Noel Tata joins Tata Sons board, becomes first to hold dual positions since 2011

In what appears to be a notable shift within the Tata Group, Noel Tata was appointed to the board of Tata Sons. This appointment comes in the wake of Noel Tata being recently named chairman of Tata Trusts, the controlling entity of Tata Sons. Noel Tata interestingly becomes the first family member since 2011 to concurrently serve on the boards of both Tata Trusts and Tata Sons.

Tata Trusts hold a commanding 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons, and hence this dual role signals an era of closer family oversight over the sprawling conglomerate’s operations.

Noel Tata, 67, is the half-brother of the late Ratan Tata. He has long been recognised for his business acumen and success in steering Tata Group’s retail and investment ventures. Noel has been the chairman of Trent and Voltas, and vice-chairperson of Titan and Tata Steel. He played a pivotal role in expanding the group’s retail and consumer-facing sectors.

He first joined Trent, retail arm of the group, in 2014, where he led an impressive transformation, increasing revenue by 430 per cent over a decade. His stewardship of Voltas since 2017 has similarly yielded growth, with revenue doubling and stock prices surging by nearly 300 per cent.

Ratan Tata, who passed away recently, left a legacy of prudence and expansion, both as chairman of Tata Sons and as chairman emeritus of Tata Trusts. This legacy endures as Noel Tata steps into the governance structure, meeting Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran to establish what insiders describe as a “healthy working relationship.”