Bata Chief Executive Sandeep Kataria resigns after five-year tenure; succession plans in motion

Sandeep Kataria has resigned as global chief executive of Bata, according to an ET report. His departure comes five years after his historic appointment and as the company navigates a period of slowing growth. An official announcement is expected later this week, the report added. Kataria is likely to remain in his role for up to six months to support a smooth leadership transition.

The news comes as Bata India, the company's publicly listed arm, reported a sharp decline in quarterly earnings. Net profit for the quarter ended March 31 fell 27.8 percent to ₹45.92 crore, down from ₹63.65 crore a year earlier. Sequentially, profit was down 21.8 percent from the December quarter.

Revenue also slipped, declining 1.2 percent year-over-year to ₹788.21 crore and 14.2 percent compared with the previous quarter.

Gunjan Shah, managing director and chief executive of Bata India, acknowledged a challenging demand environment but noted improvements in operational efficiency. "Despite navigating through the demand headwinds... we managed to gain volumes,” Shah said in a statement, highlighting efforts around inventory management and expansion into semi-urban markets. The company added 19 franchise stores during the quarter as part of its town-focused growth strategy.

Kataria previously served as CEO of Bata India. Before joining the company in 2017, he spent 24 years in leadership roles at Unilever, Yum Brands, and Vodafone across India and Europe, overseeing prominent consumer brands with wide-reaching global footprints and strong customer loyalty.

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