World's First Billion Dollar Home

Nestled in the heart of one of the world's poorest countries lay the construction site of all construction sites. Ranked #14 according to Forbes' latest edition of the world's richest people with an estimated net worth around forty billion dollars, Mukesh Ambani is building the world's first house with construction costs that could break the billion dollar threshold.

Mukesh Ambani serves as chairman of the India-based conglomerate Reliance Industries and is constructing a towering edifice that will be called Residence Antilla, after the mythical island. A maverick that split from his brother a few years ago over the family business, Mukesh Ambani has seen his wealth soar as the petrochemical company, Reliance Petroleum has seen profits skyrocket the last five years. With that growth as well as strategic investments in a number of other industries and developments, Ambani has become the obsession of many young men's dreams and arguably one of the most disliked people in all India.

When Mukesh Ambani joined his father's company, he recreated it, shifting its focus from textiles to petrochemicals and polyester fibers. He also oversaw the construction of sixty technologically-advanced manufacturing facilities that enabled Reliance to raise its capacity from one million tons annually to over twelve million. He also spearheaded the building of the world's largest, non-corporate governed refinery in Jamnagar, India. It produces over 660,000 barrels a day. Coupled with the other power generation and port infrastructure investments, Mukesh Ambani spent upwards of twenty-four billion dollars.

Such savvy have helped Ambani develop the conglomerate that is Reliance Industries. His most ambitious undertaking may be Reliance Infocomm. A network of information and communications technologies, Reliance Infocomm looks to connect over 1,100 cities across India with a broad array of voice, data, and other services along a fiber-optic network at the lowest cost in the world.

Ambani Home

Credit: mike white

Copyright: mike white