Mumbai: Tata Sons has decided to retain N Chandrasekaran at the helm, reversing his decision last month to step down when his current tenure ends in February 2027. The board has approved a fresh five-year term for Chandrasekaran as executive chairman, according to sources.
The decision was taken at a Tata Sons board meeting in Mumbai on Thursday. Chandrasekaran had announced on August 12 that he would not seek another term after completing his existing tenure on February 20, 2027.
His earlier decision came after the question of a third five-year term remained unresolved. Reports said the issue had faced opposition from at least one board member during discussions earlier this year.
Tata Sons moves towards public listing
In a parallel development, the board has also approved steps towards the public listing of Tata Sons, according to reports.
The listing issue has gained urgency after the Reserve Bank of India rejected Tata Sons’ request to surrender its Core Investment Company registration. The RBI’s regulatory framework requires Tata Sons, classified as an Upper Layer NBFC, to comply with listing requirements.
The proposed listing has been a major point of discussion within the Tata group, particularly following the RBI’s recent decision.
Noel Tata opposed the decisions
Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata reportedly opposed both the decision to give Chandrasekaran another five-year term and the move towards listing Tata Sons, according to sources cited in reports.
Noel Tata had previously been associated with efforts to keep Tata Sons privately held, while the question of Chandrasekaran’s continuation had also been a subject of debate within the group.
Chandrasekaran became Tata Sons chairman in 2017 and is currently serving his second five-year term. His present tenure was scheduled to end in February 2027.
The latest board decision now puts both leadership continuity and the future listing of Tata Sons back at the centre of attention for the conglomerate.
