"I am honoured 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, 125-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", Mr Katara commented.

Mr. Kataria brings deep experience with global, consumer facing businesses and leading international brands, having joined Bata India after having worked for Unilever, YUM Brands and Vodafone. He brings to his new role a combination of strategic thought leadership, a "profound commitment to people development and a deep belief in the value of outstanding products and operations excellence".

Mr. Ashwani Windlass, Chairman of Bata India, said: "I would like to congratulate Sandeep on his well-deserved promotion. Over the past few years, the India team has delivered exceptional growth in footwear volumes, revenues and profits, and has strengthened Bata's customer measures in a highly competitive footwear market. The Bata Group and Bata India both stand to benefit greatly from Sandeep's extensive experience."

About Bata

Founded in 1894, Bata is one of the world's leading shoemakers, designing and producing comfortable and stylish footwear. Bata is a family-owned business selling more than 180 million pairs of shoes annually. It operates 5 800 of its own retail stores and produces footwear locally in 22 Bata-owned manufacturing facilities across five continents. Bata operates in more than 70 countries and has a workforce of roughly 35 000 colleagues around the world.