Noel Tata currently serves on the Board of various Tata Group Companies

Ratan Tata’s death has shifted attention to probable contenders for the position of chairman of Tata Trusts. One among them is Noel Tata, son of Naval H. Tata and Simone N. Tata, and half-brother to Ratan Tata.

Since Ratan Tata did not name a successor, the Trusts’ boards will choose a new chairman.

Also read: Ratan Tata death reactions live updates

Mr. Noel is currently the chairman of Trent, Tata International Limited, Voltas & Tata Investment Corporation and as the Vice Chairman of Tata Steel and Titan Company Limited. He has been associated with the Tata group for 40 years.

He also serves as a trustee on the board of Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.

As managing director of Tata International Limited, the trading and distribution arm of the Tata Group, he grew the company from a $500 million turnover to over $3 billion between August 2010 and November 2021. From a one-store operation in 1998 to over 500 stores across formats today, Mr. Noel served as Managing Director of Trent Limited for more than 11 years before joining Tata International.

He graduated from Sussex University (UK) and has completed the International Executive Programme (IEP) from INSEAD.

Also read: Stray dogs of south Mumbai lose their best friend, Ratan Tata

If chosen as the next successor, Mr. Noel would be the sixth chairman of Sir Ratan Tata Trust.

Formerly, Mr. Noel had been considered as a possible successor to Ratan Tata, but the role was given to his brother-in-law Cyrus Mistry. Mistry was later ousted from his post, and he passed away in a car crash in 2022.

Noel Tata has a younger brother Jimmy.

Mumbai:

Industrialist Ratan Tata, who died at the age of 86 in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday, will be cremated with full state honours, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced. The state government has also declared a day of mourning on Thursday to honour the late industrialist. 

Mr Shinde announced that the national flag will be flown at half-mast across government offices in Maharashtra as a mark of respect. Entertainment events scheduled for Thursday have been cancelled.

Mr Tata’s body will be kept at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai’s Nariman Point from 10 am to 4 pm today, where people can pay their last respects. The cremation will take place in the Worli area later in the day.

READ | Ratan Tata: Industrialist, Philanthropist, And Indian Icon

Chief Minister Shinde called Mr Tata an “ideal amalgamation of ethics and entrepreneurship”. “He was a role model for future generations of entrepreneurs and a symbol of India’s industrial growth,” said Mr Shinde.

खो गया देश का अनमोल रत्न

रतनजी टाटा नैतिकता और उद्यमशीलता के अपूर्व और आदर्श संगम थे.लगभग 150 वर्षों की उत्कृष्टता और अखंडता की परंपरा वाले टाटा ग्रुप की कमान सफलतापूर्वक संभालने वाले रतनजी टाटा एक जीवित किवदंती थे.उन्होंने समय-समय पर जिस निर्णय क्षमता और मानसिक दृढ़ता का परिचय… https://t.co/u6MdkdheCC

— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) October 9, 2024

“Everyone will always remember the determination shown by him after the 2008 Mumbai attack. His firm decisions, courageous attitude and social commitment will always be remembered. The last rites of late Ratanji Tata will be performed with full state honours,” Mr Shinde added.

READ | Ratan Tata Dies: 10 Facts On India’s Most Beloved Industrialist

Mr Tata, who took over the reins of the Tata Group in 1991, was instrumental in the conglomerate’s acquisition of international firms such as Corus and Jaguar Land Rover. He expanded the group’s influence across multiple sectors, from steel and automotive to information technology. A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Mr Tata retired in 2012 but continued to guide the group and remained active in philanthropy.

READ | “Thank You For Thinking Of Me”: Ratan Tata’s Last Social Media Post

His death has drawn an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Mr Tata as a visionary business leader and a compassionate soul. Business leaders Gautam Adani, Anand Mahindra, and Sundar Pichai also shared their condolences.