Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has dismissed allegations of a conflict of interest involving Venu Srinivasan’s engagement of Gerry McGovern, then Chief Creative Officer of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), as a consultant for Norton Motorcycles. The assertion was made following a filing by Mehli Mistry, a former trustee of Tata Trusts, who claimed that Srinivasan’s involvement constituted a breach of fiduciary duties.

In his statement, Chandrasekaran said Srinivasan had sought approval from both Ratan Tata and himself before appointing McGovern to provide brand advisory services for Norton. After reviewing the matter, Chandrasekaran concluded there was no conflict of interest with JLR and subsequently granted permission for the engagement.

Mistry, who previously faced obstacles in his reappointment as a Tata Trusts trustee, further questioned whether Srinivasan or his associated entities compensated Jaguar Land Rover for McGovern’s consulting services. He requested the Charity Commissioner in Mumbai to instruct Srinivasan to disclose details regarding any such payments. As of the latest update, Chandrasekaran’s office has not responded to this query.

Norton Motorcycles operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of TVS Motor Company. Srinivasan, who has served on the board of Tata Sons as a non-executive director since 2016 and was appointed vice chairman of Tata Trusts in 2018, was chairman and managing director of TVS Motor until 2022. He currently holds the title of Chairman Emeritus at the company.

Mistry has voiced broader concerns regarding Tata Trusts’ governance, alleging violations of legal requirements under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950. He contends that earlier trustee appointments, including his own replacement, were not in accordance with regulatory provisions, raising questions about the legitimacy of the trust’s board composition.

The controversy underscores ongoing scrutiny over trustee conduct and governance practices within Tata Trusts, one of India’s prominent philanthropic organizations.