Natarajan Chandrasekaran

Natarajan Chandrasekaran
World Economic Forum · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Natarajan Chandrasekaran
Birth date	1963
Birth place	Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Business executive
Alma mater	SASTRA (Tiruchirappalli), IIM Calcutta (participant)

Natarajan Chandrasekaran is an Indian business executive known for leading a major multinational conglomerate and shaping corporate strategy across diverse industries. He has been associated with prominent Tata companies, global advisory bodies, and international corporations, engaging with entities such as United Nations, World Economic Forum, International Monetary Fund, and multinational partners. His career spans TCS, Tata Sons, and interactions with institutions like Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, and major industrial houses.

Early life and education

Born in Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, he completed schooling in local institutions before pursuing higher education at SASTRA where he studied engineering; his academic background connected him to regional academic networks including Anna University and Madurai Kamaraj University. He later attended executive programmes and management studies associated with IIM Calcutta, linking him to alumni circles that include leaders from Reliance Industries, Infosys, Mahindra Group, and Aditya Birla Group.

Career

He began his professional journey at TCS, working across divisions that interfaced with clients such as IBM, Microsoft, Accenture, Cisco Systems, and Oracle Corporation. During his tenure at TCS he advanced through roles involving delivery for sectors represented by General Electric, Bank of America, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, and HSBC. His career trajectory included strategic engagements with technology platforms from SAP SE, Intel Corporation, Google, Apple Inc., and Amazon while coordinating projects linked to British Telecom, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Johnson & Johnson. Before transitioning to group leadership he negotiated alliances with firms like Capgemini, Wipro, HCLTech, Cognizant, and consultancies such as McKinsey, BCG, and PwC.

Leadership at Tata Group

As chairman of Tata Sons, he oversaw strategic decisions that affected flagship companies including Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Communications, Tata Consumer Products, Titan Company, Indian Hotels Company, and Tata Technologies. His leadership involved dealings with global partners such as Jaguar Land Rover, Ferrari, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Volkswagen Group, and interactions with sovereign entities like Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, and regulatory bodies including Competition Commission of India and Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Strategic initiatives under his tenure referenced projects tied to Bharat Petroleum, NTPC, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, and international investors such as Blackstone Group, KKR, Temasek Holdings, and SoftBank.

Board memberships and affiliations

He has served on boards and advisory councils alongside institutions such as Tata Trusts, BSE Limited, National Institute of Design, NITI Aayog panels, and international forums like the World Economic Forum, International Chamber of Commerce, and advisory groups linked to the United Nations Global Compact. His network extends to academic and policy institutions including Indian School of Business, IIT Madras, Harvard Business School visiting forums, London Business School events, and industry bodies like Confederation of Indian Industry and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry.

Awards and recognition

He has received honors and awards that placed him among leaders recognized by Forbes, Fortune, Economic Times, Business Today, and Financial Times. Distinctions include listings and accolades alongside recipients from Padma Vibhushan-level debates, corporate leadership awards presented by FICCI, CII, and international recognition from organizations linked to World Bank, International Finance Corporation, and Asian Development Bank. His leadership has been cited in rankings associated with Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg, The Times of India, and The Hindu.

Category:Indian business executives Category:People from Tiruchirappalli Category:Tata Group