Venu Srinivasan Reappointed for Life as Tata Trusts VP

In a move that had been widely expected, the trustees of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) have formally reappointed Venu Srinivasan as a trustee and vice-chairman for life, effectively putting aside recent concerns around governance differences.

This follows the January 2025 reappointment of Noel Tata as trustee and chairman, also with an unlimited tenure. Together, SDTT and SRTT control approximately 52% of Tata Sons, giving significant weight to such leadership decisions. Fellow trustee Mehli Mistry is expected to be reappointed under similar terms in the coming days.

Srinivasan’s reappointment aligns with a key resolution passed unanimously by both Trusts on October 17, 2024. That resolution stated that upon the completion of a trustee’s tenure, the individual would be reappointed without any limit on the length of service. Furthermore, it was decided that any trustee opposing a fellow trustee’s reappointment would be considered to have breached their fiduciary responsibility, making them ineligible to continue serving on the board.

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As a result of this decision, all current trustees of SDTT and SRTT will now serve lifetime terms, unless they choose to step down voluntarily.

This governance model mirrors the tenure of former influential trustees such as J.R.D. Tata, Ratan Tata, Jamshed Bhabha, and R.K. Krishna Kumar, all of whom held their positions until their passing. While these individuals were seen as exceptions, others like Noshir Soonawala also appointed for life chose to retire due to age and health considerations. Over the years, there have also been trustees appointed with renewable three-year terms, creating a mix of tenure types within the Trusts' structure.