Story of Sandeep Kataria – Global CEO of Bata Shoe

Sandeep Kataria joined Bata in July 2017 as Country Manager of India after a successful career spanning 2 decades in consumer goods and telecommunications.

Prior to taking over the charge of Bata India Ltd, Mr Kataria was at Vodafone India as chief commercial officer. The IIT-Delhi and XLRI Jamshedpur alumnus has also held top sales and marketing posts at Yum! Brands, KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. His longest stint of more than 17 years has been at the consumer goods company, Unilever, where he was responsible for building and managing Indian and global markets.

At Bata India Ltd, Sandeep Kataria has been tasked with the transformation of the footwear giant into a modern, contemporary brand for generations to come. In July 2019 Sandeep has been appointed President of the newly‐formed India region and is member of the Executive Committee.

The Bata Shoe Organization on November 30 announced the appointment of Sandeep Kataria as CEO, effective immediately. Mr. Kataria is the first Indian to be elevated to this prestigious global role of the footwear major. He takes over from Alexis Nasard, who is stepping down after almost 5 years in the role.

With 24 years of experience at Unilever, Yum Brands, and Vodafone in India & Europe before joining Bata India as CEO in 2017, he has been directly involved in leading businesses and powerhouse brands that command impressive consumer following and extensive global reach. A passion for developing talent blends perfectly with Sandeep Kataria’s sound understanding of markets and strategic finesse, making him a leader of exceptional merit.

As the CEO of Bata India Ltd, Mr. Kataria has helped drive the Company’s 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.

Commented Sandeep Kataria, CEO, Bata Brands, “I am honored 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, 120-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 added.