Sir Ratan Tata Industrial Institute has just nominated Maya and Leah Tata to its board of directors. They were probably prepared to continue the family company and charity once Ratan Tata left as second-generation Tatas.
Noel Tata’s daughters, Leah and Maya, have taken a giant leap forward for the Tata family by being voted to the SRTII board of trustees. Their uncle Ratan Tata, the acclaimed former chairman of Tata Group, passed away recently, and this comes at a time of transition for the family-owned business.
The elevation of Leah and Maya to this esteemed position marks the beginning of a new era in one of India’s most illustrious corporate empires and the continuation of the Tata family’s leadership. In the future, the Tata Group will be led by two sisters and one brother, Neville Tata.
Succession Planning at Tata Empire
Leah and Maya Tata are now on equal footing with her highly skilled and accomplished experts, ensuring that the Tata family will continue to be led by them in the future. Indeed, Noel Tata became the head of Tata Trusts upon Ratan Tata’s death in October 2023. He is still very much involved with Tata Sons Ltd, the umbrella organization over which the several Tata Group businesses operate.
Leah, Maya, and Neville Tata are the third generation of their family to carry on the family’s prosperous and kind traditions. Through their key responsibilities within the Tata Trusts and other companies, they guarantee that the values and vision of the Tata Group’s founders will influence the company’s future.
Maya and Leah Tata: Who Are They?
Noel Tata’s eldest daughter Leah Tata has established herself as a leading figure in the hotel sector. As the current VP of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), she is an integral element of the hospitality division of the Tata Group. Since 2015, when she first joined the firm in her role, Leah has been an integral part of the company’s strategic efforts.
The 39-year-old Ms. Leah earned a Master of Science degree in marketing from Spain’s interdisciplinary IE Business School. In her role as Assistant Sales Manager at Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces, she has been employed by Tata since 2006. In addition to her time spent working with IHCL, Ms. Leah gained valuable expertise in international business during her three-month internship with luxury brand Louis Vuitton in 2010.
As time went on, she played an increasingly important role in expanding the hotel sector’s operations and brand portfolio inside the Tata Group.
Leah is extremely committed to her charitable efforts, aside from her business endeavors. The cancer hospital in Kolkata is operated by the Tata Medical Centre Trust (TMCT), of which she and her brothers are trustees. An important part of the Tata family’s philanthropic activities is the hospital that Ratan Tata founded.
The Digital Pioneer: Maya Tata
Maya Tata is thirty-six years Leah’s younger sister. She has found her space in the tech and digital industries. She currently works at Tata Digital, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, and has been instrumental in the launch of the Tata Neu app, an e-commerce and digital services platform designed to improve customer experiences across various sectors.
Maya is a Bayes Business School and Warwick University, UK, graduate. Her abilities in management and business were honed throughout her time there. Before joining Tata Digital, she began her career with the Tata Opportunities Fund, a division of Tata Capital, working in portfolio management and investor relations. Her experience in the digital domain marks her as an important player in the Tata Group’s ongoing digital transformation efforts.
Together with her siblings, Maya has also been very active in the philanthropic sector, particularly in Tata Medical Centre Trust.
The Sir Ratan Tata Industrial Institute is an initiative under the Sir Ratan Tata Trust that aims at women’s employment in industries. Established in 1928 by Lady Navajbai Tata and the Stri Zarthostri Mandal, it provides skills training and employment to empower women.
The sisters take over the places of Arnaz Kotwal and Freddy Talati on the board, both of whom have served in important positions within the organization for several years. The adjustment, nevertheless, was met with some resistance.
Kotwal, who is based in Dubai and works with VFS Global, said she was disappointed that she had not received communication from the trustees about her exit from the board. In the letter she addressed the other trustees expressing her surprise regarding the unexpected way she was dismissed.
