Noel Naval Tata, Ratan Tata’s half-brother, is the new chairman of Tata Trust. He has been associated with the Tata Group for over 40 years and was appointed the new chairman following Ratan Tata’s demise on October 9th.
Before this, he held leadership roles in multiple companies under the Tata Group. Noel Naval Tata is the chairman of Tata International Limited, Voltas, and Tata Investment Corporation. He also serves as vice chairman of Titan Company Limited and Tata Steel.
Noel Naval Tata’s Journey to Chairman of Tata Trusts
Noel Tata’s journey to the chairman position of Tata Trusts was not forced or hasty. When he became a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust in 2019, everyone recognized his leadership potential. Three years later, in 2022, he became a board member of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.
Born in 1957, Noel is the son of Naval Tata and his second wife Simone Tata, a Swiss-Indian businesswoman. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Sussex. He has also attended the International Executive program at INSEAD Business School in France.
Unlike his brother Ratan Tata, Noel Tata was not in the public eye or involved in every company decision, as he always preferred to work behind the scenes. When he joined Trent in 1988, it had only one store in India, but as of now, the company has 700 stores across the country.
He helped boost the International Retail of the Tata Group. His role helped Trent become a brand with a substantial value of USD 2.8 crore. He also helped increase the value of Tata International from a USD 4,000 crore valuation to an amazing USD 24,000 crore mark.
Noel Naval Tata: Understanding Tata Family Lineage
The Tata family has a legacy spanning more than 150 years. The first member of the Tata family, Nusserwanji Tata, was a Parsi priest before paving the way for what is now an expanded business. The Tata Group was founded in 1868 by Nusserwanji Tata’s descendant, Jamsetji Tata. Following his death, his eldest son, Dorabji Tata took over the leadership.
It was Ratanji Tata, the younger son of Dorabji Tata, who expanded the Tata Group’s textile business. His biological son, J.R.D. Tata led the group for a while. Lady Ratanji Tata adopted Naval Tata from the Petit Parsi orphanage when he was 13 years old. Ratan Tata and Jimmy Tata are the two sons of Naval Tata with his first wife, Sooni Tata.