Importantly, he is also seen as being close to Noel Tata, a factor that could carry significance in a succession process where the alignment between Tata Sons and Tata Trusts will be closely scrutinised. The Noel factorNoel Tata himself remains a serious contender, with his influence within the Tata group and the Tata Trusts steadily growing. Larger than its seemsSuccession at Tata Sons today is not merely about pedigree or managerial competence, said a senior industry official. Shriram Subramanian, founder of InGovern, said, “Chandrasekaran’s decision gives the Tata Sons board an opportunity to recruit a successor whose vision aligns seamlessly with both Tata Sons and Tata Trusts, a crucial priority to ensure organisational harmony. The Tata group has sufficient internal candidates to manage unexpected leadership turns; the board of Tata Sons now has a window of six months to execute an orderly succession.