The marathoner technocrat who gave new direction to Tata Group
N. Chandrasekharan steered the Tata conglomerate through unchartered territories making massive investments in semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, consumer Internet platform, mobile technology and battery giga-factories
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, is set to make his exit from his position at the end of his tenure in February 2027. He gained recognition for steering the Tata Group towards new directions and making significant investments in high technology-oriented businesses after taking over in 2017. Prior to this role, Chandrasekaran led Tata Consultancy Services for eight years, during which TCS became the most valuable company in the country and expanded overseas.
He also expanded the Tata Group's presence in aviation through the acquisition of Air India, aiming to build a global airline. Chandrasekaran was the first non-Parsi to lead the Tata Group, receiving full backing from his mentor, former Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata. He was appointed chairman in January 2017 after serving as a board member since October 2016.
Chandrasekaran is credited with ensuring synergy, simplicity, and scale through his "One Tata" strategy, driving the group towards a sustainable future. His tenure was marked by challenges such as the Air India plane crash, cyberattacks, and cash burn at Tata Nexon. He was tasked with finding a way to avoid listing Tata Sons, as demanded by the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, and reducing losses at several companies.
After announcing his exit six months ahead of the end of his term, Chandrasekaran demonstrated his loyalty to the group, ensuring a successor would be in place to fill the position.
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