Tata Group creates public policy team for European markets

MUMBAI: The Tata Group has created a policy team for Europe, whose job is to ensure that the group companies have access to decision makers and thereby better penetration in the European markets. The policy team will be part of Tata Ltd, the unit that works as the conglomerate’s representative in Europe.

“The group has been playing an enhanced role in supporting companies’ efforts, particularly where they do not have a dedicated public policy presence, as well as strengthening the group’s profile with key stakeholders,” Tata’s quarterly report released in October said. And not just in the UK, the team formed last year is looking to influence key officials in Brussels, the seat of European policymaking.

The report stated that connections built by this team would be crucial when other Tata businesses want to break into the EU as a market or to set up operations. Interaction with policy makers in the Netherlands, Germany and France is also on the cards. One of the main triggers for this initiative was the priorities of the EU’s new president, Jean-Claude Juncker, which included infrastructure investment, digital development and a stronger industrial base.


These are the areas where the Tata Group wants to become a major player, the report said. “For long, companies have been looking at the US thinking that is the end market – East has been sedate and for many years Europe was ignored. Somewhere in between, business houses are getting comfortable with Europe and finding it easy to work with. However, only larger groups like Tata can afford to build such policy teams that can act as influencers,” said SV Nathan, senior director-talent, at Deloitte.

“Tata Sons has teams responsible for public affairs and business development in nodal countries of the world. These teams are either housed in Tata Sons itself (the US, China, Singapore, Dubai) or through its subsidiaries (Tata Ltd in the UK). In Africa, the group business development and public affairs is taken care of by a team from Tata International.

Tata Ltd carries out the responsibilities for the entire European Union. There is no move to create a separate policy team as you refer to,” a Tata Sons spokesperson said in a reply to an ET query. The group set its foot in London in 1907 and its major European acquisitions include tea business Tetley in 2000, steel firm Corus in 2007 and Jaguar Land Rover in 2013.

Through sponsoring cultural festivals, literary events, skill development workshops and services for wounded personnel, the business house is building its brand with the 500 million Europeans, as it tries to shed the tag of a foreign acquirer.