Harish Bhat

Harish Bhat is Brand Custodian, Tata Sons Ltd., and a veteran of the Tata Group. He joined the Tata Administrative Service (TAS), the central management cadre of the Group, in 1987.

He is a Director on the Boards of several Tata Companies, including Tata Global Beverages Limited, Tata Coffee Limited, Trent Limited, Tata Starbucks Private Limited, Infiniti Retail Limited, Tata Unistore Limited, Titan Company Limited and Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Ltd.

During his career of 30 years with the Tata Group, Mr. Bhat has served in several senior roles. These include stints as Managing Director of Tata Global Beverages Ltd., Chief Operating Officer of the Watches and Jewellery businesses of Titan Company, and also in the telecom business of the Group. He has played a key role in several strategic moves over the past two decades, including the launch and nurturing of many iconic brands, the successful turnaround of the jewellery business, as well as the acquisition of Tetley.

Mr. Bhat is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad, graduating top of his class in both Institutions, and winning the IIM Ahmedabad Gold Medal for scholastic excellence. In 1997, he won the Chevening Scholarship for young managers, awarded by the British Government. He has strong professional interests in strategy, consumer behavior, business economics and business history. He has been a member of the Consumer Insights Panel of the Economic Development Board, Government of Singapore. He has also represented the Tata Group on the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Advertisers.

Mr. Bhat is passionate about writing, and is a prolific writer who contributes regularly to various publications. In 2012, his first book was published by Penguin. Titled “Tata Log”, the book narrates stories from the modern history of the Tata Group, set to an overarching theme. His second book, titled “The Curious Marketer”, has just been published.