Tata in UK construction industry's powerful list

Indian business titan Ratan Tata, already named among the world's most influential business people from India, has now made to a list of 30 most powerful in the British construction space with a ranking higher than even the UK's Minister for Housing.

The list compiled by UK-based digital magazine Contract Journal, which features people with a direct influence on the construction industry, has placed Indian conglomerate Tata Group's chairman Ratan Tata at the 16th position, ahead of Housing Minister Caroline Flint, who is at the 18th place.

Topped by Ian Tyler of engineering and construction services provider Balfour Beatty, Simon Williams, who is the Director of cartels at Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Ray O'Rourke, the chairman of private construction firm Laing O'Rourke, are at the second and third places, respectively.

On Ratan Tata, the report said, "Already providing products that feature in many British homes after its takeover of Tetley in 2000, Ratan Tata's Tata Group now supplies the mainstay material in most of its offices: Steel."

Indian conglomerate Tata Group's acquisition of steel maker Corus for about 6.2 billion pounds, made it the fifth largest steel maker in terms of output. The joint entity known as Tata Corus has a 50 per cent share in the UK market.

"Such is its dominance that steelwork contractors have nowhere to turn when it pushes through price rises. ...  With prices set to surge further as input costs continue to rise, the reclusive chairman of India's largest conglomerate could have a major impact on construction costs," the report said.

Earlier this month, the US business publication Conde Nast Portfolio had named Ratan Tata among the '73 Biggest Brains in Business' for his Rs 1 lakh ($2,500) Nano car. Moreover, Time magazine had chosen Ratan Tata as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.