Noel Tata, the half-brother of late Ratan Tata -- who takes over as Chairman of Tata Trusts, has been with the Tata Group for over four decades, slowly rising through the ranks in the salt-to-software conglomerate.

Having functioned mostly under the shadows of his illustrious half-brother, Noel will now have the responsibility of leading the Trusts -- that hold a controlling 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons, the holding and promoter firm of Tata Group companies.

Son of Naval H Tata and Simone N Tata, Noel Tata currently serves on the board of various Tata Group companies, including as the Chairman of Trent, Tata International Ltd and Voltas.

He played a pivotal role in the growth of Trent across formats, from a one-store operation in 1998 to over 700 stores across formats.

A graduate from Sussex University in England, Noel completed the International Executive Programme from INSEAD.

The 67-year-old was chosen to lead the Tata Trusts, which collectively own Tata Sons, in a meeting on Friday.