Gulu Lalvani (born March 1939) is a British businessman, the founder and chairman of Binatone, a manufacturer of digital cordless phones. He founded the company along with his brothers Kartar Lalvani (founder of Vitabiotics) and Pratap Singh Lalvani to import radios from Hong Kong. Binatone is currently run by his son Dino Lalvani.
Gulu Lalvani | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | March 1939 (age 85) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Co-founder of Binatone |
| Title | Chairman, Binatone |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3, including Dino Lalvani |
| Relatives | Kartar Lalvani (brother) Tej Lalvani (nephew) Lisa Haydon (daughter-in-law) |
Early life
editGulu Lalvani was born to a Sindhi Sikh family in March 1939, in Karachi, Sind, British India (now in Pakistan).[1] His family moved to Bombay after the partition of India, where he was raised and educated.[2] He was one of nine brothers and sisters. His brothers Kartar Lalvani and Pratap Singh Lalvani are also businessmen who founded Binatone with him. Kartar is also the founder of the nutraceutical company Vitabiotics, which is currently run by his son Tej Lalvani. Gulu's youngest sister is the socialite Bina Ramani (née Lalvani), after whom Binatone was named.[3][4] The family subsequently migrated to London during the 1960s.[2]
Career
editIn 1958, Lalvani founded Binatone, once one of the world's largest manufacturers of digital cordless phones.[1] He founded the company with his brother Partap, and they named it after their sister, Bina.[1]
In 2008, his net worth was estimated at £435 million.[5] Lalvani has substantial interests in Phuket, Thailand, including a villa in Amanpuri.[6]
Personal life
editLalvani's first marriage was with Vimla Lalvani, their son Dino Lalvani currently runs Binatone. He later married Turkish actress and singer Semiramis Pekkan (sister of singer Ajda Pekkan) in 1987, with whom he has a son, it also ended in a divorce in 1996.[7] Lalvani currently lives in Phuket, Thailand. In 2006, his daughter Divia married Joel Cadbury, son of the businessman Peter Cadbury.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ a b c Moulds, Josephine (7 May 2007). "Top 20 Richest Asians". Retrieved 2 July 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ a b Dr. Kartar T . Lalwani conferred E&Y Award 2008. Sindhishaan.
- ^ I wish I had married Shammi Kapoor - Bina Ramani. Deccan Chronicle.
- ^ Bina Ramani: The hostess with the mostest. Rediff.
- ^ Swaine, Jon (19 November 2008). "First British Asian billionaires defy the downturn". Retrieved 26 October 2017 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Take 5: One-on-one with entrepreneur Gulu Lalvani". www.property-report.com. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ Eğrikar, Özge (14 March 2020). "24 yıllık boşanma hikayesi" (in Turkish). Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ Walker, Tim (24 April 2012). "Joel Cadbury welcomes baby boy". Retrieved 5 May 2019 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Joel Michael Cadbury, Divia Lalvani, Gulu Lalvani, Society". www.hellomagazine.com. 5 April 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2019.