Pirojsha's Godrej stepped into the role of executive director at Godrej Properties, the real estate branch of the long-standing Godrej conglomerate, fresh from Columbia University's business school. This was in 2008, amid the global financial crisis when the real estate sector in India was struggling with a trust deficit due to a lack of funds and delayed housing projects. Homebuyers were distressed by financial and business uncertainties. At just 28, Pirojsha embarked on a methodical approach to strengthen and expand Godrej Properties, a trait frequently mentioned by those who have worked with him.
Senior executives who collaborated with Pirojsha noted his analytical and data-driven decision-making style and his exceptional interpersonal skills. Under his leadership, the company became one of the first Indian real estate firms to adopt a capital-lite business model, focusing on joint developments and development management agreements rather than traditional land banking. This strategy proved successful.
Recently, the group announced a succession plan where Pirojsha will succeed Nadir Godrej as chairperson of Godrej Industries in August 2026. In the meantime, he will serve as executive vice-chairperson of Godrej Industries Group. Shishir Baijal, chairman and managing director of Knight Frank India, praised Pirojsha as a leader well-suited to connect with Millennials and Gen-Z, who are becoming the dominant consumer segments in real estate.
Gaurav Pandey, MD and CEO of Godrej Properties highlighted Pirojsha’s dedication to employee and worker welfare, especially during the pandemic when he ensured the company maintained its focus on labour welfare, providing medical aid, rations, and timely payments. Nearly 25,000 workers were vaccinated, fed, and provided with sanitized living conditions during the lockdown.
Before his business school tenure, Pirojsha helped expand Godrej Properties' presence from two cities to ten by 2008. As executive director, he took the company public in 2010, raising $100 million. When he became CEO in 2012, the company lacked scale and project diversity. To address this, Pirojsha brought in an international consultant to streamline operations, focusing on high-return, low-risk projects rather than capital-intensive ones.
Godrej Properties is on track to exceed its business development target of Rs 15,000 crore for the 2023-24 financial year, focusing on acquiring new projects ready for immediate development rather than merely amassing land. Pirojsha's leadership has established a strong foundation for the company, and he now has the resources to further build on this success.