The board meetings of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), the primary shareholders of Tata Sons, have been rescheduled to May 16 due to legal concerns and ongoing discussions on governance matters. Originally set for May 8, the meetings were anticipated to address the Trusts’ representation on the Tata Sons board and the potential review of certain nominee directors. Some trustees who had gathered for the meeting were informed at the last minute about its cancellation.
The meetings were initially planned for May 12 but were postponed, marking the second rescheduling. Topics expected to be discussed included recent statements by Tata Trusts vice-chairmen Vijay Singh and Venu Srinivasan regarding the potential listing of Tata Sons. These remarks triggered an internal evaluation within the Trusts on whether board nominees align with the overall view on keeping the holding company private.
While the majority of the Trusts support maintaining Tata Sons as an unlisted entity, chairman Noel Tata upholds this stance despite differing opinions. Although Vijay Singh was not reappointed to the Tata Sons board last year, any potential review involving Venu Srinivasan is likely to attract attention due to his significant role in India Inc. and ongoing involvement with the Trusts. The debate on listing Tata Sons has been a sensitive issue within the Tata Group, with occasional diverging perspectives among the Trusts’ leadership.
The SDTT board includes Noel Tata, Venu Srinivasan, Vijay Singh, Darius Khambata, Neville N. Tata, and Bhaskar Bhat. On the other hand, the SRTT board comprises Noel Tata, Srinivasan, Singh, Jimmy Tata, Jehangir H.C. Jehangir, and Khambata.
