Mr Ratan Tata announced today the appointment of Mr N A Soonawala as the non executive vice chairman of Tata Sons Ltd. Mr Soonawala had served Tata Sons as finance director for eleven years upto 27 June, 2000. Upon retirement from his executive position, the board appointed him as a non executive director effective 28 June, 2000. The appointment of Mr Soonawala as vice chairman of Tata Sons is a recognition of the tremendous contribution made by him during his service tenure of over thirty two years with Tatas, guiding the financial operations of the group companies with transparency and enabling Tata Sons, the principal investment holding company of Tatas, to consolidate their holdings in the major operating Tata companies.