Shantanu Naidu, known for his special bond with late industrialist Ratan Tata, was promoted to General Manager, Head of Strategic Initiatives, at Tata Motors after spending more than six years at Tata Sons.
Naidu, 32, shared the big career update on LinkedIn. “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as General Manager, Head – Strategic Initiatives at Tata Motors!” he wrote.
Turning nostalgic, he added, “I remember when my father used to walk home from the Tata Motors plant in his white shirt and navy pants, and I would wait for him in the window. It comes full circle now.”
A mechanical engineering graduate, Shantanu Naidu began his professional journey as an intern at Tata Technologies before joining Tata Elxsi. It was in 2014 that he first caught Ratan Tata’s eye.
Naidu, an automobile design engineer, developed a dog collar design with a safety innovation to protect homeless dogs from speeding vehicles. Tata, a known animal lover, not only decided to invest in the project but also became his mentor.
The industrialist’s backing of the initiative marked the beginning of a long-standing professional and personal bond between the two.
In 2018, Naidu assumed the role of Tata’s assistant, a position that brought him into the public spotlight. His close relationship with the business tycoon won hearts, especially after a video of him singing a birthday song for the billionaire philanthropist went viral.
Naidu chronicled their unique friendship in his book, I Came Upon a Lighthouse, which offered a rare glimpse into the personality of Ratan Tata beyond his business empire.
Beyond his corporate endeavours, Naidu is also an entrepreneur. In 2021, he founded Goodfellows, a startup dedicated to providing companionship for senior citizens living alone. The venture, valued at Rs 5 crore, received backing from Ratan Tata, who later relinquished ownership of the company.
Following Ratan Tata’s death on October 9, 2024, at the age of 86, Naidu shared an emotional tribute on LinkedIn. “The hole that this friendship has now left with me, I will spend the rest of my life trying to fill. Grief is the price to pay for love. Goodbye, my dear lighthouse,” he wrote.
According to reports, Naidu’s MBA expenses at Cornell University were covered under Tata’s will.