Noel Tata appointed Chairman of Tata Trusts after Ratan Tata's death

Noel Tata has officially taken over as the Chairman of Tata Trusts, succeeding Ratan Naval Tata. Tata Trusts, the philanthropic arm that holds a significant stake in Tata Sons—the parent company of the Tata Group—has played a key role in shaping the group’s legacy.

The board of Tata Trusts met on Friday morning and confirmed Noel Tata’s appointment. He is the half-brother of Ratan Tata, marking a new chapter in the leadership of one of India’s most influential business conglomerates.

These trusts—comprising the Sir Ratan Tata Trust & Allied Trusts and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust & Allied Trusts—hold a controlling 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons, the parent and promoter company of Tata Group firms. Noel currently serves as a Trustee on the boards of both Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.

His appointment as Chairman follows the passing of Ratan Tata on Wednesday evening due to age-related health issues.

Son of Naval H. Tata and Simone N. Tata, Noel Tata is also a prominent figure on the boards of several Tata Group companies. He holds key positions, including Chairman of Trent, Tata International Ltd, Voltas, and Tata Investment Corporation, and serves as Vice Chairman of Tata Steel and Titan Company Ltd. He has been with the Tata Group for over four decades.

Noel’s last executive role was Managing Director of Tata International Ltd, the group's trading and distribution arm, where he led the company from a turnover of $500 million to over $3 billion between August 2010 and November 2021. 

Prior to this, he was Managing Director of Trent Ltd, Tata's retail division, and was instrumental in expanding Trent from a single store in 1998 to over 700 outlets.

An alumnus of Sussex University in the UK, Noel Tata also completed the International Executive Programme (IEP) at INSEAD.