Press release

25 Mar 2021 New Delhi, IN

Harsh Mariwala is the EY Entrepreneur Of the Year™ 2020

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EY India

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Related topics Entrepreneur
  • Dr. Prathap Chandra Reddy honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award
  • EOY Winners also announced in eight other Award Categories
  • Distinguished nine-member Jury Panel led by Uday Kotak, selects the winners 

New Delhi/Mumbai: 25 March 2021 – Harsh C. Mariwala, Chairman, Marico was today named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2020 and will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) on 10 June 2021. Mr. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Ltd. delivered the keynote address at the virtual awards ceremony.   The awards program also saw the presence of other senior business leaders and former World Entrepreneur of the Year™ awardees from India including N R Narayana Murthy, Co-founder, Infosys, Uday Kotak, MD and CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Biocon, Carmine Di Sibio, Global Chairman and CEO, EY and Julie  Teigland, Managing Partner – Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA), EY.

Mr. Mariwala is a visionary who has built a values-driven global organization and made a spectacular contribution to society in driving an innovation culture. Much ahead of the times, he disrupted the market and his own business with products and services which are household names today, having stood the test of time for over three decades. Mr. Mariwala has carved a distinctive position for instituting the most impeccable benchmarks in corporate governance, earning him the respect of both investors and employees. A changemaker, he has nurtured innovation not only in his company, but across the ecosystem and is also enabling high potential, growth-stage entrepreneurs in their journey.

In his keynote Mr. Mukesh Ambani, said, “Today, India is surging ahead as an economic power, as a democratic power, as a diplomatic and strategic power, as a cultural power and also a digital and technology power. And the key driving force for India’s rise will be our entrepreneurs, who are inventing new things every day that can transform India and the world, who are disruptive and hungry for success.”

Awards were also announced for eight other categories with the winners representing both mature industries and young entrepreneurs from startups including Unicorns and a Decacorn. The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ (EOY) Awards is the only global business award program in the world, which is celebrated across 60 countries. Now in its 22nd year in India, it recognizes the unstoppable entrepreneurs who, with their innovation, resilience and boldness are positively impacting the lives of a carving out a different future from the present.

Dr. Prathap Chandra Reddy, Founder and Executive Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award. As the architect of modern Indian healthcare, Dr Reddy laid out a compelling, courageous and colossal vision to provide world-class healthcare at a time when there was a massive shortfall in quality hospital care. Recognising the role of private enterprise in healthcare, Dr Reddy has contributed immensely towards the development of enabling policies and programs. Today, India has one of the most advanced and affordable healthcare among developing nations, led by the private sector, and Dr Reddy has significantly shaped this reality. 

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2020 Winners 

EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2020
Harsh C. Mariwala
Chairman, Marico Ltd.
Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Prathap Chandra Reddy
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise 
Category Winners
  • Business Transformation: Byju Raveendran
    Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd. (BYJU’S)
  • Start-up: Peyush Bansal
    Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lenskart Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
  • Manufacturing: Deepak Mehta
    Chairman and Managing Director, Deepak Nitrite Ltd.
  • Services: Dinesh Agarwal
    Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd. (Indiamart)
  • Financial Services: Sushil Kumar Agarwal
    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aavas Financiers Ltd.
  • Consumer Products & Retail: Darshan Patel 
    Chairman and Managing Director, Vini Cosmetics Pvt. Ltd.
  • Life Sciences & Healthcare: Ameera Shah
    Managing Director, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.
  • Entrepreneurial CEO: Suresh Narayanan
    Chairman and Managing Director, Nestle India Ltd.

Rajiv Memani, Chairman, EY India, says, “Last year was no doubt extraordinary. Organizations went through varying phases, starting with ensuring business continuity, to building resilience and finally to a stage of bouncing back to their growth trajectory. I congratulate each one of the winners for demonstrating the passion and tenacity to succeed against all odds.”

The Winners were selected by an eminent nine-member independent Jury Panel led by Uday Kotak, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kotak Mahindra Bank. Other Jury Members include Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Biocon, Neeraj Bharadwaj, Managing Director, Carlyle India Advisors, Jalaj Dani, Co-Promoter. Asian Paints, Amit Dixit, Co-Head of Asia Acquisitions, and Head of India, Blackstone Private Equity, Deep Kalra, Founder and Group Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip, Rajnish Kumar, Former Chairman, State Bank of India, Rishad Premji, Chairman, Wipro and Gopal Srinivasan, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Capital Funds.

Says Farokh Balsara, Partner and EOY India Program Leader, “We, at EY, congratulate the strong focus, determination and achievements of all the finalists and winners. Their transformational journeys and entrepreneurial spirit have created a long-lasting, positive impact on the economy and society at large during what has been an exceptionally challenging year for the world.”

The unstoppable winners tell extraordinary stories of a strong mission and purpose backed with continuous innovation.

Byju Raveendran, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd. (BYJU’S) was conferred with the Business Transformation award. Using the power of technology and branding, he disrupted an industry as old as mankind itself. Forging ahead with extraordinary speed and agility, Mr. Raveendran has made a series of pathbreaking acquisitions to meet the diverse needs of millions of young minds.

Peyush Bansal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lenskart Solutions Pvt Ltd. was conferred the Start-up category award. Leveraging technology, innovation, advertising and marketing, he has disrupted a centuries-old industry. Focussing on customer delight, Mr. Bansal has reframed his product into a fashionable, fun-filled and affordable brand.  Innovative manufacturing, an omnichannel presence and a fast-expanding footprint in India and overseas have enabled him to rapidly scale up – endearing him to the investor community – and earning him the coveted ‘unicorn’ badge.

Deepak Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Deepak Nitrite Ltd was conferred the Manufacturing category award. With a focus on R&D and smart allocation of capital, he has launched new products, expanded capacity and diversified into new businesses. Mr. Mehta has built world-class facilities, grown exports and created enormous wealth for shareholders.

The Services category award winner, Dinesh Agarwal of IndiaMart is a pioneer in his industry, who leveraged technology well ahead of time. With constant innovation, he has enhanced value for customers and built a strong brand, while also delivering tremendous growth. Investors have backed his vision, with his maiden IPO in 2019 being oversubscribed 36 times.

Sushil Kumar Agarwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aavas Financiers Ltd was conferred with the Financial Services category award. His ability to build a strong team, deep sector knowledge and personalization are helping him to serve customers in hitherto untouched market segments. By digitizing every operation, Mr. Agarwal has enabled quick and direct service delivery, while achieving internal efficiencies.

The winner of the Consumer Products & Retail category award, Darshan Patel, Chairman and Managing Director, Vini Cosmetics Pvt Ltd has become a market leader in the intensely competitive personal care segment in only a decade. He has an

extraordinary ability to identify untapped product categories and a passion to build brands. Today, he leads one of India’s fastest growing mid-sized FMCG companies registering a stupendous 126 % compounded annual growth in revenues in the ten years since it was founded.

The winner of the Lifesciences and Healthcare category award, Ameera Shah, Managing Director, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.  has consistently taken big bets embarking on a bold yet focussed strategy of acquisitions to expand market share and enter new geographies. By attracting professionals, making agile investments in technology and customer focus, she has created a pan-India brand. Ms. Shah made a significant contribution during the pandemic by rallying the organization’s capabilities to conduct Covid tests in multiple locations. 

Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestle India Ltd, was honored as the Entrepreneurial CEO. New products, new markets, technology and brand leadership have been at the core of his strategy, helping him to significantly accelerate growth and deliver handsome returns to investors. Handpicked for the CEO’s role at a challenging moment, Mr. Narayanan ably navigated the ups and downs, leading from the front to emerge stronger. By empowering teams and offering unique customer experiences, he has re-imagined a century-old multinational, even as he has scripted the legendary comeback of India’s most loved noodle brand.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

About the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award

EY Entrepreneur Of the Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in 60 countries.

About EY

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