Neville Tata set to join Sir Ratan Tata Trust as Noel Tata consolidates control

Tata Trusts is preparing to induct Neville Tata, son of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, to the board of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust at a meeting scheduled later this week, according to reports. The move would further consolidate Noel Tata’s influence over the powerful philanthropic entities that control the Tata group, while also underscoring a generational transition underway within the conglomerate.

Neville Tata, 32, was inducted onto the board of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in November last year. His likely entry into the Sir Ratan Tata Trust — the second of the two principal trusts that together own a majority stake in Tata Sons — would place him among the most influential figures in the Tata ecosystem at a relatively young age, potentially paving the way for a long-term leadership role within the family-led group.

The Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust together hold more than 51% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the $150-billion Tata group. As trustees of these entities play a decisive role in shaping the group’s governance, board-level changes at the trusts carry significant implications for Tata Sons and its operating companies.

Neville Tata currently heads Star Bazaar, the hypermarket business of Trent, the Tata group’s retail arm. In addition to his role at Trent, he serves as a trustee on the boards of the JRD Tata Trust, Tata Social Welfare Trust and RD Tata Trust. His expanding responsibilities within the trust structure are seen as reflective of a broader effort to bring the next generation of the Tata family into key governance roles.

The proposed induction also comes at a time of churn within Tata Trusts following the death of former chairman Ratan Tata in October 2024. Noel Tata, who assumed the chairmanship of Tata Trusts shortly thereafter, has since strengthened his position amid a series of governance changes and internal disagreements.

One such development relates to the tenure of Pramit Jhaveri, a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, whose term is due for renewal on February 11. Jhaveri was appointed to the Tata Trusts board in February 2020, during Ratan Tata’s tenure. Along with Mehli Mistry, Darius Khambata and Jehangir HC Jehangir, he was part of a bloc that opposed the reappointment of Vijay Singh to the Tata Sons board in September last year, highlighting sharp divisions among trustees during the leadership transition.

Following Ratan Tata’s death, Tata Trusts introduced a rule mandating the annual reappointment of nominee directors above the age of 75. This policy change altered boardroom dynamics and was followed by a series of contentious developments, including the nomination of Mehli Mistry to the Tata Sons board — a move opposed by Noel Tata and Venu Srinivasan — and the eventual exit of Vijay Singh, a former defence secretary and a close confidant of Ratan Tata. These events reportedly drew the attention of the government and led to its intervention.

Highly placed officials close to the matter said the possible exit of some long-serving trustees would mark the end of an era for Tata Trusts. Jehangir HC Jehangir, a lifetime trustee at the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, was not seen as particularly proactive during last year’s internal conflicts, according to people aware of the discussions. Meanwhile, the term of Darius Khambata, another influential trustee, is expected to come up for renewal later this year.

The governance landscape has also been shaped by regulatory changes. The Maharashtra Public Trusts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 (Ord 7 of 2025), notified in September last year, places restrictions on the appointment of perpetual or lifetime trustees. The ordinance is widely seen as a response to Tata Trusts’ decision, taken after Ratan Tata’s death, to convert existing trustees into perpetual trustees — a move that attracted scrutiny.

According to a report by The Economic Times, the proposed induction of Neville Tata would further strengthen Noel Tata’s hold over the trusts while signalling the rise of the next generation within the Tata governance structure. With key trustee tenures up for renewal and regulatory oversight increasing, Tata Trusts appears to be entering a phase of recalibration, balancing continuity with generational change at the helm of India’s most influential business group.