Panos Mytaros to take over as Bata Group CEO, succeeding Sandeep Kataria

NEW DELHI: Multinational shoe manufacturer Bata Group announced on Monday that Panos Mytaros was appointed as the new Global General Manager since September 15, 2025, and that Sandeep Kataria, who has been leading the company since 2020, has taken its place.

Mytaros brings more than 30 years of global experience in shoe and leather industry. Bata joined more than three careers in Danish shoe manufacturer ECCO, where he found several senior positions, including the general manager from 2021 to 2024.

Also read | Bata’s return takes time and wears the patience of the market.

Following his university studies in Germany, he started his career with the Dutch Tabkhane group. He soon took him to ECCO Indonesia, where ECCO Director played the role of Ecco Director. In 2002, ECCO returned to Europe, where it was effective in transforming the leather group into an important international being.

Meanwhile, Kataria said that Bata ruled during an important transformation period, and a global pandema and a rapidly developing retail view.

Kataria was elected as the global general manager of the company in 2020 – the first Indian to raise it to its global role in Bata.

Also read | Bata is struggling to highlight its best foot in the midst of demand problems.

After serving as a commercial manager at Vodafone in August 2017, Kataria joined BATA as the Chairman of the Indian Operations. Kataria worked in large businesses, including Kataria’s Hindustan Unilever, where she spent about twenty years on India and the company’s global sites. He also worked with Yum! As CMO and the previous general manager, the brands operating popular KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants, respectively in India and overseas, respectively roles.

Under his leadership, Bata accelerated the digital agenda, facilitated operations, expanded to new markets, laid the foundations of modernized business practices and future growth.

Also read | S4 Results Today: IRCTC, Deepak Nitrate, Sail, Cummins, Bata India on May 28

Bata Group President Graham Allan said, “Panos is a proven leader who has a passion for deep industrial knowledge and shoe work.” “Brand creation and compelling shoe collections development and leading complex international organizations development registry, Bata’s next growth to guide the ideal candidate. We are pleased to invite Panos to the Bata group,” he said.

The Bata shoe company was founded in 1894 by Tomáš Baťa, his brother Antonín and his sister Anna, Zlín, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). A small family started as shoemakers. According to the company’s website, the company has more than 5,000 retail stores with more than 34 factories globally.

Bata is located in more than 70 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America. Key markets include various countries in India, Canada, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Switzerland, Kenya, South Africa and Southeast Asia.

Others sell shoe brands such as North Star, Scholl, Bubblegummers and Power.

India is one of the key markets of Bata, where nearly 50 million shoes are selling shoes annually. The wide retail network consists of 1,900 stores with both the company and franchisees.