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Simone Tata, Architect of Lakmé and Westside, Dies at 95 in Mumbai

Her leadership transformed Lakmé and seeded Trent’s Westside, reshaping the Tata Group’s presence in Indian consumer markets.

Overview

  • She died on December 5, 2025, at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after a brief illness, according to a Tata Group statement.
  • Last respects will be held on December 6 from 9:00–10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Name in Colaba, followed by a mass at 11:00 a.m.
  • She built Lakmé into a leading cosmetics brand and later used its sale to Hindustan Lever to create Trent Limited, which launched the Westside retail chain.
  • Beyond business, she guided philanthropic bodies linked to the Tata ecosystem, including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute.
  • Born in Geneva in 1930, she came to India in 1953, married Naval H. Tata in 1955, and is survived by her son Noel Tata, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya, and Leah.