Tata Trusts Board Meet Underway — Noel Tata Likely New Chairman

The Tata Trust board meet is underway in Mumbai to discuss crucial succession plans with expectations that Noel Tata will be appointed as the new Chairman of Tata trust. The trust deeds provide clear guidance on the appointment of the Trust Chairperson, paving the way for this significant leadership transition.

Ownership of Tata Sons is largely held by two key trusts under this umbrella Tata Trust—Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which together comprise over 50% of the ownership. It is noteworthy that Tata Trusts is the umbrella body that manages functions of all 14 Tata trusts.

Tata Trusts in total own 65.3% of Tata Sons and play a significant role in guiding the direction of one of India’s largest conglomerates.

Tata Trusts has been corporatised by appointing an executive committee that over looks operations which is supported by a team of management professionals.

The executive committee was chaired by Ratan Tata. The key three key members of the committee includes—Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh as Vice Chairman of Tata Trusts and Mehli Mistry as trustee.

The governance structure of the Tata Trusts includes several prominent figures:

Sir Ratan Tata Trust

• Vijay Singh, vice-chairman.

• Venu Srinivasan, vice-chairman.

• JN Tata.

• Noel N Tata.

• Jehangir HC Jehangir.

• Mehli Mistry.

• Darius Khambata.

Sir Dorabji Tata Trust

• Vijay Singh, vice-chairman.

• Venu Srinivasan, vice-chairman.

• Pramit Jhaveri.

• Noel N Tata.

• Mehli Mistry.

• Darius Khambata.

In the fiscal year 2022-23, the Tata Trusts made significant contributions to various initiatives, totaling Rs 581.52 crore in grant disbursements. This funding was primarily channeled through two main umbrella trusts: the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which contributed Rs 456.42 crore, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, which disbursed Rs 125.10 crore. These grants reflect the trusts' ongoing commitment to social causes, encompassing areas such as healthcare, education, and community development, thereby reinforcing the Tata legacy of philanthropy and public service.

A key figure in the discussion is Noel Tata, who currently chairs several companies within the Tata portfolio, including Trent, Tata International Ltd., and Voltas Ltd. As vice-chairman of Tata Steel Ltd. and Titan Co., Noel has been instrumental in the conglomerate's growth since joining the Tata Group in the early 2000s. His leadership experience positions him as a potential successor in the Tata leadership hierarchy.

Noel Tata's family is also poised to have a significant impact on the group's future. His three children—Leah, Maya, and Neville—were appointed as trustees in multiple trusts associated with the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust earlier this year. This strategic inclusion indicates a generational shift within the Tata leadership, with the younger Tata family members ready to shape the group's next chapter.

Leah Tata is currently vice-president at The Indian Hotels Co., while Maya is associated with Tata Capital, and Neville is involved in Trent and the leadership team at Star Bazaar.