JLR CEO Ralf Speth Joins Tata Sons Board

This week has been roller-coaster ride for everyone associated with Tata Group. In a surprising turn of events, Cyrus Mistry was relieved of his duties as the Chairman of the home-grown group and was replaced by Ratan Tata as the interim show-runner, till the board finds a suitable candidate as a permanent replacement. While this development shook newsrooms across the country, more news came in the next day when Tata Group announced that Ralf Speth, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and N. Chandrasekaran, CEO and MD, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have been appointed as additional directors.

"Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, and N Chandrasekaran, CEO & managing director of Tata Consultancy Services, have been appointed as Additional Directors on the Tata Sons Board," the company said in a statement.

“This is in recognition of their exemplary leadership in their companies,” the current interim chairman, Ratan Tata, said in a statement. On his appointment, Chandrasekaran said, “I am humbled by this honour and I look forward to contributing to the board.”

Both JLR and TCS have been doing good business for Tata Group. Speth from JLR and Chandrasekaran from TCS have proved themselves worthy enough to enter the elite list of board of directors, which includes Amit Chandra - MD at Bain Capital, Venu Srinivasan - chairman of TVS Motor Company and Ajay Piramal - chairman of both Piramal Group and Shriram Group. Both the new appointees have a chance to bring in their expertise from their respective industries and inject them into Tata’s DNA to make the 148 year old Tata Group more robust in the Indian market.