Simone Tata, trailblazer behind Lakme and Westside, passes away at 95

Business Dec 05, 2025

Simone Tata, the mother of Noel Tata and stepmother of Ratan Tata, passed away early Friday at 95 after a long illness.
Born in Geneva in 1930, she moved to India in the 1950s and married Naval H Tata.
She had been under treatment at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital since August.

Who was she?

Simone wasn't just part of the Tata family—she helped shape Indian retail and beauty.
She led Lakme from the early 1960s, making quality makeup more accessible to Indian women when imports were scarce.
After selling Lakme to Hindustan Unilever in 1996, she founded Trent Ltd with the proceeds and launched Westside stores, bringing affordable fashion to Indian shoppers.
Her work changed how generations experienced beauty and shopping in India.