In the over 150-year-old Tata Group, a new Tata is emerging from the shadows. Neville Tata, 32, the youngest of Noel Tata and Aloo Mistry’s three children, was on Tuesday appointed a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, one of the principal Tata Trusts.
The appointment cements Neville’s quiet rise to the top in the last one decade at the salt-to-software conglomerate, which commands a market capitalisation of $328 billion and generates revenue of $180 billion.
Industry observers also see it as a precursor to him taking a larger role within the group in the coming years. Like his father, Noel Tata (68), chairman of Tata Trusts, which holds 66% in Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata Group, Neville prefers being out of the limelight, letting his work do the talking.
After completing his studies at Bayes Business School in London, Neville joined the Tata Group in 2016, beginning his career with Trent, the retail arm founded by his grandmother, Simone Tata. He first led the packaged food and beverages division, before moving to Zudio, Trent’s fast-fashion venture.
Under his watch, Zudio transformed into one of India’s largest apparel retail brands with revenue in excess of $1 billion (`8,600 crore), according to its FY25 annual report. Company insiders credit Neville with shaping Zudio’s cluster-based retail strategy, which has driven high footfalls and strong economies of scale across markets.
Described as humble and one who listens patiently, Neville is said to have an eye for detail. He was, for instance, quick to see the potential of value retail, ahead of rivals, and opted to go the whole hog with Zudio, unlike the traditional approach taken by Trent flagship Westside, which has focused on profitability rather than launching stores aggressively.
At the end of the September quarter of FY26, for instance, Zudio had over 806 stores to Westside’s 261 stores. And the plan is to take Zudio over 1,000 stores in the next one year. Neville also served as a non-executive director at Trent Hypermarket, the Tata Group’s grocery retail subsidiary, before taking over as head of Star Bazaar in 2024. His steady rise through the ranks reflects a careful grooming process, one that balances operational experience with strategic oversight.
Beyond his professional life, Neville’s family ties run deep into India’s industrial landscape. His sisters, Leah and Maya Tata, are also active within the group. Leah leads the Gateway brand at Indian Hotels, while Maya works with Tata Digital.
Married to Manasi Kirloskar, daughter of the late industrialist Vikram Kirloskar, Neville has two children, Jamset and Tiana.
