Bata India Appoints Nike Veteran Sanjay Rao as MD and CEO
Bata India has appointed former Nike executive Sanjay Rao as its new Managing Director and CEO, succeeding Gunjan Shah as the footwear major looks to accelerate growth and strengthen consumer relevance.
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Bata India, a leader in the footwear industry, has appointed retail industry veteran Sanjay Rao as its new Managing Director and managing director as the footwear major prepares to enter its next growth phase.
Rao takes over from Gunjan Shah, who is leaving after a five-year stint running the business.
The appointment brings to Bata India an experienced retail executive with over two decades of experience in India, South Asia, China and Europe. Rao comes to the company from Nike where he was most recently Senior Director, Nike Retail, leading operations in France and the Benelux markets.
Leadership Transition:
Rao previously worked for Inditex for several years and played a key role in setting up Zara’s operations in India through a joint venture with Tata Group. He then took up senior leadership roles across India, South Asia and China. Rao also served as Country Director for Guess in France and holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Commenting on the appointment, Panos Mytaros, chief executive officer of Bata Group, said: “India is one of Bata Group’s most important markets and one of our biggest long-term growth opportunities. Bata India has a powerful brand, deep consumer trust, strong foundations and significant room to grow. The next chapter must be about becoming even closer to consumers, strengthening our relevance, responding faster to trends and giving consumers the shoes they want for every part of their lives. I would like to thank Gunjan for his leadership and contribution over the past five years. He has helped strengthen the business and build a solid foundation for the future. Rao brings deep retail and consumer experience, international perspective and a strong understanding of the Indian market. He knows how to build businesses, develop teams and create momentum. I am excited to welcome him to Bata and confident he is the right leader to take Bata India forward into its next phase of accelerated growth.”
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Ashwani Windlass, chairman of Bata India, said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Gunjan for his leadership, commitment and contribution to Bata India. During his tenure, he strengthened the business, elevated the consumer experience, drove innovation and built a strong leadership team. His contribution has helped create a solid foundation for the future, and we wish him every success in the next chapter of his career. We are delighted to welcome Sanjay to Bata India. His versatile background, proven track record and deep understanding of consumer and retail markets make him well suited to lead the company into its next phase of growth, with a strong focus on consumer relevance, product strength and long-term value creation.”
