Indian Vaccine Tycoon Adar Poonawalla Buys London's Most Expensive Home; A Look At His Net Worth and Assets

What is Adar Poonawalla's net worth?

Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India, is all set to buy the most expensive home in London. As per a Financial Times report, the Indian vaccine tycoon has agreed to pay a whopping $174.6 million (£138 million or Rs 1444 crore) for the nearly a century-old Aberconway House near Hyde Park. The mansion is spread over 25,000 square feet. 

Poonawalla’s Serum Institute of India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally, handling more than 1.5 billion doses, as per its website. It also makes the Covishield vaccine, which was made available in various countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is Adar Poonawalla’s net worth?

Despite being a member of one of the richest families in the world, Adar Poonawalla’s net worth has not been widely reported. However, some reports suggest that Adar Poonawalla’s net worth is around $16.3 billion. As per Forbes, Cyrus Poonawalla, Adar's father and the founder of the Serum Institute of India, has an estimated net worth of $22.1 billion as of December.

Adar Poonawalla’s Sources of Income

Born into the illustrious Poonawalla family, Adar Poonawalla’s had a privileged upbringing. Educated at the prestigious St Edmund’s School in Canterbury, and later the University of Westminster, Poonawalla had a world of opportunities ahead of him.

He also pursued courses in biotechnology and management in London before returning to Pune in India. In 2001, Adar Poonawalla joined his father’s company at the age of 21 and set out to expand the company’s international presence, working towards achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) accreditation for supplying vaccines to UN agencies.

Adar Poonawalla took over as the CEO of the company in 2011. It marked a turning point for the company, as he shifted focus to two crucial fronts, making vaccines affordable for developing communities and creating innovative solutions to fight preventable diseases worldwide. He expanded the company’s supply of life-saving vaccines to over 170 countries.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, under Adar Poonawalla’s leadership, the Serum Institute played a vital role in global efforts to combat the spread. By the end of 2021, the company had produced over 3 billion doses of vaccines annually, with half of them dedicated to the fight against the virus.

Under his leadership, the company became the first to launch the COVID-19 vaccine in India and it went on to produce and distribute over 280 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to 70 countries.

Total Assets

Real Estate Assets

Adar Poonawallas owns several lavish properties across the world. One of the family’s primary residences is in Pune, called the “Adar Abad House”. As per a report by the South China Morning Post, the property has a rare art collection including pieces of Vincent Van Gogh, Renoir, and Rembrandt, which are worth millions and it also has a stud farm spread across 247 acres.

The property also houses the family’s collection of luxury cars, a fighter jet simulator, a Formula 1 car, and a Boeing 737 along with two miniature Shetland ponies.

The family also owns a $70 million (Rs 750 crore) property in Mumbai called the ‘Lincoln House’. It is one of the most expensive properties in the city, spread across 50,000 square feet. The heritage home sits by the sea and it once belonged to the king of Wankaner and was bought by the businessman from the US consulate in 2015.

Further, in 2021, Adar Poonawalla leased a house from Dominika Kulczyk for approximately $69,000  per week according to reports. The property is equivalent to about 24 average English homes.

In 2023, Adar Poonawalla bought the century-old Aberconway House near Hyde Park for $174.6 million (£138 million). This will be the second-most expensive home ever sold in London. Adar Poonawalla has agreed to the deal with billionaire Dominika Kulczyk, the daughter of the late businessman and Poland's wealthiest man Jan Kulczyk.

Luxury Cars

As per a report by Financial Express, the Poonawalla family owns a fleet of Ferraris including a Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta, a Ferrari 360 Spyder, and a Ferrari 488 Pista Spider. They also own a customized batmobile like a Mercedes S350, a BMW 7 Series, a Mercedes-Benz S600, a Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom, all in their massive 35-car collection.

Private Jet

The Poonawalla family owns a fleet of jets, and as per a Bloomberg report, Adar Poonawalla’s office is a converted Airbus A320, which resembles the Air Force One. The office reportedly cost him about $1 million.

The family’s fleet of private jets includes the Gulfstream 550, and the Global 6000 (VT-CDP) and they also own an all-weather Airbus H145 helicopter along with a customized ACH145 helicopter by Airbus.

Personal Life

Adar Poonawalla has been married to Natasha Poonawalla since 2006. Natasha is a known socialite and philanthropist who manages the responsibilities of Serum Institute of India as the company’s Executive Director and serves as the chair of the Villoo Poonwalla Foundation. The couple has two sons, Cyrus and Darius.

Philanthropy

Adar Poonawalla along with his wife Natasha founded the Villoo Poonawalla Charitable Foundation, which focuses on education, healthcare, safe water, and environmental sanitation for the underprivileged. 

Awards

2021 Fortune’s Greatest Leaders

2021 Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year

2019 Hurun National Icon of Philanthropy

2020 Indian of the Year – CSR Category

2018 Forbes India Leadership Awards GenNext Entrepreneur (2018)

CNBC Asia’s Corporate Social Responsibility

FAQs

How old is Adar Poonawalla?

Adar Poonawalla is 42 years old.

Is Adar Poonawalla a Hindu?

Adar Poonawalla is the son of a Gujarati Parsi, Cyrus Poonawalla.

Who is current CEO of Serum Institute of India?

Adar Poonawalla is the current CEO of the Serum Institute of India.

Who bought the most expensive house in London?

Adar Poonawalla made the most expensive home purchase of the year by making a deal to acquire the Aberconway House for $174.6 million (£138 million).

Who is the richest family in Pune?

Cyrus Poonawalla and family are the richest people in Pune.

What is Adar Poonawalla’s net worth?

Adar Poonawalla’s net worth is estimated to be around $16.3 billion, while his father Cyrus Poonawalla has an estimated net worth of $22.1 billion.