Gopichand Hinduja, Head of Britain’s Wealthiest Family, Dies at 85
Industrialist behind the Hinduja Group and top figure on the UK rich list passes away after a prolonged illness
Gopichand Hinduja, co-chair of the Hinduja Group and head of the family whose fortune topped the UK rich list, died in London on Tuesday at the age of 85 after a long illness.
The business leader, known as “GP”, co-stood at the helm of one of the world’s most diversified conglomerates, with interests spanning oil, banking, infrastructure, real estate and entertainment, and a global workforce of about 150,000.
Born in 1940 into a Sindhi trading family, Hinduja joined the group founded by his father in 1914 and helped elevate it into a multinational enterprise that employed more than two-hundred thousand people across dozens of countries.
In the UK he and his brother Srichand built a corporate presence that placed them repeatedly at the top of the Sunday Times Rich List, with a collective wealth reported at £35.3 billion this year.
The Hinduja Group’s assets in Britain include a landmark London mansion near St James’s Park and a luxury redevelopment of the historic Old War Office in Whitehall.
The family’s philanthropic efforts include hospitals, foundations and sizeable donations to charitable causes.
Hinduja’s personal style was quiet and behind-the-scenes—he rarely granted media interviews, yet was revered for his global vision and networking ability.
In business circles he was described as humble, joyful and able to bridge cultures; in political and real-estate spheres the family’s reach and influence were significant.
Recent years brought reputational strain.
Four members of the extended family were convicted in Switzerland in 2024 for exploiting domestic workers—a sentence under appeal—and internally the group has faced legal disputes over succession and caregiving.
The 2001 “Hinduja affair” also drew scrutiny after a donation to the Millennium Dome in London coincided with a British passport application.
It is currently unclear who will succeed Hinduja as the lead figure of the group.
His brother Ashok runs the group’s Indian operations, while his two sons and a daughter hold senior roles within the family business.
The family statement said: “He leaves a deep hole at the heart of our family” and that he would be “remembered for his formidable work.”
His passing marks the end of an era for the Hinduja empire—one of London’s most enduring and quietly powerful business dynasties.
The business leader, known as “GP”, co-stood at the helm of one of the world’s most diversified conglomerates, with interests spanning oil, banking, infrastructure, real estate and entertainment, and a global workforce of about 150,000.
Born in 1940 into a Sindhi trading family, Hinduja joined the group founded by his father in 1914 and helped elevate it into a multinational enterprise that employed more than two-hundred thousand people across dozens of countries.
In the UK he and his brother Srichand built a corporate presence that placed them repeatedly at the top of the Sunday Times Rich List, with a collective wealth reported at £35.3 billion this year.
The Hinduja Group’s assets in Britain include a landmark London mansion near St James’s Park and a luxury redevelopment of the historic Old War Office in Whitehall.
The family’s philanthropic efforts include hospitals, foundations and sizeable donations to charitable causes.
Hinduja’s personal style was quiet and behind-the-scenes—he rarely granted media interviews, yet was revered for his global vision and networking ability.
In business circles he was described as humble, joyful and able to bridge cultures; in political and real-estate spheres the family’s reach and influence were significant.
Recent years brought reputational strain.
Four members of the extended family were convicted in Switzerland in 2024 for exploiting domestic workers—a sentence under appeal—and internally the group has faced legal disputes over succession and caregiving.
The 2001 “Hinduja affair” also drew scrutiny after a donation to the Millennium Dome in London coincided with a British passport application.
It is currently unclear who will succeed Hinduja as the lead figure of the group.
His brother Ashok runs the group’s Indian operations, while his two sons and a daughter hold senior roles within the family business.
The family statement said: “He leaves a deep hole at the heart of our family” and that he would be “remembered for his formidable work.”
His passing marks the end of an era for the Hinduja empire—one of London’s most enduring and quietly powerful business dynasties.
