What leadership transition means for Reliance Industries

Mukesh Ambani has seen the succession battle from very close quarters. In 2002, when his father died without writing a will, he was locked in one such bitter confrontation with his brother Anil Ambani. After over three years of face-off, a family pact divided the Reliance businesses between the two brothers.

So now, at 64, Ambani doesn’t want to take any chances. About a month ago, several reports had surfaced that the Reliance chairman was planning to move his family’s holding into a trust-like structure. Similar to what some other billionaire families like Waltons and Kochs did.

Now, Ambani has hinted that the preparatory phase for handing over the baton of his business empire to his three kids is coming to an end.