Noel Tata, the half-brother of Ratan Tata, has been named the new Chairman of Tata Trusts, following a board meeting in Mumbai. He takes over following the death of Ratan Tata, who passed away at the age of 86 on Wednesday in a Mumbai hospital. Ratan Tata’s legacy includes transforming the Indian business landscape and elevating his family-owned enterprise to a global leader.
Noel Tata has played a significant role in the growth of the Tata Group since joining in the early 2000s. His appointment as Chairman of Tata Trusts was decided in the meeting of Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Dorabji Tata Trust.
Currently, Noel Tata is vice chairman of Tata Steel and Titan, a watch company. His mother, Simone Tata, a French-Swiss Catholic and Ratan Tata’s stepmother, chairs several companies including Trent, Voltas, Tata Investment Corporation, and Tata International. He completed his education at Sussex University in the UK and has an International Executive Programme (IEP) from INSEAD.
Prior to this position, Noel Tata served as Managing Director of Tata International Ltd, where he led the company’s growth from a turnover of $500 million to over $3 billion from 2010 to 2021. Additionally, as Managing Director of Trent Ltd, he expanded its reach from one store in 1998 to over 700 across various formats.
Tata Trusts serves as the umbrella organization overseeing the operations of all 14 Tata Trusts. The ownership of Tata Sons is mainly held by two principal trusts: Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which collectively control over 50% of the ownership. Currently, the executive committee members of Tata Trusts include Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh, and Mehli Mistry.
Ratan Tata’s younger brother, Jimmy, does not participate in the family business and resides in a modest two-bedroom apartment in Colaba, South Mumbai.
