Indian multi-billionaire Gautam Adani’s business empire, the Adani Group, has secured a $1.87bn (£1.6bn) investment from US asset management firm GQG Partners.

The investment will be split among four Adani Group companies, including the company’s flagship company, Adani Enterprises. 

This is the first major investment announced by the Adani Group since short-seller Hindenburg Research earlier this year accused the group of involvement in stock market manipulation and financial fraud. 

Seven publicly traded companies in the Adani Group have lost an estimated $135 billion in value since they were announced in January, according to a Hindenburg Research report. 

Despite the accusations, the Adani Group has denied any wrongdoing. According to Adani Group’s Chief Financial Officer Jugeshinder Singh, the investment from GQG Partners “marks the continued confidence of global investors in the governance, management practices, and growth of Adani’s portfolio of companies.”

The investment, which includes sustainable energy, logistics, and energy transition, will reportedly be used to finance Adani Group’s infrastructure and utility portfolio. The Adani Group will benefit greatly from this investment, which has the potential to reestablish investor confidence in the business following the allegations made by Hindenburg Research.

GQG Partners is a reputable Florida-based asset management firm with over $45 billion in assets under management. The company is known for investing in quality companies with strong management teams and strong financial fundamentals.  

The decision to invest in the Adani Group suggests that she sees potential in the company despite allegations directed at her. 

One of the biggest business conglomerates in India, the Adani Group has holdings in a variety of industries, including infrastructure, logistics, and the energy industry. With a focus on renewable energy and sustainable development, the company has big plans for growth and expansion.

Read also: National Funding helps Small Businesses scale with Small business loans

Allegations of Fraudulent Acts

Chairman and Chief Investment Officer Rajiv Jain has stated that he believes the “long-term growth prospects for these companies are substantial” and that Mr Adani is “widely regarded as among the best entrepreneurs of his generation.”

The investment comes as the Adani Group faces allegations of stock market manipulation and financial fraud by short-seller Hindenburg Research. The allegations caused the Adani Group’s seven stock market-listed companies to lose an estimated $135bn in value since the report was published in January.

The Adani Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations an “attack on India.” The group claims that the Hindenburg report was directed to enable the US-based short seller to book gains, without citing evidence.

In a different regulatory filing, Adani Enterprises denied media reports that the tycoon had secured $3bn in credit from a sovereign wealth fund. The company stated that the news item appeared to be a market rumour and therefore inappropriate to comment on.

Despite the allegations, India’s Supreme Court has appointed an independent panel to investigate the claims against Adani Group firms. Hindenburg Research had alleged that Adani firms had been involved in decades of “brazen” stock manipulation and accounting fraud. It also claimed that the companies had “substantial debt,” which put the entire group on a “precarious financial footing.”

Mr Adani’s group has seven publicly-traded companies operating across a spectrum of sectors, such as airports, utilities, ports, commodities trading, and renewable energy. The investment from GQG Partners, along with the Supreme Court’s investigation, could potentially restore investor confidence in the company.

Read also: Premium Cultivars Are Delivering The Best Genetics in The Biz

Wealthiest for a Short Time

Gautam Adani, Adani Group’s founder and chairman, recently held the title of India’s richest man for a brief period. Adani’s net worth surged to $74.8 billion in June 2021, overtaking Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, who had held the title for over a decade. 

However, Adani’s rise to the top of the rich list was short-lived, and he soon slipped back down to the second position.

Adani’s wealth has skyrocketed in recent years, thanks in part to the success of his conglomerate, the Adani Group. The group has seven publicly traded companies that operate in a variety of sectors, including ports, airports, energy, and mining. In 2021, the group made headlines for securing several large contracts, including a $6 billion deal to develop a port in Sri Lanka.

Adani’s meteoric rise to the top of the rich list was also fueled by a surge in the stock prices of his companies. The Adani Group’s shares have soared by more than 700% over the past year, as investors bet on the conglomerate’s ambitious growth plans.

However, Adani’s time as India’s richest man was short-lived. The surge in Adani’s wealth drew the attention of Indian authorities, who began investigating the conglomerate for alleged tax evasion and money laundering. The scrutiny led to a sell-off of Adani’s shares, causing his net worth to drop by $13 billion in just one day.

Despite the setback, Adani remains one of India’s most successful entrepreneurs. He started his career as a trader in Mumbai in the 1980s and went on to build a vast business empire that employs over 100,000 people. Adani is known for his ambitious projects, including a plan to build the world’s largest solar park in India.

Photo: Sportz Dose