After the passing of Ratan Tata, Noel Tata has been named the new chairman of Tata Trusts. He is Ratan Tata’s half-brother. To better understand this change, it’s helpful to look at the family history of the Tata Group. The Tata Group was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Tata, who married Hirabai Daboo. Their sons, Dorabji Tata and Ratanji Tata, later took over as chairmen of the group. Since Dorabji did not have any sons, only Ratanji’s family continued the legacy.
Ratan Tata married Navajbai Sett in 1893, and they adopted Naval Tata, who was from a distant relative’s family. Naval’s first wife was Sooni Commissariat, and they had two sons: Ratan Tata and Jimmy Tata. However, neither of them married or had children. Naval and Sooni separated in the mid-1940s. Later, Naval Tata married Simone Dunoyer, a businesswoman from Switzerland, in 1955. Noel Tata is their son.
Who is Noel Naval Tata: New Chairman of Tata Trusts
Noel Naval Tata, born in 1957, is a well-known businessman from the Tata family. He was appointed the chairman of Tata Trusts on October 11, 2024, after his half-brother Ratan Tata passed away. Tata Trusts owns 66% of Tata Sons, the main company that controls all the Tata Group businesses. Besides being the chairman of Tata Trusts, Noel also leads several other Tata companies, including Trent, Tata Investment Corporation, Tata International, and serves as vice chairman of Titan Company and Tata Steel. Noel Tata is an Irish citizen and plays an important role in the Tata Group’s future and success.
Family Background
Noel Tata is the son of Naval Tata and Simone Tata. He is the half-brother of Ratan Tata and Jimmy Tata. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Sussex and later studied at INSEAD business school in France. He started his career at Tata International, a part of the Tata Group that focuses on international trade.
Career Highlights
In June 1999, Noel became the managing director of Trent, a retail company started by his mother. He helped Trent grow, especially after it bought a store chain called Littlewoods International, which was renamed Westside.
Over the years, he took on several important roles within the Tata Group. In 2003, he became a director of Titan Industries and Voltas. People thought he might be the next leader of the Tata Group. However, in 2011, Cyrus Mistry, his brother-in-law, was chosen to succeed Ratan Tata. When Mistry was removed in 2016, Ratan Tata returned as chairman for a short time.
Noel Tata was made vice chairman of Titan Company in 2018 and joined the Sir Ratan Tata Trust board in February 2019. In March 2022, he was appointed vice chairman of Tata Steel.
Leadership in Tata Trusts
After Ratan Tata died on October 9, 2024, Noel Tata was unanimously chosen to lead Tata Trusts. This is a significant role because Tata Trusts is involved in charitable activities and holds a major stake in Tata Sons.
Personal Life
Noel Tata is married to Aloo Mistry, the daughter of Pallonji Mistry, who was once the largest shareholder in Tata Sons. They have three children: Leah, Maya, and Neville Tata.
- Leah Tata is the eldest and works as a Vice President at Indian Hotels Company Limited after earning a Master’s degree in Marketing from IE Business School in Madrid.
- Maya Tata started as an analyst at Tata Capital and has been advancing in her career.
- Neville Tata began his career at Trent, the retail company that Noel helped build.