Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran to step down in February 2027

The Story in Brief

N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, will not seek reappointment when his term ends on February 20, 2027. He communicated his decision to the board on Wednesday, ending a nearly decade-long tenure during which the group expanded into aviation, semiconductors, and digital commerce. Chandrasekaran said he had requested the board to decide on his successor soon to ensure a smooth transition.

The decision follows a six-month impasse after his proposed five-year extension failed to win unanimous board support on February 24, 2026. Chandrasekaran said the trusts that own 66% of Tata Sons had unanimously recommended his extension, and the nomination committee had approved it, but one board member, identified as Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, did not support it. Multiple sources report that disagreements between Chandrasekaran and Noel Tata over strategy, board representation, and losses at newer businesses such as Air India and Tata Digital preceded the deadlock.