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Soonawala made Vice-Chairman of Tata Sons

Our Bureau

MUMBAI, Sept. 13

A TOP level director at the Tata Group for the last several years, Mr N. A. Soonawala, has been appointed as the non-executive Vice-Chairman of the group's main holding company, Tata Sons Ltd (TSL).

He was earlier the finance director of TSL for 11 years till June 27, 2000. Upon retirement, he was named a non-executive director of TSL effective June 28.

A senior Bombay House official said when contacted, that the only instance earlier of a similar post at TSL was when the current Group Chairman, Mr Ratan Tata, briefly served as TSL's Deputy Chairman.

Known for his financial acumen and reticence, Mr Soonawala was always perceived as a senior official working closely with Mr Tata on matters pertaining to the group. He is additionally Deputy Chairman of Tata Tea Ltd, Vice-Chairman of Tata Investment Cor poration and Forbes Gokak and is a board member of several Tata companies.

`` The appointment of Mr Soonawala as Vice-Chairman of Tata Sons was a recognition of the tremendous contribution made by him during his service tenure of over 32 years with Tatas, guiding the financial operations of group companies with transparency and enabling Tata Sons, the principal investment holding company of Tatas, to consolidate its holdings in the major operating Tata companies,'' an official statement which credited the formal announcement of Mr Soonawala's appointment to Mr Tata, said.