Bata appoints Panos Mytaros as its new global chief executive officer, succeeding Sandeep Kataria
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The Bata Group on Monday announced the appointment of Panos Mytaros as its new global chief executive officer, succeeding Sandeep Kataria , who has led the group since 2020.Confirming ET's newsbreak of 16th June edition, Bata said the new CEO change will be effective 15th September 2025. Under Kataria's leadership, Bata accelerated its digital agenda, streamlined operations, expanded into new markets, modernized business practices, and laid the foundations for future growth. He helmed Bata through a significant period of transformation, navigating the challenges of a global pandemic and a fast-evolving retail landscape, it said.'Panos is a proven leader with deep industry knowledge and a passion for footwear craftsmanship,' said Graham Allan, Chairman of the Bata Group. 'His track record in brand building and developing compelling footwear collections, as well as in leading complex international organizations, made him the ideal candidate to guide Bata through our next phase of growth.'Mytaros held several senior positions including, most recently, chief executive officer from 2021 to 2024. Kataria, 55, is exiting Bata after an eight-year tenure – three years as Bata India head before taking the top global role in 2020, first Indian to head the Switzerland-based footwear major. Details on his next move have not been announced yet.Kataria, an engineer from IIT-Delhi and postgraduate from XLRI, worked with Unilever, Yum! Foods and Vodafone before joining Bata in 2017. Under his charge at Bata, the Indian business grew at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%, from Rs 1,707 crore in FY21 to Rs 3,554 crore in FY25.Bata is India's biggest footwear firm by revenues as well as volumes, with annual turnover of Rs 3,554 crore, selling about 50 million pairs every year through more than 1,960 stores. The country is also expected to be Bata's second largest sourcing and design hub after Italy.Bata India, with four factories, is the largest shoe-producer in Asia. Founded in 1894 in what is now the Czech Republic, Bata is a family-owned business selling 150 million pairs of shoes of about 20 brands and labels including Bata, North Star and Power.With a population of 1.4 billion, India is among the fastest growing and largest international markets for footwear companies. In recent years, though, sports shoes companies have been growing faster than formal shoes – where Bata traditionally had a strong foothold with lower pricing – due to increased casualisation at workplaces. Bata India's sales growth was flat during FY25.
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