The 67-year-old takes over as the chairman of Tata Trusts, which own 66 percent of Tata Sons, succeeding his half-brother Ratan Tata who died two days ago
Noel Tata, the half-brother of Ratan Tata, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Tata Trusts, which plays a crucial role in the governance of the Rs 30 lakh crore Tata Group empire. The group unanimously named Noel as the new head in a meeting held in Mumbai on Friday.
Noel will succeed Ratan Tata, the Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, who died on Thursday at the age of 86.
Noel Tata has held leadership roles within the Tata Group for over four decades, demonstrating exemplary business acumen by heading various divisions of the group.
Tata International, the Tata Group’s arm for products and services abroad, and Trent, the group’s retail arm, were among the companies that saw significant growth under Noel.
He is the Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Tata International Limited and also serves as the Chairman of Tata Investment Corporation. Noel also holds the position of a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which together hold a 66 percent stake in Tata Sons, the Tata Group’s holding company.
Noel has chaired Trent, the group’s retail arm, for decades and is credited with transforming it from a single store in 1998 into a thriving chain of over 700 stores across India.
Additionally, he has served as Vice Chairman of both Titan Company and Tata Steel and holds key positions on the board of Voltas.
As the Managing Director of Tata International Limited, the 67-year-old businessman played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s revenue from $500 million to over $3 billion between 2010 and 2021.
Noel Tata is the son of Naval Tata, who was also Ratan’s father. His deep-rooted connection to the Tata family, coupled with his extensive business experience and leadership roles within various Tata companies, made him a natural successor to Ratan Tata at the Tata Trusts.
The Parsi community’s stance favouring someone with the Tata surname as the group’s head also played a role in Noel’s nomination.
Noel Tata graduated from Sussex University in the UK and later completed the International Executive Programme (IEP) from INSEAD, a leading global business school.
Noel’s family is also closely involved with the Tata Group. His wife, Aloo Mistry, is the daughter of Pallonji Mistry, who was the largest single shareholder in Tata Sons. His son, Neville Tata, joined Trent in 2016 and has recently taken charge of Star Bazaar. His eldest daughter, Leah Tata, is currently serving as Vice President at Indian Hotels Company Limited, while his other daughter, Maya, is associated with Tata Capital.
