Mistry is not only a long-time confidant of Ratan Tata but also a cousin of the late Cyrus Mistry and linked to the Shapoorji Pallonji Group — Tata Sons’ second-largest shareholder.
In this edition of Business Today magazine, we delve into the renewed tensions between the Shapoorji Pallonji Group and Tata Trusts over the public listing of Tata Sons. SP Group patriarch Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry has publicly called for greater transparency and good governance, highlighting both moral imperatives and financial pressures behind the demand. With an 18.4% stake in Tata Sons and mounting debt obligations, the group views listing as a way to unlock liquidity while respecting legacy. The standoff intersects with regulatory timelines, including RBI’s NBFC classification and compliance deadlines, and exposes internal fissures within Tata Trusts following leadership transitions. As legal, financial, and governance considerations collide, the story reflects broader questions of succession, control, and transparency at the heart of one of India’s most influential conglomerates.
Tata Trusts is not at all keen to list Tata Sons, which itself holds stakes in over 30 major companies, including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Motors, and Tata Steel, among others.
The Tata–Mistry relationship hits fresh turbulence as the SP Group’s push to list Tata Sons collides with the Trusts’ resolve to stay private.
A quiet but significant shift within Tata Trusts is reshaping the balance of power in the $180-billion Tata Group. Behind the apparent boardroom tussle lies a web of renewed family bonds, financial strain, and the looming question of Tata Sons’ public listing
The Shapoorji Pallonji Group firmly believes that a public listing of Tata Sons would not only reflect the values envisioned by its founder, Shri Jamsetji Tata, but also bolster trust among all stakeholders, including employees, investors, and the people of India, it said in a release.
The rift exploded last month when some Tata Trusts directors removed former defense secretar Vijay Singh as a nominee director from the Tata Sons board and attempted to oust Venu Srinivasan, another Tata Trusts-nominated director.
The spokesperson of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group said that the group has started exploring alternative deal structures, taking into account PFC’s feedback.
In FY23, Afcons posted gross sales of Rs 12,637 crore, a 15% jump over the previous year. Its top line has surged 92% (with a CAGR of 14%) in the last 5 years.
Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan, who heads the new entity as its managing director and chief executive, said that this plan is in line with the company’s aim to streamline operations and enhance value creation.
Afcons Infrastructure, the flagship infrastructure engineering and construction company of Shapoorji Pallonji group has filed its DRHP with market regulator Sebi to raise Rs 7,000 crore via IPO.





