Q. You’ve worn many hats—celebrated actor, serial entrepreneur, global philanthropist. How do you define success today, and how has that definition evolved?
Vivek Oberoi: Success used to be defined by applause: box office numbers, awards, visibility. Today, it’s about outcomes with substance. I’ve shifted from performance to execution. For me now, success is being able to walk into a boardroom, a sovereign office, or a fund meeting and have people take what I’m building seriously, not because of who I used to be, but because of the work. It’s when a project like Solitario attracts over 70 franchise inquiries without a franchise agency, or when the Taj Wellington Mews becomes the fastest-selling launch in the region. Those are real markers of validation.
“What’s interesting about the shift from entertainment to enterprise is that the conversation has changed. When I walk into a boardroom today, the question isn’t ‘Who were you?’ It’s ‘What are you building next?’”
— Vivek Oberoi
Q: There’s growing curiosity about you in the U.S.: from investors to media to institutional leaders. How do you see the U.S. market aligning with your global ambitions?
Vivek Oberoi: There’s a natural alignment. A lot of our conversations are now moving from just Indian or UAE markets to cross-border integrations. The U.S. offers scale, strategic capital, and access to strong institutional partners. We’re already seeing traction, from interest in lab-grown diamonds to co-development conversations in tech and retail. The key is to lead with clarity, show traction, and then deliver consistently. U.S. partners appreciate structure. They respect precision and performance. That works well with how we’re building out our ecosystem across real estate, sustainability, and consumer tech. When I walk into a U.S.-based room now, the reaction is: “What are you building next?”, not “What were you in?”
Q: You’ve built companies that span edtech, agritech, fintech, luxury real estate, and lab-grown diamonds. What throughline connects these seemingly diverse sectors in your portfolio?
Vivek Oberoi: The common denominator is intentionality. I only back ventures where I understand the unit economics, the market opportunity, and the long-term value. What may seem like diverse verticals actually sit under the same framework: purpose-led scalability. Whether it’s ReadyAssist empowering over 11,000 mechanics, or iScholar making education affordable in rural India, or Solitario scaling sustainable luxury globally, the lens is the same: what’s the delta we can create? What’s the validation we can build into the model? And more importantly, what’s the exit or impact timeline? I’m sector-agnostic, but not impact-agnostic.
Q: Your recent Taj Wellington Mews launch was one of the fastest-selling luxury projects in UAE history. What lessons can legacy brands and global developers take from that success?
Vivek Oberoi: What worked was alignment: between brand, geography, product, and timing. We weren’t just selling luxury; we were delivering credibility. The collaboration with Taj brought a legacy name into a new market, but the execution, from land acquisition to legal structure to marketing rollout, was deeply localized. We sold 97 units in 24 hours, not through hype, but through positioning and trust. Legacy brands can’t just rely on their heritage; they need strong local partnerships, design-led thinking, and real-time responsiveness to investor sentiment. In our case, the media, the government, the buyers, all aligned. That’s what made it move fast.
Q: You often talk about ‘profit is for a quarter, purpose is for life.’ In markets obsessed with speed, how do you build businesses that balance conscience and scale?
Vivek Oberoi: It starts with not chasing vanity metrics. Whether it’s raising a billion-dollar real estate fund or scaling Solitario into seven countries, our north star has always been sustainable value creation. We build infrastructure for long-term relevance, not seasonal hype. If I don’t believe in the problem we’re solving, or the way we’re solving it, I don’t touch the deal. You can scale with conscience if you design for both. We use tech where needed, we empower communities where possible, and we build for operational longevity. That’s the filter. Anything that doesn’t meet that benchmark, no matter how shiny, it’s a pass.
It’s also why I support causes that go beyond the boardroom. From empowering rural education through partnerships like Ekal Vidyalaya, to building homes for tsunami victims, to fighting child cancer—philanthropy isn’t an afterthought. It’s part of the business model. Purpose isn’t just how we operate; it’s what we scale.
Q: As someone who’s pitched to global funds and built cross-border partnerships, what should U.S. investors know about tapping into emerging markets like India and the Middle East?
Vivek Oberoi: First, know the terrain. These markets are layered: culturally, politically, structurally. Take the UAE—home to over 9 million expats, with nearly a million from the U.S. alone. It’s a region built on inclusion, with over 200 nationalities coexisting and collaborating. That diversity creates not just cultural fluidity but investment stability. You can’t apply a Western playbook blindly. What works in Silicon Valley won’t necessarily scale in South India or Ras Al Khaimah. That said, the upside here is exponential, if you partner right. I’ve seen U.S. investors win by aligning with operators who know the ground. The other piece is regulatory agility. These markets move fast but not always predictably. If you’re coming in, build with flexibility and patience. The opportunity is real. The return is high. But the route is rarely linear.
Recent high-profile visits, like President Trump’s engagements in the UAE, reflect how strategically critical this region is becoming. Everyone from sovereign funds to global icons is looking here not just to invest, but to belong.
Q: What advice would you give to leaders and founders who want to build brands that transcend borders, sectors, and time?
Vivek Oberoi: Start with clarity. What do you stand for? What’s your unique value creation? Then build with precision. You don’t need noise; you need proof points. Every founder wants scale, but scale without substance is noise. Also: protect your brand architecture early. Make sure your partners are aligned not just on paper, but in principle. Finally, play the long game. I say this often: profit is for a quarter, purpose is for life. If you get that balance right, your brand won’t just survive market cycles—it’ll define them.
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Who Is Vivek Oberoi?
Vivek Oberoi is a serial entrepreneur, strategic investor, and Chairman of the Oberoi Family Office. Best known globally for his critically acclaimed career in Indian cinema, he now leads a diversified portfolio across real estate, edtech, fintech, agritech, media, and sustainable luxury. As Managing Director & Co-Founder of BNW Developments, he has scaled one of the fastest-growing luxury real estate firms in the UAE, recently launching one of the region’s most successful residential projects with Taj.
A Forbes 40 Under 40 Hero of Philanthropy and a vocal advocate for ethical business, Oberoi’s ventures are built on a simple principle: profit is for a quarter, purpose is for life. Whether he’s scaling Solitario’s lab-grown diamond empire across seven countries or bringing education access to underserved communities through iScholar, his investments are designed for both impact and execution.
He operates at the intersection of influence and integrity—bridging continents, industries, and communities with one clear mission: to build businesses that outlast trends and uplift lives.
