Retail business closure to focus on core cigarette biz: GPI Chairperson

Cigarette maker Godfrey Phillips India Ltd Chairperson, Bina Modi on Friday defended the company's decision to close its retail business '24Seven', the brainchild of her estranged son Samir Modi, saying it was done with a view to focus on its core business.

At the annual general meeting of the company held on Friday, the special business of not filling up the vacancy 'for the time being' caused by retirement by rotation of Samir Modi was taken up along with the appointment of his sister Charu Modi as an executive director, among others for shareholders' approval.

In her address to the shareholders, Bina Modi said, "this focus on our core business is in consonance with the 'Theory of Core Competency' propagated by the late global management guru Professor CK Prahalad. This strategy has also led us to the closure of our retail business 24Seven. At times we need to bite the bullet in the long-term interest of the company and shareholders."

In July this year, Godfrey Phillips India (GPI