Bata India appoints ex-Britannia exec Gunjan Shah as country CEO

Shah takes over next month; Sandeep Kataria, Bata India's current CEO, has been elevated to the position of global CEO

Footwear major Bata India has appointed Gunjan Shah as its new chief executive officer. Shah, who has been serving at Britannia Industries as its chief commercial officer, will take up his new role next month.

Sandeep Kataria, Bata India's current CEO, has been elevated to the position of global CEO of Bata brands. An alumni of IIM Calcutta, Shah has experience of working in sectors like consumer durables, FMCG and telecom. He worked for Asian Paints and Motorola early in the career, before joining Britannia in 2007.

Welcoming the new CEO, Ashwani Windlass, Chairman – Bata India Ltd, stated: “I am delighted to welcome Gunjan on board as Bata India’s new CEO. Over the past few years, we have been consistently delivering strong growth in the highly competitive footwear market. Backed by decades of experience working with powerhouse brands, Gunjan understands the Indian market’s complexities and varied nuances. I’m confident that he will add value and strengthen Bata’s position in the Indian market.”

Congratulating Gunjan on his appointment, Sandeep Kataria, Global CEO – Bata Brands, said: “India has always been a significant market for us from a global perspective. A dynamic leader like Gunjan will spearhead the company’s operations in India and given his extensive experience and track record, I am confident that he will take the Bata brand to even greater heights and deliver strong growth.”

Gunjan Shah, CEO-designate – Bata India Ltd, added: “I feel both honoured and humbled on being appointed as the CEO of India’s favourite footwear brand and on the confidence reposed in me by the board. I’m also excited about the journey ahead. As an iconic brand, Bata has become an integral part of the Indian fabric. I realise that I have big shoes to fill in and I’m thrilled about working with the talented & experienced Bata team. I look forward to building on the legacy of my predecessors in taking the Bata brand to new heights alongside creating long term sustainable value for all stakeholders in the company.”

Shah holds a Bachelor of Technology (Computers) from VJTI, Mumbai and will be joining Bata during June 2021 and will be based out of Gurugram.