Natarajan Chandrasekaran takes over as Chairman of Tata Sons, becoming the first non-Parsi to take over reins of the country’s most diversified business group.Speaking to the media outside Bombay House here today, Chandrasekaran expressed his gratitude on the appointment, assuring that he will lead from the front in enhancing the company’s goodwill.
“I am very delighted to take over. We will do everything required to make everyone related to the company proud,” said Chandrasekaran.“The group is in the hearts and minds of people in India and globally. We will work together to drive discipline on capital allocation and shareholder returns. This company has always shown tremendous spirit in terms of pioneering and leadership. I look forward to the appointment and seek your support,” added Chandrasekaran.
Earlier in February, Chandrasekaran was appointed to take over as the Chairman of Tata Power, while holding the post of Chairman of Tata Steel Ltd. and Tata Motors Ltd. He was also the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT solutions and consulting firm.
Chandrasekaran joined TCS in 1987 after completing his
master's in computer applications from Regional Engineering College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. Under his leadership, TCS has become the largest private sector employer in India with the highest retention rate in a globally competitive industry.TCS remains the most valuable company in India with a market capitalisation of over USD 70 billion. Under Chandrasekaran's leadership, TCS was rated as the world's most powerful brand in IT services in 2015 and recognised as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute across 24 countries.
A techno-preneur known for his ability to make big bets on new technology, Chandrasekaran has been driving TCS's strong positioning in the emerging digital economy with a suite of innovative digital products and platforms for enterprises, some of which have since scaled into sizeable new businesses.
He has been playing an active role in the Indo-US and India-UK CEO Forums. He is also part of India's business taskforces for Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Malaysia. He served as the Chairman of Nasscom, the apex trade body for IT services firms, in India in 2012-13 and continues to be a member of its governing executive council.