North News

Mumbai, October 10

The passing of veteran industrialist and Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata has created a significant leadership vacuum at Tata Trusts, the philanthropic organizations integral to the $165 billion Tata Group. Reports indicate that Ratan Tata did not appoint a successor prior to his death, leaving the decision of who will lead Tata Trusts to the board of trustees.

Tata Trusts, particularly the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, are the primary shareholders of Tata Sons, collectively owning nearly 52 percent of the company. The trustees now face the challenge of selecting a new chairman, with a potential interim leader expected to be appointed until a permanent decision is made. Traditionally, the leadership of Tata Trusts has been associated with the Tata family and the Parsi community, the news outlet Business Today reported.

Ratan Tata’s tenure marked the last instance of a single individual holding both the chairmanships of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts. This governance structure was altered in 2022 when the company’s Articles of Association were amended to ensure the separation of these roles, signifying a major shift in the organization’s governance, the news outlet said.

The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust are governed by a total of 13 trustees, five of whom serve as common trustees for both. Among them are former defense secretary Vijay Singh, automobile industrialist Venu Srinivasan, Ratan Tata’s half-brother and Trent chairman Noel Tata, businessman Mehli Mistry, and lawyer Darius Khambata. Other trustees include former Citi India CEO Pramit Jhaveri at the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, and Ratan Tata’s younger brother Jimmy Tata and Jehangir Hospital CEO Jehangir H. C. Jehangir at the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, the news outlet The Times of India reported.