Three disappointing experiences with Tata companies made me question whether the group's historic values of customer focus and accountability are slowly fading, notes Dr N Ravichandran.
The Tata trusts can nominate one-third of the directors of Tata Sons
Top honchos of the Tata group, including Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman amid infighting among trustees over board appointments and governance issues.
Tata Trusts, which exerts decisive influence over India's most valuable conglomerate through its about 66 per cent stake of Tata Sons, finds itself in the midst of infighting among its trustees over board appointment and governance issues.
Had it been know that Jinnah suffered from tuberculosis and did not have much time to live, there is a possibility Partition could have been averted.
Air India has announced the appointment of Tewolde Gebremariam, former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Campbell Wilson. This strategic appointment comes as the airline navigates expansion amidst significant challenges.
Thanks to a big payout by the group's cash cow, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Sons is set to earn a record-high equity dividend worth nearly Rs 33,350 crore from the group's listed companies for FY23, up 130 per cent from Rs 14,529 crore in FY22. Nearly 90 per cent of this, or around Rs 30,500 crore, is estimated to accrue to Tata Sons while the rest will show up in its profit & loss account for FY24. This is because nearly 80 per cent of the dividend payout by TCS for FY23 was done before the end of the financial year through three quarterly interim instalments and a special one in January this year.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Consumer Products (TCPL), stated that India continues to experience credible economic growth, driven by strong demographic fundamentals and accelerating digital public infrastructure, despite a fragmented global landscape.
On Wednesday, the TCS board approved an up to Rs 18,000 crore buyback offer entailing 4 crore shares at Rs 4,500 apiece. According to a postal ballot notice by the company, Tata Sons and TICL intend to participate in the buyback offer. Tata Sons, which holds about 266.91 crore shares, intends to tender 2.88 crore shares, while TICL (which holds 10,23,685 shares) intends to tender 11,055 shares, it added.
A quiet but consequential power struggle has erupted within the storied 156-year-old Tata Trusts just a year after the death of group patriarch Ratan Tata on October 9, 2024.
The 14 listed Tata group companies in which Tata Sons holds a stake are paying out a record Rs 35,441 crore to their shareholders by way of dividends and share buyback for FY21.
With the Supreme Court not getting into the valuation part and leaving it to the two parties, lawyers said there was nothing much for Mistry Group to negotiate.
The transaction - the second one in less than a year - is seen as an effort to restore investor faith in the company following a dismal performance by its UK subsidiary, Jaguar Land Rover Automotive.
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Swamy had written to the Election Commission, the DGCA and the Civil Aviation Ministry not to grant a license to the carrier.
These trusts hold 66 per cent stake in unlisted Tata Sons, the holding company of the $100-billion Tata group of companies.
The pilot-in-command of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight that experienced a sudden 300-foot altitude drop last week has tested positive for a psychoactive substance, identified by sources as marijuana, in a confirmatory test. This development comes as Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu met with Air India executives to discuss the serious incident, which left 24 people injured.
In January this year, Tata Sons invested an additional Rs 2,500 crore (Rs 25 billion) in Tata Teleservices which was used to repay loans of the wireless telephony company.
When specifically asked about the reason for the crash and whether Air India is privy to any preliminary findings, Chandrasekaran said, "One would have to wait for the probe to conclude."
Tata Sons, India's biggest promoter in the private sector, is expected to earn a record Rs 27,797 crore via equity dividend and proceeds through share buyback from its listed group companies for the financial year 2021-22. This amount is up 17.6 per cent from Rs 23,663 crore that it pocketed in FY21. Nearly two-thirds of these proceeds will show up in Tata Sons' financial results for FY22, thanks to the quarterly interim dividend by its cash cow Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Gurgaon-based mmt admin (commonly known as MakeMyTrip) has been using the domain name 'oktatabyebye.com'. Tata Sons has contended that it is confusingly similar to its 'Tata' brand and the travel portal runner has no rights or legitimate interests to use it. In May, Tata Sons had moved the Geneva-based WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center demanding transfer of disputed domain name.
Tata Sons has moved the Supreme Court against an estimated Rs 300-crore (Rs 3-billion) sales tax demand from the Maharashtra state government.
Seth has been named by six women including model Diandra Soares, filmmaker Natasha Rathore and writer Ira Trivedi.
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The RBI has accepted the application withdrawal request, according to the statement.
Rajan's last day at Tata Sons, where he has worked since the 1990s, will be March 31.
After years of losing money on two of the group's biggest bets - global steel business and domestic passenger cars - there are strong signs of a revival in both businesses.
Tata Sons will increase its stake in budget carrier AirAsia India (AAI) to 83.67 per cent by acquiring an additional 32.67 per cent for $37.66 million from AirAsia Investment Ltd (AAIL), according to a regulatory filing. Currently, AAIL, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia-based AirAsia, holds 49 per cent stake in the Bengaluru-based AirAsia India. In a regulatory filing to stock exchange Bursa Malaysia, AirAsia said, "The board of directors of AirAsia wishes to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary AAIL and Tata Sons Pvt Ltd, India, on December 29, entered into a share purchase agreement."
In the run-up to the retirement, senior non-executive directors are expected to take up supervisory role in a two-tiered board system consisting of an executive board and a supervisory board.
The Board has decided to confer on Ratan Tata the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus.
Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry was on Sunday killed in a road accident after his car hit a divider in Maharashtra's Palghar district neighbouring Mumbai, a police official said.
Looking to put money in aviation, infrastructure and also to reduce debt of group companies.
Earnings primarily from dividends received from group firms and sale of shares.
Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and two other powerful trustees considered close to him blocked the reappointment of late Ratan Tata's close associate and businessman Mehli Mistry as trustee, deepening the rift at the philanthropic arm that controls the holding company of Tata Group, people familiar with the matter said.
NCLT in its judgement said: "The removal of Cyrus Mistry as executive chairperson was because the board lost confidence and not because they were contemplating that he would cause discomfort to Ratan Tata, N Soonawala and others.' "The Board is competent to remove an executive chairman. Mr Mistry's removal from the position of director came because he admittedly sent out company information to the I-T (department), press, and came out in public against the board and the trust."
Police are investigating the bank accounts of those arrested in connection with the sexual harassment and religious conversion case involving women employees of an IT firm in Nashik to determine if they received funds for illegal activities. A special investigation team (SIT) is handling the case.
Tata Sons said dividend from 40-odd Tata Group firms had declined during Mistry's tenure while expenses had risen
