Neville Tata takes the helm at Star Bazaar, signals new era for Tata Group retail business: Report

Trent Ltd has identified its hypermarket segment as a major growth area

Neville Tata has assumed leadership of Star Bazaar, the hypermarket division of Trent Ltd, a key retail arm of the Tata Group, reported the Economic Times.

Trent Ltd has identified its hypermarket segment as a major growth area, with chief executive P Venkatesalu at the helm. Trent Hypermarket, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata and British retailer Tesco, operates 66 Star Bazaar stores across India.

Neville, a 32-year-old alumnus of Bayes Business School, is the son of Noel Tata, chairman of Trent Ltd and half-brother of Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons. Insiders suggest that Neville may be closely mentored by his father as he transitions into this leadership role, with potential future positions as CEO or executive director of the hypermarket division.

Neville joined Trent Ltd in 2016, initially overseeing packaged food and beverages before managing Zudio, one of India’s leading apparel brands. Previously serving as a non-executive director on the board of Trent Hypermarket, Neville has now stepped down from that position to take on a more hands-on role.

His sisters, Leah and Maya, are also involved in Tata Group companies. Leah, 39, leads the Gateway brand at Indian Hotels, while Maya, 36, works at Tata Digital with a focus on analytics and technology. The three siblings have been appointed trustees of five affiliates of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust. Noel Tata also serves as chairman of Voltas and a trustee of Tata Trusts, which controls a 66 percent stake in Tata Sons.