Bata India has  announced the appointment of Sanjay Rao as managing director and chief executive officer of Bata India. He succeeds Gunjan Shah, who will conclude his tenure upon completion of his five-year mandate leading the business.

Rao brings more than two decades of retail and consumer leadership experienceacross India, South Asia, China and Europe. He joins Bata India from Nike, where he mostrecently served as senior director, Nike Retail, overseeing the France and Benelux markets. Prior to Nike, Rao spent several years with Inditex, where he played a pivotal role in establishing Zara’s business in India through its joint venture with the Tata Group. Hesubsequently held senior leadership positions across India, South Asia and China. Rao has 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.”

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.”