11 August 2025
Corporate News

Tata Steel UK CEO Rajesh Nair appointed Chair of UK Steel

EAF

Tata Steel UK is pleased to announce that its Chief Executive, Rajesh Nair, has been appointed the new Chair of UK Steel, the representative body for the UK’s steel industry. 

This is a role he will undertake in addition to his existing responsibilities at Tata Steel UK.

Rajesh brings over 36 years of experience across the Tata Steel Group to this leadership role. 

Since joining Tata Steel UK as Chief Operating Officer in 2021 and becoming CEO in 2023, he has played a central role in reshaping the business, advancing its transition to low-CO2 steelmaking, and helping secure the future of domestic steel production in South Wales and beyond.

A graduate in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Rajesh has held several senior operational and commeicial roles across Tata Steel Group. He has overseen major transformation programmes across global sites – from managing the Cold Rolling Mill complex at Jamshedpur to playing a key role in the integration of Corus Group into Tata Steel in 2007.

Commenting on his appointment, Rajesh Nair said:

 “It is an honour to be appointed Chair of UK Steel at such a pivotal moment for the industry. 

"This is a period of profound change – with significant challenges, but also real opportunities to strengthen the sector for the long term. I look forward to working with UK Steel members and stakeholders to help secure that future – working closely with Government on its Steel Strategy and addressing structural issues such as uncompetitive energy costs and the growing threat of high-emission steel imports”.

Gareth Stace, Director-General, UK Steel said: 

“The appointment of Rajesh as Chair of UK Steel is excellent news for both UK Steel and our industry as a whole. 

"Rajesh will bring a wealth of experience across both the global and UK steel industry to this role. His appointment could not have come at a better time as our industry looks to modernise and grow as Government prepares to publish its Steel Strategy this autumn.”

Rajesh is a Board member of Tata Steel UK and also chairs Surahammars Bruks in Sweden. He is a Fulbright Scholar with advanced management training from Carnegie Mellon University and CEDEP-INSEAD. A recognised technical innovator, he holds published research and patents in galvanised steel products and has been a member of World Steel Association committees and the Indian Institute of Metals. 

About Tata Steel UK

  • The Tata Steel Group has been named one of the most ethical companies in the world, and is among the top producing global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes. 
    Tata Steel in the UK has the ambition to produce net-zero steel by 2045 at the latest, and to have reduced 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030.
  • In October 2024, Tata Steel ceased ironmaking at its Port Talbot site and temporarily paused steelmaking pending the construction of a 3.2Mtpa Electric Arc Furnace, due to be commissioned late in 2027 / early 2028. For that period, the business will import slab and hot rolled coil to support manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland as well as Norway, Sweden, France, Germany and UAE. It also benefits from a network of sales offices around the world.
  • Throughout 2024 Tata Steel UK has been undergoing a restructuring that will reduce the size of its workforce to around 5000 direct employees, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.
  • Tata Steel Group is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations and a commercial presence across the world.
  • The group recorded a consolidated turnover of around US$26 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2025.
     

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