Neville Tata Set for Induction into Sir Ratan Tata Trust

Neville Tata, son of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, is reportedly set to be inducted into another key trust at a meeting scheduled for later this week. The Tata Group executive is already part of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. He was inducted in November last year.

Now, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET), he is also set to join the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. Both these trusts collectively own over 50% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group.

According to earlier reports, Neville Tata was expected to be inducted into both these trusts in November itself; however, opposition from Tata trustee Venu Srinivasan blocked his appointment.

As of now, the 32-year-old heads Star Bazaar, the hypermarket business of Trent, and is a trustee on the boards of the JRD Tata Trust, Tata Social Welfare Trust and RD Tata Trust.

The appointment, as per the report, is seen as reinforcing Noel Tata’s hold over the trusts. It comes in the backdrop of a massive internal rift among the trustees of Tata Trusts, which even triggered government intervention.

It later resulted in the resignation of Ratan Tata’s close associate Mehli Mistry from Tata Trusts. He, along with Darius Khambata and Jehangir HC Jehangir, opposed Vijay Singh’s reappointment to the Tata Sons board in September last year.

According to the ET report, Jhaveri’s reappointment to the trusts is also expected to be taken up during the upcoming meeting.

Noel Tata has consolidated his authority as chairman of Tata Trusts since taking over the role in October 2024, according to the report citing insiders.

The expected departure of some trustees would bring an era at Tata Trusts to a close. Jehangir, a lifetime trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, was seen as largely inactive during last year’s internal differences among trustees, while Khambata’s term is due for renewal later this year, the report added.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Public Trusts (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, notified in September, restricts the appointment of perpetual trustees. The ordinance is widely viewed as a response to Tata Trusts’ post–Ratan Tata decision to designate existing trustees as lifetime members.