Leo Puri an experienced financial professional and independent director on the Tata Sons board has stepped down as his term has come to an end. As per a report by The Economic Times Puri chose not to seek an extension. With over 30 years of expertise in finance and consultancy he has held key positions at firms like McKinsey Warburg Pincus and UTI Asset Management Company. His departure from Tata Sons comes just weeks after he also resigned from the board of Hindustan Unilever (HUL) one of India’s largest consumer goods companies. Leo Puris exit from HUL Puri decided to step down from HUL due to increasing board responsibilities including a potential appointment at a global organization. His resignation from HUL will take effect from June 30 2025. With his exit he will also step down as the Chairperson of the Risk Management Committee ESG Committee and Independent Committee along with his role as a Member of the Audit Committee. HUL acknowledged this in a regulatory filing on March 13. Puri originally joined HUL’s board as an independent director on October 12 2018 and was reappointed on October 12 2023. However with new commitments on the horizon he has now chosen to move on from these roles. Who is Leo Puri? Leo Puri was born to parents who migrated from Lahore to Kolkata after Indias Independence. He pursued his higher education at Oxford University and later completed a postgraduate degree from Cambridge. Initially Puri aspired to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and even sought permission from then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to take the IAS exam in London. However he was unable to do so. He then shifted his focus to law and became a member of the Bar Council of India. However after a short stint at a law firm he realized that the legal profession wasn’t the right fit for him leading him to explore a different career path. Key roles held by Leo Puri Leo Puri has held several prominent positions across various industries. He currently serves as an independent director on the boards of pharmaceutical giant Dr. Reddys Laboratories and Fortis Healthcare where he is also the Chairperson. In March 2024 Puri took on a new role as Advisor to Apax Partners LLP and Chairman for Apax India a leading private equity firm. The company highlighted his deep expertise in private capital and financial services citing his past leadership roles at UTI Asset Management McKinsey & Company and Warburg Pincus in India. Additionally in 2020 he was appointed as Chairman of JPMorgan Chase for South and Southeast Asia further solidifying his reputation as a key player in the financial sector.