jinnah (grand mother)
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (great-grand father)
Maryam Jinnah (great-grand mother)

Ness Wadia (Gujarati: નેસ વાડિયા) (born 30 May 1970) is an Indian businessman belonging to the Wadia family. He is currently the Managing Director of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, a company which has holdings in most of the Wadia Group subsidiaries, including an indirect majority stake in Britannia Industries.[1][2] He was the Joint Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing, the flagship company of the Wadia Group,[3][4] till March 2011 when he stepped down from the post. Wadia is a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kings XI Punjab along with business man Mohit Burman & actress Preity Zinta.

Early life

He was born into the Parsi Wadia family. His parents are Nusli Wadia and Maureen Wadia. He is the grandson of Neville Wadia and Dina Wadia, and the great grandson of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and Maryam Jinnah.[5] Ness's younger brother, Jehangir Wadia, is the Managing Director of group companies Bombay Dyeing and GoAir.

After completing his education at Lawrence School, India, Ness studied in England at Millfield School. Ness studied International Relations at Tufts University near Boston, Massachusetts, and then went on to do his M.Sc in Engineering Management at University of Warwick.[3]

Career

Wadia joined Bombay Dyeing in 1993 as a Management Trainee. During his earlier period he was closely involved in marketing and retail distribution of the textile division of the company and was active in various organisations such as the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) (a council he once chaired), Mill Owners’ Association (MOA), Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India, etc.[6]

In 1998, he took a leave of absence to complete his Masters Degree in Science of Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick with a thesis titled "Leading to Success in India". After receiving his Master's degree in 2001, he returned as Deputy Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing and was later promoted to Joint Managing Director.[3] He was appointed to this position on August 1, 2001 and stayed till March 2011, when he stepped down, and younger brother Jehangir was made managing director. Ness was appointed Managing Director of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation.[2]

In 1998, 1999 and 2000 he was appointed on the Prime Minister’s Council on Trade & Industry and in September 1998 was appointed the Convenor of the Special Group Task Force on Food and Agro Industries Management Policy in September, 1998.[6]

Wadia serves as director on the boards of group companies- Britannia Industries Ltd., Wadia BSN Ltd., and Nowrosjee Wadia & Sons Ltd.[6] He is also a director of Gherzi Eastern Ltd., Tata Iron & Steel, Tata Chemicals, and other companies and is also a member of the Managing Committee of the Nehru Centre in Mumbai.[6]

In 2008, along with his then girlfriend, Preity Zinta, Wadia acquired ownership rights for the Mohali-based Twenty20 cricket team of the Indian Premier League (IPL).[7] The group paid $76 million to acquire the franchise, and named the team Kings XI Punjab.[8]

Personal life

Wadia dated Bollywood actress Preity Zinta from February 2005 until 2009 and the couple were subject to intense media scrutiny.[9][10][11][12] On 13 June 2014, Zinta filed a complaint with the Mumbai police against Wadia alleging he had attacked her at an IPL match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 30 May.[13][14] Wadia has denied the allegations.,[15][16]

References

  1. ↑ "Bombay Dyeing Management: Jeh elevated, Ness steps down". The Times of India. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Wadia Group Re-shuffle". MoneyControl.com. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-05.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia, Karan Paul, Mohit Burman". The Times of India. April 2, 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  4. ↑ "Promoters of Kings XI Punjab". Kings XI Punjab. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  5. ↑ "Ness Wadia: Photoshoot". The Times of India. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Bombay Dyeing & Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (BDYN:Bombay Stock Exchange)". Businessweek.com. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
  7. ↑ Bollywood Hungama News Network (January 24, 2008). "King Khan, Preity Zinta bag teams in IPL bidding". indiaFM. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  8. ↑ "The Kings XI, Punjab". Sify. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  9. ↑ Shaikh, Jamal (February 3, 2005). "Preity woman's man". The Times of India. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  10. ↑ Subhadeep Bhattacharjee (2009-07-01). "Preity heartbroken; Ness finds new love". Oneindia Entertainment. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  11. ↑ "Ness spotted with Delhi-based heiress Ayesha Thapar". Daily News and Analysis. 2009-06-25. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  12. ↑ "Preity's Ness Finds New Girl Friend: Ayesha Thaper". Zimbio. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  13. ↑ "Bollywood Actress Preity Zinta Files Molestation Case Against Business Tycoon (Report)". The Hollywood Reporter (Prometheus Global Media). 14 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "Preity Zinta files molestation complaint against Ness Wadia". The Times of India. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "Key points of Preity Zinta’s molestation complaint against ex-beau Ness Wadia". The Indian Express. 14 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "Ness Wadia threw burning cigarettes at my face: Preity Zinta to police".