Noel Tata Likely to be the Next Chairman of Tata Trusts

Tata Trusts is scheduled to hold a meeting on Friday morning to choose a successor to the late Ratan Tata. It is expected that his stepbrother, Noel Tata, will be nominated to lead the trusts, which play a pivotal role in overseeing the expansive Tata empire.

Noel is already a trustee in the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust which together own 66% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the diversified salt-to-software Tata Group.

The Parsi community strongly agreed on appointing someone with the Tata surname as the successor, with Noel Tata emerging as the unanimous choice. Currently, Tata Trusts is led by two key figures: Venu Srinivasan of TVS and former defence secretary Vijay Singh, both serving as vice-chairmen since 2018.

Noel Tata is known for his low-key leadership style, in stark contrast to Ratan Tata’s high-profile public presence. While Ratan Tata was often in the spotlight and engaged with the media, Noel has taken a more reserved approach, focusing on the group’s international ventures and the retail sector.

Ratan Tata was the last individual to wear two hats-chairman of Tata Trusts and chairman emeritus of Tata Sons. This changed in 2022, when the Tata Sons board unanimously amended its Articles of Association (AoA) to ensure that the same person cannot hold both the positions.

Noel Tata’s Role and Contributions to Noel Tata Likely to Be the Next Chairman of Tata Trusts

the Tata Group

Noel Tata has been associated with the Tata Group for over 40 years, currently serving on the boards of several key companies, including as Chairman of Tata International Limited, Voltas, and Tata Investment Corporation, and as Vice Chairman of Tata Steel and Titan Company. He previously led Trent for over 11 years, transforming it into a ₹2.8 lakh crore retail company, and also expanded Tata International from $500 million to over $3 billion during his tenure as Managing Director.

Noel’s children are also involved in Tata Group businesses. His son, Neville Tata, heads Star Bazaar, while his daughters, Leah and Maya Tata, hold roles at Indian Hotels and Tata Digital, respectively. All three have also become trustees of various Tata Trusts, indicating a new generation of leadership within the family.

Noel Tata is recognized for his quiet leadership and significant contributions across the group’s global and retail ventures.