From stock trading to smart business ideas: How Vivek Oberoi's dad's 6 words pushed him to Rs 1200 crore net worth
Financial Wisdom from the Actor
MORE STORIES FOR YOU
✕
« Back to recommendation stories
I don't want to see these stories because
They are not relevant to me
They disrupt the reading flow
Others
SUBMIT
Indian actor on Forbes' 40 Under 40 Heroes of Philanthropy
Vivek Oberoi — an actor once seen simply as Bollywood's romantic lead — has quietly forged a parallel empire in business, transforming his image from celluloid star to a successful entrepreneur. What makes his story stand out isn't glamour or inheritance, but a childhood lesson in independence and grit. As the son of actor-politician Suresh Oberoi, Vivek used early mentorship not as a handout but as a push toward self-reliance, leading him to build, reportedly a massive Rs 1,200 crore net worth through effort, sacrifice, and vision.Indian Express, citing the Dubai Property Insider podcast, shared that Vivek's father didn't finance him, but educated him. As a 10-year-old, he'd draft business plans and go door-to-door selling products, learning entrepreneurial basics long before most kids understood pocket money. His father's mantra was that he was rich, but his son, Vivek, was not, and he would have to build the wealth on his own. This advice propelled a teenager who raised $3 million for his first startup at 19, sold it by 23, and has since helped take nine companies public, with plans for four more.Before entering entertainment, Vivek Oberoi explored voiceovers and hosting gigs. By 15, his entrepreneurial drive had taken root. He trained with stockbrokers, built a portfolio by 16, and even tried his hand at commodity trading. This early business win at 19 gave him the confidence to juggle entrepreneurship alongside a demanding acting career, laying the foundation for his future success in both fields.Previously, Vivek shared practical advice about financial security: save at least three times your annual income, live within means, and build an investment cushion for three–five years. He warned against impulsive, high-return schemes, advocating for safe instruments like RBI bonds. For him, stability and mental peace from smart investments outweigh the risk of chasing higher, but volatile, returns.As per Forbes, the actor is now the Chairman of Oberoi Family Office and Co-Founder of BNW Developments , is a serial entrepreneur redefining ultra-luxury real estate in the UAE with $7 billion in assets under development. He leads diverse investments across edutech, fintech, agritech, media, and sustainability, blending purpose with profitability. He is one of the Indian actors on Forbes' 40 Under 40 Heroes of Philanthropy list.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
35 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Yes Bank extends CEO's tenure by 6 months: Move to help SMBC steer strategy
The six-month extension given to Yes Bank chief Prashant Kumar aims to give incoming shareholder, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), room to decide the lender's leadership and strategy once the ownership changes, said industry insiders. The private-sector lender last week told exchanges the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had approved Kumar's extension as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) till October 6. However, Yes Bank did not say how long an extension it had sought for Kumar. Kumar has led the bank since its reconstruction in March 2020. He was first appointed the bank's administrator and later made the MD & CEO. Before that, he was deputy MD and chief financial officer of State Bank of India (SBI). Kumar received his first extension as Yes Bank MD & CEO in October 2022 for a three-year period. ALSO READ: RBI gives Yes Bank MD & CEO Prashant Kumar 6-month extension: Lender After SMBC announced that it will buy a 20 per cent stake in the private lender from SBI and others, reports said that Yes Bank's board is considering appointing a new MD & CEO and has engaged a headhunting agency to assist in the search. (SBI and other lenders had chipped in to reconstruct Yes Bank for over Rs 13,000 crore.) Kumar, over five years, has shifted the bank's focus from 'affluent' to 'mass affluent' customers and transformed its corporate-heavy book into largely retail, including MSME. Retail and SME books together constitute 60 per cent of its total loan book, compared to 36 per cent in March 2020. The bank's asset quality has improved with gross non-performing assets at 1.6 per cent at the end of March 2025, compared to almost 17 per cent at the end of March 2020. 'We are talking about the next five years because we have made the balance sheet strong enough, where the future earnings are not going to be impacted because of any past impact,' Kumar told 'Business Standard' last month. The RBI is allowing leeway for new shareholders to take their call about the bank's management, according to Abizer Diwanji, founder of NeoStrat Advisors LLP. The expectation seems to be that regulatory approvals will be secured in six months, allowing the new ownership (along with their representatives on the bank's board) to decide the bank's leadership. 'Under Kumar, the bank's retail strategy is yet to play out well. The cost-to-income ratio remains elevated, highlighting the need for more corrective measures on the retail front. Additionally, priority sector lending obligations have put pressure on margins, and key metrics like return on assets (RoA) and return on investment have shown limited improvement. That said, Kumar's conservative approach has helped keep asset quality at a manageable level,' said Diwanji. The bank aims to have a RoA of 1 per cent by FY27. In FY25, the RoA was at 0.6 per cent. It hopes to reach 1.5 per cent RoA in the next four-five years, Kumar had said previously. 'The bank has performed reasonably well, with shareholders — including SBI and other private sector banks — doubling their investment over the past five years. The six-month extension granted to the current MD & CEO provides flexibility to the new shareholder, SMBC, to decide on the leadership that will drive their strategic vision for the bank going forward,' said an industry expert, who did not wish to be named. 'Therefore, the shorter extension for the incumbent MD & CEO is likely not a reflection of performance, but rather a move to allow the new stakeholder greater flexibility in shaping the bank's future,' said the expert.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
Campus Fund launches $100 million third fund
Synopsis This is the largest fund so far of the Campus Fund, which invests in student-led startups. The fresh funds will be used to invest in 60-80 startups in the next four years, with initial cheques ranging from Rs 21 crore to Rs 28 crore. About 50% of the fund will be earmarked for follow-on investments.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Mohali to get ‘Jail Bhawan' soon
1 2 3 Mohali: In a major step toward modernising Punjab's prison administration, the state government will construct a state-of-the-art head office for the jail department, named Jail Bhawan, in Mohali. Jail minister Laljit Singh Bhullar laid the foundation stone of the project on Friday. Speaking at the ceremony, Bhullar said the new headquarters would streamline administrative operations and centralise policymaking. "This is part of a broader reform agenda. While we continue to upgrade jails across Punjab with modern technology and infrastructure, a dedicated head office will significantly boost operational efficiency and coordination," he said. The Jail Bhawan will be in Sector 68, Mohali, on a one-acre plot, with a covered area of approximately 83,947 square feet. The project is estimated to cost Rs 35 crore. Although the scheduled completion date is April 2027, the minister has directed the contractor, ASC Builder, to complete the project by Dec 2026. The five-storey building, including a basement, will feature ultra-modern amenities such as escalators, lifts, firefighting and alarm systems, a local area network (LAN), central air conditioning, solar power generation units, and a sewage treatment plant (STP). It will also include parking space for up to 115 vehicles. Highlighting the financial prudence of the initiative, Bhullar noted that the new facility will save the department Rs 7 lakh per month, or Rs 84 lakh annually, currently spent on office rentals. "Beyond cost savings, this initiative represents a qualitative leap in how the jail department will operate going forward," he said. The minister reiterated that this would provide a modern and efficient working environment for jail officers and staff, reflecting the government's commitment to upgrading infrastructure for law enforcement and administrative departments.
