Mehli Mistry will leave the Tata Trusts after a majority of trustees rejected his reappointment. His three-year term on the boards of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust ends on October 28.
Last week, a circular resolution saw three of six trustees—Noel Tata (Chairman), Venu Srinivasan, and Vijay Singh—vote against extending Mistry’s tenure. Trustees Darius Khambata, Pramit Jhaveri, and Jehangir H.C. Jehangir supported him. The split vote ended any chance of continuation.
Mistry joined both trusts in 2022. He is seen as a close associate of the late Ratan Tata. The two trusts hold the largest stake in Tata Sons and lead board nominations and governance across the Tata Group.
Tensions among trustees have grown in recent months. In September, Vijay Singh’s reappointment as nominee director on the Tata Sons board failed due to lack of unanimous support. Mistry had opposed it, leading Singh to step down. This move likely influenced the current decision.
Disagreement continues over an October 2024 resolution on trustee tenure. It allows reappointments without a fixed limit. Some view this as enabling lifelong roles. Others insist each term needs fresh approval.
Venu Srinivasan was recently reappointed with support from both sides. Mistry proposed that future renewals require unanimous consent. The majority rejected this condition.
The trusts will now search for Mistry’s replacement on the boards. More decisions on Tata Sons board nominations are expected soon.
