Noel Tata appointed chairman of Tata Trusts

Noel Naval Tata, half-brother of Ratan Tata has been appointed the new chairman of Tata Trusts, on the passing away of Ratan N Tata, ending all speculation about the succession at Tata Sons.

Noel Tata will now oversee the operations of the 14 Tata Trusts that form the philanthropic arm of the 100-year old Tata Group and, in that capacity, the Group itself.

The trusties of the various trusts that form the Tata Trusts who met in Mumbai on Friday to condole the demise of chairman Ratan N Tata, also held a separate meeting during which it was unanimously decided to appoint Noel Novel Tata as the next chairman of Tata Trusts, with immediate effect.

Speaking on the occasion, Noel N Tata, the newly appointed chairman of Tata Trusts, said he will carry forward the legacy of Ratan N Tata and the Tata Group as envisioned by its founders, and that the Tata Trusts will rededicate themselves to carry on philanthropic and nation-building activities.

Noel Tata was a strong contender earlier as well, as chairman of Tata Group and Tata Trusts, although the selection favoured his brother-in-law Cyrus Mistry. Later, however, Cyrus Mistry fell out of favour and after his ouster former head of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) N Chandrasekaran was appointed as chairman of the Group.

Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1892, Tata Trusts has been a catalyst in transforming India’s social fabric by uplifting communities while also leading the country’s advancement through sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth across sectors and industry segments.

Born in 1957 as the son of Naval Tata and Simone N Tata, Noel Tata has been in charge of Trent, the fashion and cosmetics business of Tata Group.

Married to Aloo Mistry, Noel Tata has three children – Leah Tata, Maya Tata and Neville Tata, all of whom are also part of the Tata Group in various capacities. 

The eldest, Leah Tata, is a graduate from Spain’s IE Business School. She is into the hotels business and oversees the operations of the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, which is part of the Indian Hotel Company. 

The second, Maya Tata, is with the Tata Opportunities Fund and Tata Digital and has played an important role in the launch of the Tata Neu App.

The youngest, Neville Tata heads the hypermarket chain Star Bazaar, which is a part of Trent Limited.