T V Narendran: Man Of Steel The early implementation of the Mines and Minerals Act (MMDR Act), an explosion at a plant in Jamshedpur where a gas holder exploded and dealing with Chinese exports, among other challenges, were some of his early year crises that he navigated successfully

By Shrabona Ghosh

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It's been more than a decade since TV Narendran, MD and CEO, Tata Steel has been at the helm of the steel behemoth. On Monday, he was reappointed as the MD and CEO for five years, his tenure will continue through September 18, 2028.

For him leadership is all about dreams and details. "Leadership is all about dreams and details and I think that's a very important and crisp way of defining it. The balance between the two is . the key to having a good leadership style," he had said in the 42nd National Management Convention.

Born in 1965, Narendran pursued his engineering studies at the Regional Engineering College in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu and joined Tata Steel after his MBA from IIM Calcutta. From 1997 to 2001, Narendran served in the marketing and sales division of Tata Steel, where he played a pivotal role in building the iconic 'Tata Tiscon' brand. Recognising his exceptional leadership qualities, Narendran was elevated as managing director of Tata Steel in 2013. Under his guidance, the company witnessed remarkable growth and continued to thrive in a competitive market. Four years later, in 2017, he assumed the prestigious position of CEO and MD, continuing to spearhead Tata Steel's operations as an industry leader.

The early implementation of the Mines and Minerals Act (MMDR Act), an explosion at a plant in Jamshedpur where a gas holder exploded and dealing with Chinese exports, among other challenges, were some of his early year crises that he navigated successfully.

He always had a mindset to develop the SME sector, encourage and help them become world-class in the capabilities and facilities. Emphasizing the role of big companies, he said, "We need to leverage the fact that we are an I.T. powerhouse and with a very strong IT backbone, we can boost Indian manufacturing. The Make In India initiative will be a step towards boosting India's economy. No economy in the world has made this transition from underdeveloped to developed without having a strong manufacturing sector," he had said in the 42nd National Management Convention.

Narendran has overseen the organic and inorganic growth of Tata Steel over the last few years. He is currently on the Board of Tata Steel Limited, Chairman of Tata Steel Europe and Tata Steel Long Products Limited. Tata Steel, part of the Tata Group, was founded by Jamsetji Tata and Dorabji Tata on January 26, 1907.

Shrabona Ghosh

Senior Correspondent

I write on corporates and lead a project called 'Corporate Innovations', wherein I cover large enterprises across technology, auto, FMCG and avaition. I engage in CEO dialogues and run my podcast series: The Big Bosses. You can reach out to me at gshrabona@entrepreneurindia.com
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