As Chandrasekaran Steps Down, Age Norms May Narrow Tata Sons' Internal Successor Pool

After N Chandrasekaran decided against seeking a fresh term at the helm of Tata Sons, the conglomerate faces a pivotal succession dilemma. Chandrasekaran will stay on until his existing term concludes on February 20, leaving the board with about six months to finalise a successor.

The group is not short on senior leadership talent capable of running large, complex operations. Names, if discussed for the succession, include the current heads of Tata Steel, TCS and Tata Power, along with executives leading the automotive, consumer goods, hospitality and financial arms of the conglomerate. Age rules for the chairman's post, however, could work against several of them.

Age Policy

Executive directors at Tata companies are typically expected to retire at 65, while non-executive directors can serve until 70. The rule is an internal convention rather than a legal requirement, meaning the board has room to waive it if needed.

A review of 11 senior internal executives shows that seven would get no more than a single full term before turning 65, and five would have under five years left to serve by February 2027, when the handover is expected.

None of the candidates is automatically disqualified by age, especially if the board values experience over the length of a term, as per media reports. But if Tata Sons is looking for someone who can stay on for a decade, the current internal options may not be enough, the reports added.

The Potential Internal Contenders

TV Narendran, 61 years, has run Tata Steel since 2017 and has been with the company for nearly 40 years. His time in charge has included integrating Bhushan Steel after its acquisition, expanding the Kalinganagar plant, and steering the group's European steel business.

K Krithivasan, 61, took over as MD and CEO of TCS in June 2023, having joined the firm in 1989. Most of his career was built around the banking, financial services and insurance vertical, TCS's biggest, which grew strongly under his leadership before his promotion.

R Mukundan, 59, has been at the helm of Tata Chemicals since 2008, the longest tenure among this group of executives. A member of the Tata Administrative Service's 1990 batch, he led the demerger of the company's consumer business into what is now Tata Consumer Products.

Ajoy Chawla, 59, was named managing director of Titan Company in January 2026, moving up after more than six years running its jewellery division, where sales and profits nearly tripled under him.

Shailesh Chandra, 53, is the youngest name on the list and the only one with more than a decade before hitting the retirement age. He has led Tata Motors' passenger and electric vehicle divisions through a period of sharp recovery.

PB Balaji, 56, became CEO of Jaguar Land Rover in November 2025, after eight years as Tata Motors' group chief financial officer. He joined the group from Hindustan Unilever, where he also served as CFO.

Girish Wagh, 55, has headed Tata Motors' commercial vehicle unit since 2017. He joined the company as a graduate trainee in 1992 and has been closely tied to products such as the Tata Ace and the Nano.

Sunil D'Souza, 58, has been MD and CEO of Tata Consumer Products since April 2020, a period marked by the integration of Tata Global Beverages and acquisitions such as Capital Foods and Organic India.

Puneet Chhatwal, 62, joined Indian Hotels Company in November 2017 and has since guided a sharp rise in its financial performance and market valuation, with the Taj brand gaining global recognition during his tenure.

Praveer Sinha, 64, has led Tata Power since 2018 after previously running Tata Power Delhi Distribution. Under him, the company has pushed further into renewable energy, rooftop solar and EV charging.

Saurabh Agrawal, 56, serves as Tata Sons' group chief financial officer, overseeing capital allocation and financial strategy across the group. He joined in 2017 and played a key role in the Air India acquisition.

Taken together, the internal candidates bring experience across technology, manufacturing, consumer goods, energy and automotive turnarounds. But the most seasoned among them, Narendran, Krithivasan, Chhatwal, Mukundan and Sinha, would all turn 65 before finishing a standard five-year term. Chawla and D'Souza have just enough time left for one term.