Tata Trusts Governance Row Raises Questions Over Trustees’ Dual Roles

With N. Chandrasekaran stepping down as Tata Sons chairman, attention has turned to governance questions surrounding Tata Trusts and Tata Sons. The dispute centres on trustees Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh, who have participated in important decision-making at both Tata Trusts and Tata Sons. Both were involved in the decision to keep Tata Sons unlisted but later emerged as supporters of listing the holding company.

The developments have triggered debate over whether trustees can continue to hold positions on the group’s key decision-making bodies while raising complaints or taking positions that appear to conflict with the institution they help govern. According to people familiar with the developments, questions over governance became more prominent after Ratan Tata’s death in October 2024. Mehli Mistry, who was a Tata trustee at the time, reportedly raised concerns about certain decisions, including Vijay Singh’s continuation on the Tata Sons board despite being above the age of 75.