SIMONE TATA ---One of the most influential business woman of India
Naju & Keki Shroff
SIMONE TATA
Simone Tata, the chairperson of Trent, has worked out an uncomplicated equation to ensure the success of Westside, the chain of lifestyle stores the company set up in 1998.
Mrs. Tata took over as the company's chairwoman in 1982 and she was appointed a director of Tata Industries in 1989.
Simone Tata, née Dunoyer, currently the Chairperson of the Trent Limited, is an Indian businesswoman. French by birth and educated in Switzerland, she came to India in 1955, and joined Lakmé as Managing Director in 1961, rising to become its Chairperson in 1982. The small subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills went on to become one of the leading cosmetic companies of India. As the Chairperson of Lakmé, she was referred in the Indian media as the Cosmetic Czarina of India[citation needed].
She was appointed to the board of Tata Industries in 1989.
Eyeing growth in the retails sector, in 1996 Tata sold off Lakmé to Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL), and created Trent from the money it made through the sale. All shareholders of Lakmé were given, equivalent share in Trent. The Westside brand and stores belongs to Trent.
Simone Tata was the wife of late Naval H. Tata and is stepmother to former Tata group chairman Ratan Tata
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Simone
Tata is at present the Chairperson of the Trent Limited, and is an Indian
businesswoman. She is French by birth and was born and brought up in Geneva,
Switzerland and graduated from Geneva University in Switzerland. Her first visit
to India happened in 1953 as a tourist where she met her future husband, Naval
H. Tata. Their introduction gradually turned into marriage in the year 1955 and
she settled down in Bombay permanently. Due to her husband's interest and also
as a worthy woman, she joined the Board of Lakmé Ltd. in 1961 and was appointed
as the Managing Director of the same company in 1964. It is through hard work
that she attained such a high position within short days. Simone joined the
Board of Lakmé Ltd in 1961 and was appointed as the Managing Director in 1964.
Since she did not know any word called 'stop', she continued to work in the same
style and in the year 1982 she took over as the Chairman of the Board.
It
has been largely acclaimed that from humble beginnings Lakmé blossomed to be the
leading cosmetic company in India and all have happened due to the strong
determination of Simone Tata. In this day and age, Lakmé being the leading
cosmetic company in India is also involved in the export to several foreign
countries. In the intervening time, especially in the year 1989, Simone was also
appointed as a Director of Tata Industries Ltd, which is Asia's largest private
sector group, with over ninety-one companies in various sectors. It is to be
noted, that like the Wallenbergs in Sweden and Oppenheimers in South Africa, the
Tata interest span much of India' economy. Now since each and every credit of
development goes to Simone Tata she has often been referred in the Indian media
as the Cosmetic Czarina of India.
Besides, Simone has also been
responsible for the creation of a chain of successful department stores under
the brand name of Westside. The entire project started from one single store in
the city of Bangalore in 1998, and at present now operates sixteen stores
located in major cities around India..