Ratan Tata successor: Who were in the race

CYRUS MISTRY

Cyrus Mistry, currently the managing director of Shapoorji Pallonji Group and a director of Tata Sons since August 2006, has been appointed to succeed Ratan Tata as chairman. In August 2010, the group named a five-person search committee, which included Cyrus Mistry, to look for a successor to Ratan Tata. Take a look at the contenders:

NOEL TATA
Chairman, Trent Ltd

Noel Tata, who is half-brother of Tata Group's chairperson, Ratan Tata, was seen as the most likely candidate for the post. He began his career at Tata International, the Tata Group's arm for the products and services offered abroad. In June 1999, he became the managing director of the Group's retail arm Trent, which was founded by his mother. By this time, Trent had acquired the department store Littlewoods International, and changed its name to Westside. In 2010, it was announced that he will take charge of the overseas business of the over $70 billion conglomerate as managing director of Tata International, raising speculations that he is being groomed to succeed Ratan Tata as the head of Tata Group.

INDRA NOOYI
Chairperson, Pepsico

Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi is an Indian-born American business executive. She is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, the second largest food & beverage business in the world.

ARUN SARIN
Former CEO, Vodafone

Arun Sarin was the CEO of Britain's Vodafone Group plc. In 2008, he resigned as the CEO of the company. He is currnetly a senior adviser at the private equity firm KKR. He serves on the board of directors of Cisco Systems and Safeway, Inc.

VIKRAM PANDIT
CEO, Citigroup

Vikram S. Pandit is an Indian-born American business executive and is currently CEO of Citigroup.

VINDI BANGA
Former head, Unilever

Manvinder Singh Banga aka Vindi Banga is a senior partner at the private equity fund Clayton Dubilier & Rice. He is a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Thomson Reuters ($40B enterprise value), Marks & Spencer PLC, and the Prime Minister's Council for Trade & Industry, and was awarded the Padma Bhushan - one of India's highest civilian honours - in 2010.