On October 11, Tata Trusts announced the appointment of Ratan Tata’s step brother Noel Tata as its new chairman to head the philanthropic entities of the huge Tata empire.
The move was decided after a meeting Friday morning to nominate a successor to late Ratan Tata. Noel is the son of Naval H. Tata and Simone N. Tata. He succeeds his half-brother, Ratan Tata, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 86.
Who is Noel Tata
Noel has been associated with the Tata group for over 40 years. He currently serves on the Board of various Tata Group Companies, including as the Chairman of Tata International Limited, Voltas & Tata Investment Corporation and as the Vice Chairman of Tata Steel and Titan Company Limited.
Noel has also served as the Managing Director of the Trent for more than 11 years where he oversaw the growth of Trent across formats and is credited to have streered its retail chain Trent into a Rs 2.8 lakh crore company over the past decade. He was associated with Tata International Limited, as the Managing director from August 2010 to November 2021, where he grew the company from a turnover of $500 million to over $3 billion.
He 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.
Ratan Tata’s successor
Ratan Tata’s passing marks a significant moment for the Tata Group. Ratan Tata left an indelible mark on not only the business world but also on the society at large.
His efforts have culminated into a business empire which today comprises of $165 billion operating across 100 countries.
The celebrated business leader was instrumental in establishing India’s first multinational conglomerate through marquee acquisitions and venturing the group into various new sectors, including steel and automobiles.
The final rites for Ratan Tata were held with full state honors, attended by family members, including Noel Tata, and senior executives from the Tata Group. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences to Noel Tata, highlighting the significant loss felt across the country.
Traditionally, the chairmen of Tata Trusts have been from the Parsi community, assuring the community and public of its deep cultural ties with the organisation. Post his selection, Noel now becomes the 11th chairman of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the sixth chairman of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.