For the first time in its history, shoe giant Bata appoints an Indian as global CEO

Sandeep Kataria was on Monday named as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Bata Shoe Organization, the first Indian to be appointed as the head of the global footwear manufacturer and retailer. Kataria takes charge following Alexis Nasard, who served as the company’s CEO for almost five years. The company said that as the CEO of Bata India Ltd, Kataria has helped drive its “consistent growth and profitability”. “Under his leadership, Bata India doubled its profits driven by double-digit topline growth, and sponsored some of the most ingenious campaigns, including ‘Surprisingly Bata’, that revamped Bata’s image as a more vibrant and contemporary brand, targeted at younger consumers,” Bata said.

Ashwani Windlass, the chairperson of Bata India Ltd, congratulated Kataria for his elevation to the top post and said that the company would benefit largely from his wide experience. “Over the past few years, the India team has delivered exceptional growth in footwear volumes, revenues and profits, and has strengthened Bata’s customer measures in a highly competitive footwear market. The Bata Group and Bata India both stand to benefit greatly from Sandeep’s extensive experience,” Windlass said.Expressing his thoughts about the new role, Kataria said he is confident of the company’s future prospects despite the pandemic that is currently going on. “I am honoured to accept this new appointment and excited by the journey ahead of us. Bata is a brand with an enviable reputation for high quality, affordable footwear. I have been privileged to be part of Bata’s success in India and I look forward to building further on our proud, more than 125-year history as shoemakers to the world. While 2020 has presented unique challenges, the appeal of our brands and the passion of our people provide every reason for confidence regarding our prospects in the years ahead,” he said.

Founded in 1984, Bata sells more than 180 million pairs of shoes every year at 5,800 stores. The company has 35,000 workers operating in 70 countries and also runs local production facilities in 22 of its own manufacturing units across five continents, the statement said. In India, Bata sells nearly 50 million pairs of shoes every year and serves more than 120,000 customers per day, the statement added.