Noel joined the board of Tata Sons, he will become the first Tata family member since 2011 to serve on both boards at once.

Noel Tata, recently appointed as the chairman of Tata Trusts, has now joined the board of Tata Sons as a nominee director. This dual role marks a historic moment, as it’s the first time since 2011 that a Tata family member holds positions on both boards concurrently. Tata Trusts, holding a significant 66% stake, is the largest shareholder in Tata Sons, the holding company for the Tata Group.

Noel Tata’s board appointment at Tata Sons was approved during an online resolution passed at a virtual Tata Sons meeting held on the eve of Diwali, according to sources of Economic Times familiar with the matter. This decision reinforces Noel Tata’s influential position within the group, following his recent appointment as the chairman of Tata Trusts last month after Ratan Tata’s passing.

Noel Tata’s Dual Influence

With Noel Tata’s appointment, he became the first Tata family member since 2011 to serve on both the Tata Trusts and Tata Sons boards simultaneously. Tata Trusts, with its 66% stake in Tata Sons, maintains substantial control within the Tata Group. Noel Tata’s presence strengthens Tata Trusts’ representation on the Tata Sons board, bringing the total number of Tata Trusts nominee directors to three, joining TVS chairman emeritus Venu Srinivasan and former defence ministry official Vijay Singh.

Tata Sons Board Structure

The Tata Trusts’ executive committee, which oversees its activities, now includes Noel Tata, Srinivasan, Singh, and businessman Mehli Mistry. Tata Sons’ board comprises nine directors, including two executive directors among them chairman N Chandrasekaran three non-executive directors (Noel Tata, Srinivasan, and Singh), and four independent directors. The Articles of Association (AoA) of Tata Sons entitle Tata Trusts to nominate one-third of the board’s directors.

Following his board appointment, Noel Tata met with Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran, signaling a constructive start to their working relationship, as per report.

Noel Tata Leadership Across Tata Group

Apart from his new role at Tata Sons, Noel Tata continues as non-executive director and chairman of Tata Investment Corp., Trent, and Voltas. He also serves as vice chairman and non-executive director at Titan and Tata Steel. While Tata Group mandates that executives retire from their roles at age 65, with directors required to step down from boards by age 70, there are no such restrictions for trustees or chairpersons, allowing Noel Tata to continue contributing as a non-executive leader.

Noel Tata’s impact within Tata Group companies has been substantial, particularly in Trent, the group’s retail division, where he assumed the role of chairman in April 2014. Under his leadership, Trent’s revenue surged by 430%, from Rs 2,333 crore in FY14 to Rs 12,375 crore in FY24, moving from a loss of Rs 19 crore to a profit of Rs 1,477 crore.

In August 2017, Noel Tata took over as chairman of Voltas, where he led the company through a period of growth, doubling its revenue from Rs 6,404 crore in FY17 to Rs 12,481 crore in FY24. Voltas’ stock value has nearly tripled since his appointment.