Rao will replace Gunjan Shah, who will step down from his role at the end of his five-year term of leadership at the company, Bata said in a statement.
CEO duties will be effective from August 24, 2026 whereas the MD tenure starts from October 1, 2026 to August 23, 2031.
Rao brings more than 20 years of experience in retail and consumer leadership across India, South Asia, China, and Europe. Prior to his current role, he was the Senior Director, Nike Retail, overseeing the France and Benelux markets.
Before joining Nike, Rao was a contributor to Inditex and developed Zara‘s business in India via the joint venture with Tata Group. Subsequently, he held various senior leadership roles across India, South Asia, and China, including serving as Country Director for Guess in France. He holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Panos Mytaros, Chief Executive Officer, 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.”
Ashwani Windlass, Chairman of Bata India, said in statement, “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.”
Reacting strongly to the news, the stock was up 8.13% and was trading at ₹733.65 apiece on BSE as of 1:40 PM.