Noel Tata to retire as Zudio-owner Trent’s Chairman:To be made Chairman Emeritus for 29 years of contribution; Vakil to take charge

Noel N. Tata will retire as chairman and director of Trent Limited after the close of business on 11 November. The company said this in an exchange filing on Thursday. He will be appointed chairman emeritus of the company from 12 November. The position has been given to him in recognition of his contribution to the Tata Group’s retail company. Behram Vakil will take over as Trent’s chairman from 12 November, succeeding Noel Tata. The company’s board approved these changes at its meeting on Thursday. The board also approved the appointment of Rajiv Dube as an additional director from 30 October and Kalpana Merchant as an independent director. Both appointments are subject to shareholders’ approval. Decision taken under Tata Group governance guidelines Trent’s board approved these changes under the Tata Group governance guidelines. The guidelines set out provisions relating to the composition of the board, its committees and the retirement of directors. The company praised Noel Tata’s contribution in the filing. It said Trent had achieved several major milestones under his leadership. According to the company, Trent strengthened its position in the market under his leadership. The company also consistently created growth and value for stakeholders. The company said, “The Board of Directors records its deep appreciation and gratitude for his invaluable contribution to the company over 29 years.” Noel Tata calls Trent’s transformation a special achievement Noel Tata issued a message on Thursday after Trent released its September quarter results. He said, “As I complete my tenure as Chairman of Trent, I am extremely pleased with the company’s significant recent progress.” He said, “It has been an honour for me to see Trent transform from a new company in the fashion sector into a leading company with strong growth, profitability and better capital utilisation.” Rajeev Dubey has more than 40 years of experience The board has approved the appointment of Rajiv Dube as an additional director with effect from 30 October. He will serve in a non-executive and non-independent capacity. The appointment is subject to shareholders’ approval. Rajiv Dube has more than four decades of experience across several sectors. He began his career with Tata Motors. He later became president of Tata Motors’ car business. He subsequently joined the Aditya Birla Group’s board as an executive director. He has also served on the boards of several companies in India and abroad. His experience spans sectors including automobiles, metals, mining, power, renewables, cement, trading, textiles, retail and financial services. Kalpana Merchant to be independent director The board has approved the appointment of Kalpana Merchant as an additional director. She will be appointed as an independent director for three years, from 30 October 2026 to 29 October 2029. This appointment is also subject to shareholders’ approval. Kalpana Merchant has more than 45 years of experience in the legal field. She has experience in commercial property, infrastructure, project finance, banking, capital markets, dispute resolution and mergers and acquisitions. She has been associated with law firms such as Khaitan Co., AZB Partners and Jerome Merchant Plus Partners.