From Salary Of Thousands To Crores: Meet The CEO Who Is 'Man Of All Seasons' For Tatas

TV Narendran has been steering Tata Steel since 2013.

In an era of frequent job changes, it's rare to find someone who has remained with one employer for an extended period. One such exemplary individual is TV Narendran, the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel, who has proven to be the epitome of commitment, vision, and dedication. Often referred to as Tata Sons' 'Man for All Seasons' in the global steel business, TV Narendran has been steering Tata Steel since 2013. With his leadership, the century-old Tata business has witnessed remarkable transformations, mega acquisitions, and innovative rescue strategies during the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under Narendran's astute guidance, Tata Steel's revenue from operations skyrocketed from Rs 1564.77 billion in FY2021 to an impressive Rs 2433.53 billion in FY2023, propelling the company's market cap to Rs 1.45 lakh crore. Naturally, he was the highest-paid employee, receiving a compensation of Rs 18.66 crore for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, comprising a fixed salary of Rs 5.16 crore and a commission of Rs 13.5 crore.

TV Narendran, 58, is highly esteemed among the business leaders of the renowned steel-to-salt conglomerate led by Ratan Tata. A mechanical engineer from the esteemed Regional Engineering College in Tiruchirappali, now a National Institute of Technology (NIT), Narendran further honed his skills at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kolkata.

As the CEO & MD, TV Narendran has overseen the organic and inorganic growth of Tata Steel over the last few years. He has over 34 years of experience in the Mining and Metals industry. Narendran is currently on the Board of Tata Steel Limited. He is the Chairman of Tata Steel Europe and Tata Steel Long Products Limited. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Governors of XLRI Jamshedpur. He is a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of the World Steel Association.

TV Narendran was the co-chair of the Mining & Metals Governors Council of the World Economic Forum from 2016 to 2018. He is a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering. He served as the President of the Indian Institute of Metals from 2021 to 2022. He has also served as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) from 2021 to 2022.

Having joined Tata Steel straight out of college in 1988, Narendran has dedicated years to working for one of the world's largest steel manufacturers, even spending time in the Middle East. Instrumental in the success of the Tata Tiscon brand, he made history as one of the youngest CEOs in the Tata Group when appointed as the global CEO of Tata Steel.

Under his leadership, Tata Steel acquired the steel business of Bhushan Steel and Usha Martin, valuing an astounding Rs 40,000 crore. Thanks to his and CFO Koushik Chatterjee's diligent efforts, Tata Steel was well-prepared for the Covid-19 lockdown, emerging from a challenging quarter with Rs 1000 crore in free cash flow.