Tata Trusts shortlists candidates for CEO’s post

MUMBAI: At least half a dozen people have been identified for the CEO’s post at Tata Trusts, the country’s largest public charitable organisation, which also controls the Tata Group. The Trusts, following the exit of R Venkataramanan in March, has been looking at candidates for the top position.

Rajiv Dube, former director at Aditya Birla Group^[2], and N Srinath, director at Tata Communications^[3], are among the contenders for the role. Praveen Kadle, a Tata veteran, is also in the race. The Trusts is also looking at candidates within the foundation. Chairman Ratan Tata^[4], vice-chairmen Vijay Singh^[5] and Venu Srinivasan will take a final call on selecting the CEO. The three have been overseeing the Trusts’ operations after Venkataramanan decided to explore options outside the foundation.

Unlike Venkataramanan, who held the position of a managing trustee, the new person will be offered the post of a CEO. The Trusts decided to create the post after it ran into trouble with income tax authorities over Venkataramanan’s high compensation. The authorities had said that the high salary, which was a few crores, was not in accordance with the Trusts’ deed.

The deed of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (one of the main charitable organisations within the fold) specifies that a trustee must be paid Rs 1,000. However, it doesn’t clarify whether this amount must be paid monthly or annually. With the managing trustee post gone, there will be no issues regarding the formulation of a compensation package for the CEO.
Dube, said sources, has a strong chance to helm Tata Trusts, though the other candidates’ possibilities too cannot be ruled out. Dube, who started his career with the Tata Group in 1983 and who was once the executive assistant to Ratan Tata, is currently on a sabbatical from the Aditya Birla Group. The 57-year-old, who was credited for building Tata Motors’ passenger car business from ground up, joined the Birlas in 2010. At the Aditya Birla group, he was director of corporate services and textiles.
Srinath, a Tata lifer, joined the aviation-to-automobile conglomerate in 1986. He is currently overseeing the closure of the sale of the telecom business to Bharti Airtel. Kadle was the CEO of Tata Capital till last year. He is now the chairman of Tata Autocomp Systems.
A Tata Trusts spokesperson couldn’t be contacted for immediate comments.
^[1][6][7]

References

1. ^{^} Tata Trusts (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} Aditya Birla Group (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} Tata Communications (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
4. ^{^} Ratan Tata (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
5. ^{^} Vijay Singh (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
6. ^{^} Aditya Birla (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
7. ^{^} Bharti Airtel (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

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